[TheForge] food-safe finishes

[Steven.Walker at its.state.ms.us]

I'm new to blacksmithing and have recently been practicing making spoons
and bbq forks.  I'm was wondering about food safe finishes on these. I've
google'd this topic and have read lots of opinions, some of which seem to
be conflicting.  For example some folks use beeswax/linseed combination on
cooking utensils and others say that is toxic.  Some say use vegetable oil
and other say that turns rancid.  Some say just to rub oil on the object
hot enough to smoke it and other say the object needs to be rubbed with oil
and then baked for a couple of hours.  The more I read the more I wonder.

Just curious what is the opinion in this group.........what finish should I
apply to cooking utensils and how should it be applied?

Thanks for any info!

Walker