Help! Mesquite Serving Boards for Restaurant

[Jkp23266]

Hello Everyone!

I am about to start making a bunch of serving slabs for a restaurant this week and I am nervous about the finish I will be using. I made about ten samples for them and used just butcher block conditioner. They plan on using it directly with food and right when they receive it, they plan on putting them in an oven to make them sterile. This is my plan heading into the week- sand down to 220, apply tung oil, Wipe off, let cure, then try beeswax over that? I haven't done beeswax before so I'm not sure about this one. Help! Thanks everyone.

[justallan1]

I haven't worked with mesquite much, but I think I would have them sign a piece of paper acknowledging that they were told beforehand of the gamble of putting wooden slabs in a dish machine, oven, or anything else along those lines.
Just something to cover you butt if the conversation ever came up.

[Magicman]

I have no idea but welcome to the Forestry Forum Jkp23266. 

[TimRB]

I would not apply any finish whatsoever unless the restaurant specifically asked for it.  In that case, I would use whatever the restaurant specified, and get it in writing.  Check your local health codes--I'd be surprised if a restaurant serving food directly on a piece of wood is even legal.

Tim

[Jkp23266]

Oh no. You guys have me worried. Possibly putting it in the oven before hand then going with the finish? I gave them a sample to put in the oven before everything to make sure it held up, never heard about it since. I assumed it was fine. They said they were going to put parchment paper between if they run into problems... Help! Tung oil then beeswax? Ahhh...  Thanks for the welcome . I stayed up late reading forums and I was thinking I need to be apart of these amazing groups of people here. So knowledgeable. Hank u for the responses!

[Saga Dan]

I am also by no means an expert on anything.  There is quite a bit of information out there about wood use in the kitchen for various different applications.  The FDA has information about the types of wood and their designs uses and so forth.  There are products that have "approval" and are safe for food contact and there are others that once cured or dried are safe for food contact.  Like other have suggested I would ask the restaurant for the product they would like to have used on the finished goods or provide them with the product they ordered and allow them to apply whatever finish or oil they might want.  They should have better access to the food based information since they have to abide by the "rules" in order to remain operational.  I would also suggest something in writing spelling out any part of process.  Sorry for not being able to answer what type of finish or the order in which to apply.  Good luck. Welcome and keep us in the loop.

[21incher]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum Jkp23266. The only finish that I use on wood that comes in contact with food is medical grade mineral oil. I think if you can find pure tung oil and let it cure for 30 days it is food safe, but most of the Tung oil sold has other chemicals in it to help it cure and can not be used in contact with food. Tung oil is made from nuts and I also wonder about allergies.You may want to leave the finishing to the buyer to be safe.

[Bruno of NH]

I wouldn't use ting oil jmo

[muggs]

I have made a lot of cutting boards. I have always made my own finish consisting of mineral oil, bees wax and carnuba wax. If heated, the wax melts into the oil. It also soaks into the wood easier.   Bob

[mesquite buckeye]

Mesquite turns a really ugly brown if it gets hot such as in a dishwasher. Don't ask how I know this... :-\ :-[ :

[Den-Den]

I use walnut oil for food contact wooden items.  Pure tung oil would be OK I suppose but it is thick and dries very slowly in pure form.  I have always thinned tung oil with mineral spirits but would not want that on a food contact item for at least a month.  No finish would be a good choice IMO.
Wood is more sanitary than plastic for cutting boards according to what I have read, only issues I see are the finish and possible damage caused by attempts to sanitize the wood.

[Magicman]

I am wondering what the customers will think when their food is brought on a slab of wood.  Seems like the restaurant/waiters will be constantly explaining.  Personally, I would opt for the parchment paper.

After thinking a bit, I have been served those little loaves of bread on a wooden cutting board and had no problem with it. 

[TimRB]

Not to belabor the subject, but as an example, the State of Michigan forbids wood coming into contact with food, with certain exceptions, cutting boards being one.

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdard/MI_Modified_2009_Food_Code_396675_7.pdf

Scroll down to 4-101.17 or just search on "wood".

Tim

[Lud]

Mineral oil.   Scrub in with a rag in circular motion in both directions. This pushes the oil into the pores.
Then a chunk of beeswax.  Same idea.  Circulars both directions to push it into the pores.
Then a fine nylon scrub pad to mix the oil and beeswax and fill the pores evenly.  Good to let it soak in and then wipe off excess with towel or teeshirt rag.  Easy  to refresh.

I keep every thing in an old cookie tin.  The mineral oil is a cutoff small jug bottom with the application rag.  The pad, beeswax chunks and a oil/wax mix-soaked rag all fit in.  The containment seems to soften the beeswax chunks which makes it easier to apply and the lid keeps sawdust and chips out when not being used.

I came up with this system for bowl turning and it's been working over ten years. plenty food safe.

[Just Me]

I would advise against putting them in the oven. And really why? I have had bad experiences with an automotive baking booth, and that is just 140 degrees.

I made a lot of cutting boards in the past for different restaurants, and I never put anything on any of them because they were going to be run through a dishwasher 5 times a day, no problems. What ever yo put on will be gone in a couple of days anyway.

And if he insists on putting them in he oven, have a waiver ready for him to sign. Wood does not belong in an oven.