What timber is food safe?

[nagumuthu]

Hello everyone,

I'm searching for a wooden tool to help spread oil evenly across the bottom of a pan. Bunnings stocks a wide variety of timber products, but I'm unsure which types of wood are suitable and safe for food contact.

Could anyone recommend a specific food-safe wood product available at Bunnings that I could use for this purpose-something I can dip into oil and use to spread it in the pan? I want to avoid using any wood that isn't safe for food use, so your advice on the right type to choose would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Kind regards
MM

[EricL]

Hello @nagumuthu 

Thanks for sharing your question about a wooden oil spreader. I'm sorry, but the majority of the timber at the store is not food safe or has no documentation saying that they are food safe. Unless a product is specifically labelled as food safe — and even then, only for its intended use, like cutting boards — it should not be assumed safe for all food-related purposes should you decide to cut it down and make your own utensil. 

The drawback of using a timber utensil is that it will in a short time develop cracks due to heat exposure or overuse. Food particles will then enter these cracks and become a home for bacteria. I propose doing a bit of research and perhaps consider using a silicone spreader instead.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @JoeAzza for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[JoeAzza]

Hi @nagumuthu, you could try a silicone food safe brush as suggested by @EricL , you can visit a local kitchen supply shop, or look online to purchase, I found this one that might be suitable, I use a wooden spoon for stirring food, but not sure how it wood work with hot oil.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Large-Silicone-Basting-Pastry-Brush/dp/B0CHRR4RBF

[Dave-1]

Good Morning @nagumuthu 

Mmmmm I dont know of a specific timber styled brush that will do what you are describing, You could potentially buy a timber utensil and then modify it by sawing a wooden spoon to do what you want.

I went a different route as any "oil bottle" the rubber would perish and then it would leak oil like crazy.

A turkey baster, I got mine from a cooking store but all stores have them at varying prices.

And A large necked glass bottle. I picked the bottle up for $3 from another house store. 

Its like using a large eye dropper, no oil drips and I control how much oil I use. Ive been using this for the past 4years ish I would say. As the oil dosnt reach the squeeze bulb it dosnt perish  

Dave

[nagumuthu]

Thanks @EricL for quick response.

Kind regards
MM

[nagumuthu]

Hi @JoeAzza 

Thank you for your suggestion. Could you confirm whether silicone leaves any residue when exposed to temperatures exceeding 150–200°C? While I haven't measured the exact temperature in the pan, this is an estimate.

My preference for timber stems from its ability to endure high temperatures without releasing residues that could potentially contaminate food, even in minute amounts. This is my primary concern. Silicone, particularly in bristled products, often comes in vibrant colors due to the addition of coloring agents. During manufacturing, these products undergo processes that involve heat and exposure to compounds that produce the desired coloration. Understanding whether this presents any risks is essential for my consideration.

At Bunnings, is it possible to distinguish food-grade timber from non-food-grade timber? Perhaps by part numbers or other identifiers? Alternatively, I was thinking of using a wooden cutting board, cutting a 50 mm diameter piece, and attaching it to a stainless steel rod. However, I’m uncertain about its effectiveness.

Kind regards
MM

[nagumuthu]

Thanks, @Dave-1 Dave-1 for sharing your ideas—they seem great for cooking! Unfortunately, they might not ensure an even coating of oil across a 250mm diameter pan. Reading your thread brought back memories of using an ink dropper during my school days, and it reminded me that a similar approach could be applied to cooking, as you’ve described. I appreciate you sharing this!

[JoeAzza]

Hi @nagumuthu , I suggest if you go to a store that sell the silicone type brush would be to ask them for specifications on the product, hopefully they would be address your request.

Goodluck in your search. There are a lot of different type of timber utensils, not sure if they would be food safe, there is another choice which is to use a stainless steel products, whether or not food safe remains to be answered.

[Noyade]

G'day Joe @JoeAzza 

"There are a lot of different type of timber utensils"

I've been using wood (bamboo?) utensils for years especially on cast iron - no issues yet, that I know of.

Did you ever see the Seinfeld episode where George Kostanza is seen at a wake - 'double-dipping' and the witness saying "you might as well put your whole mouth in the dip!"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Implant

I watched the Mythbusters episode that explored this claim yesterday and the 'shocking' revelation was, there is more bacteria in the freshly opened salsa and dip, than in the human mouth. 😁

So it's possible/probable, there is more bacteria on the food you are cooking, than the utensils you're using.

Regards the oil spreading  - I may be doing it wrong, but I heat the pan, "drizzle" (they always say that in my recipes) the oil in - and heat. Heating changes the viscosity and it's then easy to rotate and jiggle the pan - and the oil spreads across the surface.

Cheers!

[nagumuthu]

Thanks @EricL @Noyade @Dave-1 @JoeAzza.

I will reach out to the food items store for further inquiries regarding the use of silicone. Additionally, I'll ask them about Bamboo pieces, as suggested by @Noyade.

Kind regards

MM