WHAT DOES “FOOD-SAFE” ACTUALLY MEAN?

In many areas, oiled wooden surfaces come into contact with food. Needless to say, this contact should remain completely safe. Once fully cured, the oiled surface must be harmless to health, must not release any ingredients into food, and must not alter the smell or taste of the food that comes into contact with it. Any migration, meaning any transfer from the material into the food, must be ruled out.

Our OLI-NATURA oils & waxes are intended for treating surfaces made of wood or wood-like materials.  They are designed to cure in the wood so that the oiled surface can come into contact with food without concern. They contain a high proportion of unsaturated plant oils and dry naturally with the help of oxygen in the air, curing to a tough, elastic finish. The impregnation is permanent, meaning fixed and stable. In addition, the oils used are finely purified and no longer contain any substances that could later create a breeding ground for bacteria in the wood.

All our oils & waxes meet the requirements of the German Food and Feed Code (LFGB) for articles intended for use in contact with food with regard to saliva and perspiration resistance. This testing is based on standards DIN 53160-1 and -2. In addition, they meet the toy standard DIN EN 71-3 (safety of toys) and are suitable for food contact.    

To substantiate this, we had five OLI NATURA oils & waxes tested and certified for “food safety” by an independent German testing laboratory with »official certification«. This voluntary product certification plays an important role for many cabinetmakers, joiners, parquet installers, and woodworkers, as more and more customers pay attention to tested wood treatments when choosing products. The LFGB seal meets this customer demand and also provides an important point of reference. To make them instantly recognizable, the latest labels now bear the glass-fork symbol. Suitability and approval for using the symbol are subject to strict, recurring tests.

The testing procedure

In strict testing procedures, wooden surfaces treated with our oils were analyzed in accordance with the German Ordinance on Consumer Goods (BedGgstV) and the German Food and Feed Code (LFGB). The experts checked whether the limits were complied with and whether there was any risk to consumers. Authenticity and migration tests, sensory tests, and analytical test results were also included in the assessment. Our wood oils passed the test requirements with flying colors in every respect and were significantly below all limit values.  This means that, once fully cured, the material used is harmless to health and can come into contact with food.

Which products may bear the glass-fork symbol?

The LFGB-certified oils include our OLI-NATURA HS hardwax oil, OLI-NATURA HS Professional Oil, OLI-NATURA Worktop-Oil, OLI-NATURA hardwax oil and OLI-NATURA boiled linseed oil.

Each of the tested wood oils has its own strengths: The parquet oils »OLI-NATURA HS hardwax oil« and » OLI-NATURA HS Professional Oil« show their strengths on wooden floors such as solid wood floorboards, country house floorboards, or ship-deck floors. The new »OLI-NATURA Worktop-Oil« is particularly suitable as a kitchen and worktop oil for solid and hardwood. Our versatile »OLI-NATURA HS hardwax oil« gives all furniture, kitchen fronts, panels, side panels, dining tables, and chairs a natural look. And the »OLI-NATURA boiled linseed oil« is ideal for wooden bowls, cheese boards, snack boards, or knife blocks. Small items made of natural wood or bamboo, such as bottle openers, little containers, closures, or wooden spoons, also receive a food-safe finish with our boiled linseed oil.

Which wood oil is right for me?

If you want to buy a wood oil, the selection may initially seem huge and overwhelming. We will help you make the right choice and show you which OLI-NATURA oils & waxes best suit you or, rather, your project. Our experts will quickly and easily recommend a suitable wood oil, answer your product questions, and provide application tips. We are happy to help with any questions, by telephone at 037208/84-488 or by email at faq@oli-lacke.de.