This Viewer Question comes from Danny who writes:
How do I tell which wood glues are FDA approved for using with a wood cutting board? Watched your video on making one and you recommend using Titebond III. I bought a tube but no where on the label on the bottle does it say it is approved for food use. Great site and thanks for the inspiring how to videos.
And here was my reply:
Hey Danny. If its not on the bottle itself, I would just do a little investigation on the web. Most companies will give a lot more product information on their websites. For instance, check out this info sheet on Titebond III. You should see “FDA Approved for indirect food contact” in the bulleted list.
I know that Gorilla Glue also claims to be FDA approved so you might look into their products as well. So in the future, check the associated website. FDA approval is a feature and a benefit so if you can’t find anything about it on their spec sheets, they probably don’t have it. But honestly, Titebond is really the only glue I use for food items anyway. Polyurethane glue is not my friend for various reasons. Good luck.
So, what’s your preferred glue for food contact?
9 Responses to “Food-Safe Glues”
I’d be hard pressed to think of any common glue that is toxic once it has set. Epoxy is totally inert once it has hardened. As is, I believe, resorcinol and urea formaldehyde . Casein glue is made of milk by products. Super glue has even been used in surgery. I believe they used hide glue on the postage stamps we used to lick. Library paste?
Well–many decades ago they used to use red lead paint as a form of adhesive in boat planking. But I don’t think you can even buy it anymore. And of course, some uncured glues can be extremely toxic.
I used Titebond II when I made my cutting board.
Does anyone else think that guy’s thumb is abnormally long?
From the MSDS, Titebond III is a PVA polymer glue with 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol as a solvent/carrier. Despite what the brochure says, this is a Listed hazardous substance. As a solvent it passes readily through the skin, so wearing gloves would definitely be prudent. It is also toxic to fish, so dumping it where it can reach waterways would be poor eco-stewardship. And it is inflammable, so no smoking!
The PVA portion is a skin, eye, and lung irritant and should not be inhaled as sanding dust.
The FDA-approval pertains to the final cured product, not the glue in the liquid state. So just like film finishes, they are pretty nasty in liquid form but relatively benign once fully cured.
atemp said:
“ethanol as a solvent/carrier. Despite what the brochure says, this is a Listed hazardous substance”
Of course ethanol is the hazardous substance in Beer Wine and Spirits. There are plenty of things that can be considered as hazardous or toxic, especially if you take context out of the discussion. Water is hazardous if you try to breathe it, or if you drink too much of it. In that vein, since carrots contain water, a hazardous substance, I should avoid using it and should wear gloves when eating them. LOL
To be safe, also better to wear a mask when eating a carrot.
My husband is refinishing our wood cutting boards and finishing them off with Minwax indoor/outdor Helmsman Spar Urethane. Is this finish safe for food cutting boards?
Hi Mary Ann. While I consider any film finish “safe when cured”, I don’t think Helsman Urethane is a good choice for a cutting board. Generally speaking, most folks shy away from creating a film on their cutting boards. This film can be sliced and cracked and will eventually peel and harbor bacteria. So one of the best finishes is simply mineral oil and wax.
Now I do have a varnishing method that I use on my end grain cutting boards only. You can read about that here: http://thewoodwhisperer.com/cutting-board-finish/
But I still wouldn’t want to use Helmsman for that finishing method. I just get nervous when there are too many additives and things like UV inhibitors that just don’t need to be there on an interior food prep surface.
Has anyone used plastic resin glue on cutting boards.