Mango Wood . Is it Poisonous?

[Richard Hodsdon]

Hi Guys
Just had a query on a local FB Forum (S African group) on the suitability of Mango wood for food serving. Bowl and or cutting board. Some came back with it as a No-No as it is poisonous. First I'd heard of a fruit wood being poisonous. I know that you use a lot of mango wood in Australia so hence the query on uBeaut.
Is it poisonous and should it be avoided for bowls and cutting boards. Is it known in Australia as poisonous?

Thanks
Richard

[BobL]

All "wood" is poisonous, it just depends on how much you eat.
All wood is antibiotic - that's a major mechanism for how trees survive in the wild as it's one of the few defences against critters, ie contain enough "stuff" in it so the critters die or at least don't come back.

Mango sap and sawdust are allergic to some people.

According to this webage https://www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/poisonous-plant-mango-mangifera-indica/ it's a category 3 toxic plant whatever

Contact with the sap, wood, sawdust, bark or fruit can result in dermatitis including rash, swelling, itching and blistering. Peeling and eating the fruit can affect the hands and skin around the mouth.

FWIW Lantana and Oleander are category 1 - 4 (different parts of the plant have different toxicities)

It depends how much you eat. The most poisonous timber in Australia is cooktown iron wood but my BOTEC indicated an average person would have to eat 200 toothpick worths to die from it. Some animals like dogs are much more sensitive to it.

FWIW I eat Mango fruit skin - saves peeling it.

[Fekit]

I've recently slabbed up about 3 tonne of it and had no dramas here with the dust. I've actually used the sawdust to smoke fish, again, no dramas.

The sap from the fruit when you pick it can be a complete bastard and blister you quite badly, but that's a totally separate thing to what you're asking.

I'll go and lick one of the slabs now and let you know how I pull up in the morning, maybe. :D

[Colin62]

According to this website Mango Wood - Characteristics, Uses and Benefits (http://www.woodassistant.com/wood-database/mango-wood/) mango is used (among other uses) for


Kitchen accessories (chopping boards, tabletops, bowls, serving trays...)