[Sca-cooks] To oil or not to oil?

[Susan Fox]

Volker Bach wrote:

>Am Montag, 3. Oktober 2005 00:21 schrieb otsisto:
>
>>Mineral oil if you must oil. Most oils mentioned below can and do go bad.
>>Linseed is not a food safe oil.
>>
>
>That surprises me a bit as it is sold here both as a food ingredient and 
>(mixed with 10% beeswax) as a treatment for wooden kitchen utensils. Is this 
>an FDA regulation? They sometimes seem to go a bit over the top. I was quite 
>surprised to hear that apparently woodruff was also disapproved of for 
>chidren. 
>
>Giano
>

I think what is going on here is two names for almost the same thing. 
 Almost.  

The oil of flax seeds intended for human consumption is called Flaxseed 
Oil and appears in health food stores.

The oil of flax seens intended for use in oil painting is called Linseed 
Oil  and is found in art supply stores.  DO NOT EAT THIS because it 
contains other non-edible substances that are good for paint but bad for 
people.

There is no reason why you could not use the edible flaxseed oil for 
your wooden kitchen implements, but I would add the beeswax like Giano 
says, and possibly some Vitamin E oil [comes in a bottle, or just squish 
a capsule] to slow oxidation and therefore rancidity.  I also see a 
"butcher block oil" composed of [painfully modern] Mineral Oil with 
beeswax, which would be neutral enough and much less likely to produce 
off flavors.  
Selene, clarifying my oils.