Replies

1. 
   jonsherryl | Nov 04, 2003 02:54am | #1

   Mike, black locust isn't particularly toxic. It's a little coarse textured and ring-porous to be an ideal cutting board wood, but it's certainly dense enough to take a lot of abuse. Personally, I don't use anything but maple for food related items...but I guess you could do a lot worse than black locust.

   Toxicity isn't as big an issue with cutting boards. Where you risk some serious consequences is when you use a toxic wood for cooking utensils or food storage containers. The food comes in contact with a cutting board only briefly and at low temperatures...which means there's less risk that the toxins will leach out and contaminate the food.

1. 
   xxxxxxxx | Nov 04, 2003 11:55pm | #2

   Thanks for the reply and info John. The stuff definately is dense!! I was just thinking of uses for some of the small pieces (other than trash can stuffing) and my wife thought it was pretty wood and suggested cutting boards.

   Out of curiosity, is there a reason you use only maple for food contact stuff?

   -Mike

1. 
   jonsherryl | Nov 05, 2003 12:45am | #4

   Mike, for a number of reasons, maple approaches the ideal when it comes to making food related items: It is dense, fine textured, has excellent wear properties, is blond in color and therefore provides a good reflective surface to work on...and it is one of the most chemically friendly of all of the world's important timbers. It is so low in toxic properties that it has been used as a filler in sausage making. Also, it's tannin content boarders on the unmeasurable, so it doesn't taint the flavor of foods in any noticeable way, even when used to make food storage containers...And, of course, it shapes and turns exceptionally well for making bowls or other turned items, like stirring spoons, etc.

   The only downside is that it is so chemically friendly it represents a free lunch for the fungi that cause decay...an the toxins produced by these fungi can be dangerous...so, while maple is ideal in virtually all respects, spalted maple should be avoided when making food or toy related items. 

1. 
   xxxxxxxx | Nov 05, 2003 05:51am | #5

   Thanks for the helpful information. Sausage huh? That's how they get the maple flavor in them....

   -Mike

1. 
   jonsherryl | Nov 05, 2003 07:27am | #6

   >>"Thanks for the helpful information. Sausage huh? That's how they get the maple flavor in them...."<<

   No, not nowdays, Mike. I think they use maple sugar, maple syrup...or when you're not looking...artificial maple flavor. The reference in my earlier post about using sawdust as a sausage extender stems from some historical trivia. In the desperate days of WW I,  with the Allied blockade of Germany virtually impenetrable, they were extending their meat supply with sawdust. Those Krauts always have been downrite industrious when it comes to chemistry and the conversion of byproducts into substitutes for more costly or critically scarce strategic commodities...dyes and petro substitutes from coal tar, etc...you name it. By the way, I've heard they're working on a new outhouse pate gras to help ease their balance of payments problem with France.

   ...(just kidding you on that last one.) 

   Edited 11/4/2003 11:28:34 PM ET by Jon Arno

2. 
   xxxxxxxx | Nov 06, 2003 03:51am | #7

   Interesting info Jon, thanks. By the way, I was being facetious with the maple flavor. While I have at times been accused of being as sharp as a ball bearing, I had a feeling that wood dust wouldn't fly anymore. Besides, with the price of wood these days, the industry has probably decided to go with something even cheaper, like plastic.

   -Mike

3. 
   jonsherryl | Nov 06, 2003 04:43am | #8

   >>" I had a feeling that wood dust wouldn't fly anymore."<<

   I don't think it's outlawed, Mike. At least not as long as it's listed as an ingredient. Wood and other plant extractives are pretty well represented in a lot of processed foods and flavors, for example; immitation vanilla, i think is processed from wood lignin.

   They don't even prohibit mouse dung and insect parts in some foods...at least in minute quantities. I think that's what they mean by wholesome...i.e., it's "whole"...in the sense that they didn't bother taking anything out. :O)

4. 
   CharlieM | Nov 07, 2003 07:49am | #9

   I was going for a snack but have changed my mind.  Thanks.

5. 
   wop | Nov 08, 2003 12:54am | #10

      Just thought you might get a rise out of this one. About two years ago one of the city commisioners in Milano had a surprise analisis done on school cafeteria foods and found that the school bread had 7% petroleum oil in it . Big scandal.... then it came out that this was actually permitted by law.... bigger scandal.

      what's the old saying " if there is a will there is a way"..... to make money by any means possible.

                                                                                   Philip

2. 
   xxxxxxxx | Nov 04, 2003 11:55pm | #3

   Sorry, that's Jon.

   -Mike