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Is Lacquer Food Safe? (Answered)

Lacquer finishes are one of the most durable finishes that are available in the market. Lacquer finish makes the woody surface more glossy as well as saves it any sort of external dust. In addition, lacquer dries very quickly which is why you don’t need to be nervous about any sort of particles getting stuck to the finish while it dries. Also, you don’t need to worry about water and any other liquid because lacquer finish is impervious to any sort of liquid.

However, when it comes to the topic of “food safe” a debate arises among people. Therefore, in this article, we are going to answer whether lacquer is food safe or not.

Is lacquer food safe?

Lacquer is completely food safe until it is consumed directly while it is still in its liquid stage. Because any sort of finish that is consumed in its liquid stages can have a negative impact on health. When the lacquer is in its mature stage then the finish can be called food safe.

Well, any sort of finish that is on its liquid stages cannot be consumed because the particles that reside on the liquid can be very toxic for the health. Because the solvents that are present in the liquid stage can be very dangerous if consumed directly.

However, when the finish gets in its final stages then if any food material gets in touch with the finish then it won’t have any negative impact on the health. Because the particles that reside on the mature stage lacquer won’t contain any undesirable chemical, therefore, consuming it won’t have any negative impact.

Below there is a discussion about some types and brands of lacquer on whether they are food safe or not:

Type:

Spray lacquer:

Spray lacquer is food safe when the lacquer gets dried up. Because when the finish gets dried up the spray undesirable chemical particles of the lacquer also gets dried up quickly. Therefore, spray lacquer is food safe in its mature stage.

Nitrocellulose lacquer:

Nitrocellulose lacquer is usually termed as food-safe lacquer.   It also belongs to the small group of finishes that has been marked as the finishes containing the least amount of chemical particles. 

Clear lacquer:

Well, in the case of clear lacquer it is food safe if the finish is completely dried up. Because in the final stage of the finish the toxic chemical particles also get dried up.

Japanese lacquer:

The Japanese lacquer is made from a tree which is termed a poisonous tree. Therefore, it is recommended by the experts that you shouldn’t even touch the liquid stage of the Japanese lacquer and you can keep the food materials to Japanese lacquerware until it completely dries off.

Acrylic lacquer:

Well, acrylic lacquer is not food safe, therefore, you can apply the food-safe sealants on top of the lacquer before you use it for keeping food materials.

Brand:

Urushi lacquer:

Urushi lacquer is made from a Japanese tree named Urushi which is considered a poisonous tree. Therefore, it’s better to use the Urushi lacquer coated utensils after the finish has been completely dried off.

Watco lacquer:

Well, Watco lacquer is completely food safe. Usually, Watco lacquer is used on salad cutting boards or butcher boards, therefore, the finish has been made from food-safe chemicals.

Rustoleum lacquer:

Rustoleum lacquer is non-toxic and has a food-safe finish. This finish doesn’t contain any sort of undesirable chemical particles.

Melamine lacquer:

Melamine lacquer is food safe if it is not consumed directly.

Annie solan lacquer:

Annie Sloan lacquer is a completely non-toxic and food-safe lacquer. This lacquer is made with food-safe particles and doesn’t have any negative impact on health.

Minwax lacquer:

Minwax lacquer is food safe when it is completely cured. Because when the finish is cured then the undesirable chemical particles get dried off and eventually there are no chances for the toxic particles to get into the food.

Is lacquer food safe after curing? How long until lacquer is food safe?

Yes, every lacquer is food safe after curing. Because the undesirable chemical particles that remain on the liquid stage of the finish get solidified. Curing is a chemical process that makes the lacquer change from a liquid to a solid state. In this process, if any undesirable chemical particle remains on the lacquer then it gets solidified.

Finally, after this chemical process, the lacquer can be declared food safe. As the undesirable chemical particles won’t get into the food materials as the particles have been completely dried off and solidified.

Well, the days can vary depending on the quality of the lacquer. Most lacquer will need at least one month after it becomes food safe. The curing time lies in between 20 to 28 days and sometimes can be more. However, you should check the lacquer if it has been cured fully or not before using it for food storing purposes.

3 reason why lacquer is food safe

Well, not all lacquer is food safe because the undesirable chemical particles present in lacquer don’t solidify all the time after the curing process. However, there is some lacquer that is made from food-safe chemicals. Below we have discussed why those lacquers is food safe:

Made from food-safe materials:

Most lacquers are made from food-safe materials. These lacquers don’t contain any undesirable chemical particles and you can use these lacquer coated utensils any time. However, sometimes depending on the quality you might need to wait for at least one month for the lacquer to go through the curing process. Because after the curing process the lacquer will completely become non-toxic and food safe.

Curing process:

This process makes every lacquer food safe. This is one of the chemical processes that turn the undesirable chemical particles from the liquid stage to the solid stage. That means in the solid stage the undesirable chemical particles won’t be able to get into the food materials. almost all the lacquers become food safe after they go through the curing process.

Made from food-safe chemicals:

The main ingredient of lacquer is highly toxic chemicals. These chemicals are very harmful to our bodies. Therefore, nowadays most lacquers are trying to make food safe chemicals. The lacquer which is used in cutting boards are made from food-safe chemicals.

Can you put lacquer on a cutting board?

Yes, you can put lacquer on a cutting board until the lacquer is made from food-safe materials. Because lacquer which is made from undesirable chemical particles can have a negative impact on the human body. In addition, the toxic particles can even cause complicated diseases in your body. Therefore, it is better to use lacquer that is specially made to apply on a cutting board.

There are different sorts of lacquer available in the market which are specially made for applying on the cutting board. One of the best cutting board lacquer is watco lacquer. This specially made lacquer is widely used as a coating on cutting boards. As this lacquer is made from food-safe chemicals, therefore, you can use them on a cutting board without any doubt.

In the end, regardless of whatever lacquer you use on the cutting board, you have to make sure that you have cured the lacquer after applying it to your furniture or utensils. Also, you have to make sure that the lacquer is not in its liquid stage after applying it to your cutting board.

What finishes are food safe?

There are different sorts of finishes available in the market that are food safe. Most of these finishes are made from food-safe materials. Therefore, you can apply these lacquer on your furniture or utensils without any doubt. However, you have to make sure that you have cured the lacquer for at least one month. Because the curing completely solidifies all the undesirable chemical particles present in the lacquer. Some of the food safe finishes are noted below:

  • Nitrocellulose lacquer
  • Watco lacquer
  • Shellac
  • Beeswax
  • Mineral oil
  • Walnut oil

Final Thoughts:

Lacquer is completely food safe until it has gone through the proper curing process. Because the curing chemical process will eliminate undesirable chemical particles from the lacquer which is toxic for the human body. In addition, you can use lacquer that is made from food-safe materials.