Talk:Linseed oil

Nutrient content of flax seed oil
Approximate per 100 grams (3½ ounces) Food energy 450 calories (1,880 kilojoules) Fat 41.0 grams Total dietary fibre 28.0 grams Protein 20.0 grams ... """

This should be cleaned up ! There are no wys 100 grams of oil can hold 20.0 grams of Protein !! May be the whole seed !! Would be nice to have more healh infos, also interesting that linseed oil is difficult to preserve (harder thatn other cold pressed oil! Because of Omega3 ? Sort of more like a fish oil ? Very interesting, looks possible to have the fishy oil benefit without the accumulation of toxic due to the higher position inside the food channel)

Agreed, that's absolutely ridiculous. It should be something like 100% fat, and at 9kcal/g, a total of 900kcal/100g. Tom Huckstep 17:16, 12 April 2006 (UTC)

Also, the claim for fiber in flaxseed oil makes no sense. In addition, there is no mention of "stand oil" a standard component of artists' oil painting brews, which is also a modified linseed oil. 24 June AD 2006

Merging
Copied here from Flax seed oil, prior to merge. - brenneman (t) (c)  05:48, 11 January 2006 (UTC)

Flax seed oil often used as a popular Nutritional Supplement is an oil extracted from the stems of the plant flax.

Health Benefits
Being a rich source of many Essential fatty acids| (such as omega-3 fatty acid, omega-6 fatty acid and omega-9 fatty acid), as well as containing B vitamins, potassium, lecithin, magnesium, fiber, protein, and zinc, Flax seed oil is commonly considered a very healthful supplement.

Conditions
It has been asserted that a diet rich in omega fatty acids may reduce Coronary heart disease, arthritis, cancer and various skin and tissue problems.

As a fire hazard
I believe that flax oil (aka linseed oil) is only a fire hazard (on oily rags etc.) if the metallic driers have been added. Edible flax oil (such as Barleen's) presents no such hazard. See David.Throop 03:42, 6 January 2007 (UTC)

I disagree. Any linseed oil can be a fire hazard, even pure food grade. It's a type of oil that reacts with oxygen and causes heat. Oil-soaked rags are a classic hazard because typically they are not laid out flat to let the heat dissipate but scrunched up which traps the heat and can easily lead to fire. Check with your local fire department but typically disposal of rags involves putting the oil-soaked rags into a sealed can filled with water, then disposed in accordance with local regulations. The reason furniture or floors finished with linseed oil don't spontaneously combust is because the surfaces ordinarily have enough surface area to dissipate heat. There is plenty of info on the web. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.27.217.144 (talk) 23:27, 12 August 2016 (UTC)

Boiled Linseed oil is a very real fire hazard. I nearly burned down my house with a bucket of Boiled Linseed soaked rags I left sitting after finishing my floor. I wanted an old fashioned oil and wax floor finish, but I had no "old timers" around to warn me about the fire hazard. Boiled Linseed Oil soaked rags will spontaneously combust. I confused the warning on the side of the Boiled Linseed oil can with the old, common-sense warning against leaving oily rags around where something like a spark or cigarette might start a fire. I learned the hard way that the can had a very different, specific warning. Boiled Linseed oil is safe once you know to soak the rags in water when you clean up.

I'm no Luddite, but I think the oil and wax finish is easier to master and nicer looking than any of the modern wood finsihes.

I don't know if raw, edible Linseed oil is a fire hazard. 28 January 2007 Noah Spurrier It is a fire hazard.

Polar foods citation
I've put back the deleted commercial link to Polar Foods - actually replaced it with a more specific one. (I also replaced the second link that the same editor deleted, probably accidentally). The reason is that the oil discussed there is actually the subject of the footnoted text, and the link has more details on it. The fact that a site is commercial doesn't preclude it as a reference, if the purpose of the link is otherwise within WP policy. Waitak 21:00, 26 September 2007 (UTC)

Dubious health benefits
The Wiki entry for flax mentions some possible harmful effects to men concerning prostate cancer that I think should me mentioned here. While searching for a reference I found a page that also mentions the difference between omega-3's from flax and from fish, and how flax oil may not be as good. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400051. CSPI recommends men not take flax oil since it's not yet been show to have positive benefits, but may gave negative ones: http://www.cspinet.org/nah/12_05/flax_can.pdf  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Djomac (talk • contribs) 17:58, 9 September 2009 (UTC)

Outrageous Claims
..Flaxseed oil has a higher rate of curing cancer than Chemotherapy..

The cancer claims are ridiculous and dangerous.

What on earth is the source of the nonsense about "Fire departments treat the wood handles of hand tools that have metal implements (e.g. axes, plaster hooks) with linseed oil to prevent buildup of static electricity"? What a load of crap! Fire departments, just like landscapers, farmers, carpenters and a multitude of other people who work with wooden-hafted tools use linseed oil as a wood preservative. Nothing more.

I've excised this nonsense. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.130.64.210 (talk) 16:13, 2 June 2009 (UTC)

Linoleic <=> Linolenic Confusion?
In the section "Nutritional Supplement", the sentence "Plant breeders have developed flaxseed with higher alpha linoleic acid content (70%) and very low alpha linolenic acid content (< 3%)." has me confused. I have never before encountered a reference to "alpha linoleic acid", and can't imagine anyone seeking to minimize "alpha linolenic acid content". RCopple (talk) 16:56, 1 September 2009 (UTC)

The genetically modified variety of linseed, trade name "LINOLA", has only 2% alpha linolenic acid (Omega-3) and 72% linoleic acid (Omega-6). These seeds are yellow, in contrast to the natural strain which are brown and contain 35-66% alpha-linolenic acid and only 7-19% linoleic acid. The purpose of breeding the low omega-3 variety was to produce an oil that was less oxidative and more suitable for human consumption, rather than for industrial use. However, this renders the genetically modified flaxseed oil useless as a source of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3)for nutritional or health-enhancing purposes. Why bother taking omega-6 containing flaxseed oil when you can take corn oil for omega-6? The product information sheet should be checked first to ensure the content of omega-3 FAs. See Lipid Technology 1994, 6(2), 29-33 (85.3.152.207 (talk) 20:28, 9 September 2010 (UTC))

Metallic driers food-safe?
There seems to be dispute going on about whether modern (no-lead) driers, such as those being added to boiled linseed oil, are food-safe. Does anyone have any definitive source for this? Rumiton (talk) 14:50, 8 November 2009 (UTC)


 * Boiled linseed oil is not food-safe. It will polymerize without catalysts like lead. The point of boiling it is to begin the polymerization with oxidation. A lot of interesting things are in this review, and it's not what I am looking for in a repudiation of a line that claims flax is stable at baking temperatures. This is: I do not understand why it's not in Pub Med, and it looks like an abstract. linseed <> flaxseed -- One is for paint. The other is nutritional. One is heated and oxidized. The other has been carefully kept away from oxygen and cold-pressed. 75.152.125.56 (talk) 02:51, 30 January 2013 (UTC)

Wood Finish
"Oiled wood may be yellowish and is likely to darken with age." Can someone explain this further. To me, wood coated in linseed oil has a much more pleasing and natural looking finish than that treated with varnish. However this yellowing, which I have noticed with pine, can spoil the look of the wood. I assume that non-natural oils do not cause yellowing, but it does seem a shame to oil natural wood with man-made chemicals. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.56.111.181 (talk) 02:57, 26 February 2012 (UTC)

There appears to be a contradiction in this section. The first part mentions "Liquid water will penetrate a linseed oil finish in mere minutes and water vapour bypasses it almost completely" and then continues to mention "and used in place of epoxy to seal modern wooden surfboards". Based on that, it would seem incompatible that a finish that doesn't protect the wood from water would be used for a surfboard. (Also, 'liquid' water sounds redundant). Can someone clarify that? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.19.100.164 (talk) 22:28, 29 June 2012 (UTC)
 * The whole section makes very little sense. Being far from an expert, I cannot see how to remedy it. Does no one have good sources that can clarify this stuff? Rumiton (talk) 13:33, 23 December 2012 (UTC)

Photo is of flaxseed oil, not linseed oil
Repoman23 (talk) 20:13, 22 July 2012 (UTC)

Article Intro Implies Linseed Oil is Food Safe
While Linseed Oil and Flaxseed oil come from the same source Flaxseed oil is cold pressed and raw food grade oil while Linseed Oil is a treated substance that is sold in hardware stores and is NOT safe to consume. Linseed oil is used in paint, rust remover and finishers. Linseed Oil is not Flaxseed Oil as is stated in the first paragraph. This is dangerous as the article moves from discussion of industrial uses of Linseed oil to the health benefits of Flaxseed oil without any discussion of the difference between the two substances. Repoman23 (talk) 17:34, 28 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Seems that you might be on to something but we need a good book that discusses the possible distinction between flaxseed and linseed oils. I will say that just because linseed oil is used for all sorts of apps does not mean that it is unfit for human consumption.  Please look for a book that discusses the point that interests you - my source {Ullmanns Encyclopedia) says that they are the same.--Smokefoot (talk) 00:43, 23 July 2012 (UTC)

Ok, will do, but you should at least distinguish between boiled linseed oil which is NOT FOOD SAFE and is sold in hardware stores and cold pressed flaxseed oil which does have some nutritional benefits.Repoman23 (talk) 02:54, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
 * I am unsure how digestible boiled linseed oil is, but I doubt that it is particularly toxic. If someone ate linseed oil that they had bought at a hardware store, we could not reasonably be expected to stop that kind of dumb behavior.  There is a section near the end of our article on "Boiled linseed oil" and reading that makes it pretty clear that it is not intended for consumption.  But Wikipedia-Chem does not add warnings about not eating chemicals.  Thanks for your help, but I dont think that we have a problem.  I still would be interested in finding a source that distinguishes flaxseed and linseed oils.--Smokefoot (talk) 03:02, 29 July 2012 (UTC)
 * Hello. I run a workshop producing food grade utensils: barbecues, smokers etc., and I am afraid you are not correct regarding toxicity. Boiled linseed oil used to be just that, but for the past 30 years thinning and drying agents have been added which make it highly toxic, not just inedible, but unusable in any cooking environment. See this ad as an example. Rumiton (talk) 04:02, 29 July 2012 (UTC)

This is a very confusing topic! Most modern "boiled" Linseed Oil has added chemicals, and would be obviously unsafe to consume - and may not be labeled with details about the processing/additives. But "raw" / "pure" Linseed Oil is also sold for various non-food uses. How can we know what is really in these products, and what would make them how unsafe to consume? -96.233.17.252 (talk) 21:21, 2 September 2012 (UTC)
 * Most household and industrial products come with a MSDS, or one can be obtained from the manufacturer. Basically, if it doesn't say OK for human consumption or food preparation, don't do it. Rumiton (talk) 13:44, 23 December 2012 (UTC)

Sorry, not a usual Wikipedia editor, but thought I'd direct you to this video made by a farmer that specializes in linseed for oil production and flax. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI5wkatBmLQ According to him, flax and lindseed come from two distinctly different plants. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.178.55.132 (talk) 14:20, 27 May 2013 (UTC)

Boiled linseed oil
The article is missing details of the history and industrial processing. The 1911 Edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica article is helpful:


 * www.1911encyclopedia.org/Linseed

"Its most important use is in the preparation of oil paints and varnishes. By painters both raw and boiled oil are used, the latter forming the principal medium in oil painting, and also serving separately as the basis of all oil varnishes. Boiled oil is prepared in a variety of ways - that most common being by heating the raw oil in an iron or copper boiler, which, to allow for frothing, must only be about three-fourths filled. The boiler is heated by a furnace, and the oil is brought gradually to the point of ebullition, at which it is maintained for two hours, during which time moisture is driven off, and the scum and froth which accumulate on the surface are ladled out. Then by slow degrees a proportion of " dryers " is added - usually equal weights of litharge and minium being used to the extent of 3% of the charge of oil; and with these a small proportion of umber is generally thrown in. After the addition of the dryers the boiling is continued two or three hours; the fire is then suddenly withdrawn„and the oil is left covered up in the boiler for ten hours or more. Before sending out, it is usually stored in settling tanks for a few weeks, during which time the uncombined dryers settle at the bottom as ” foots." Besides the dryers already mentioned, lead acetate, manganese borate, manganese dioxide, zinc sulphate and other bodies are used." -96.233.17.252 (talk) 21:29, 2 September 2012 (UTC)
 * Looking at the first substance, lead acetate, the MSDS tells us: The substance may be toxic to blood, kidneys, the nervous system, the reproductive system, central nervous system (CNS). Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage. The message is boiled linseed oil is highly toxic stuff, not to be ingested or used for coating food utensils. Rumiton (talk) 13:54, 23 December 2012 (UTC)


 * One of the best sources I've found for boiled linseed oil is a paper by US industrial chemist and gunsmith Bill Knight (now added as a source). This discusses the oil boiling process (with both lead and manganese), the historical applications, techniques for improving the performance of modern cold-boiled oils and historical gunsmithing.
 * Britannica isn't usually much good for industrial processes, as they assumed that their readers would never need to soil their hands with "trade". A series like Spon's Workshop Receipts is usually far better. Andy Dingley (talk) 14:24, 23 December 2012 (UTC)


 * BTW - as to the toxicity issue noted here, it's about boiled linseed oil (ie the drying oil), not the raw oil. This process adds either lead, manganese or (these days) cobalt. Lead is obviously hazardous, cobalt (considered a safe replacement) is now being looked at suspiciously. There are also issues as to the quality and possible toxic ingredients used in the extraction of raw linseed oil. IMHE (in the UK) edible grades are sold as 'flaxseed' oil whereas 'linseed' oil is not intended for consumption and I wouldn't trust it. Andy Dingley (talk) 14:29, 23 December 2012 (UTC)

Linseed oil = flaxseed oil
It is incorrect to view the two oils as being different.

The following sentence in the article does not make sense: "Linseed oil and flaxseed oil are both derived from the same plant, but oils may differ because of the way they are processed."

The processing method for obtaining an oil does not change its name!

62.195.45.181 (talk) 09:36, 6 February 2014 (UTC)


 * The processing method, and the implicit market, certainly does change the name. Imagine trying to sell, "Healthy Oil, just like they use in Paint"! For another obvious example, linseed and boiled linseed. Andy Dingley (talk) 11:47, 6 February 2014 (UTC)

Invalid reference and made up information about Linseed oil chemistry.
The Stand Oil reference is publically inaccessible and there is no reference for boiled linseed oil. Linseed and other polyunsaturated oils were boiled with Litharge (Lead Oxide) which speeds drying by catalytically promoting oil reaction with atmospheric Oxygen. I can find no public references that describe dies alder reaction in paint drying. Initial hardening of linseed and other drying oils is due to formation of Peroxide links between two different oil molecules. Peroxides are unstable and responsible for the spontaneous flammability of "oily rags" mentioned in below paragraphs. If the author does not correct those sections I will delete them. Shjacks45 (talk) 19:34, 22 July 2014 (UTC)
 * Ullmann's Enclyclopdia, virtually the bible of chemical technology, explains the situation well. Yes, access requires payment, but that is the way it is for good sources, unfortunately.  I reversed the order of the presentatoin since I think most readers want to see how "boiled" oil is used in modern times before getting to the Medieval use.  But I would be glad to cooperate on this topic, which interests me.--Smokefoot (talk) 01:15, 23 July 2014 (UTC)

Oxidization - rapid or slow?
Greetings! At the moment, the article says the following (emphasis added):

"Flax seed oil is easily oxidized, and rapidly becomes rancid, with an unpleasant odour, unless refrigerated. [...] Rags soaked with linseed oil stored in a pile are considered a fire hazard because they provide a large surface area for oxidation of the oil, and the oil oxidises quickly."

Seymour & Danin (1987), however, state that:

"In 1906 Genthe showed that linseed oil absorbed oxygen very slowly initially but that oxidation proceeded with increasing speed."

This would suggest the exact opposite. If one runs a Google search with keywords: "linseed oil" "slow oxidation", one will run into a whole lot of sources that discuss the same. As far as I am concerned, this is a very typical topic in the field of painting. By that simple search, I was able to found a couple of other sources, although rather old, that discuss the slow oxidation of linseed oil

Cheers! Jayaguru-Shishya (talk) 21:51, 24 January 2015 (UTC)


 * the pbs doco on King Tut (start at 01:00:00) did a test on rags, while it didn't go off quickly, it did quickly start to go off. And gained pace the hotter it got. So there's more in the phrasing. Also, given the following ref examples, 22,23,24,25 why would you doubt? Dave Rave (talk) 08:02, 18 October 2015 (UTC)


 * Good question, why would they doubt this? What's really going on with this?? Why would a warning that is on bottles and cans of linseed oil be excluded from the lead? What could motivate people to remove it?GliderMaven (talk) 16:20, 29 March 2016 (UTC)

Drying Oil?
I've had some little experience w/ raw linseed oil. It does not dry,IMHO. I don't know what they use in paint, but i suspect that it's boiled linseed oil. Anyone care to expand on this?Longinus876 (talk) 00:39, 5 February 2015 (UTC)
 * I do not know about other preparations of linseed oil, but I have a bottle of it for painting with. It is five years old and it has not gone rancid or else degraded. Strangejames (talk) 18:48, 26 September 2015 (UTC)

Putty
I have reverted an unexplained deletion of an explanation of the properties of putty in framing. The previous version did not explain why putty hardens and cracks with time. 217.42.177.253 (talk) 16:04, 4 November 2015 (UTC)
 * Can you give a source for this though? Until that time, an unsourced addition by an IP editor is just going to get repeatedly blanked until you're blocked, even if it's a correct and obvious addition. Andy Dingley (talk) 16:23, 4 November 2015 (UTC)

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To add to article
To add to this article: what exactly are the "metallic driers" in boiled linseed oil, and if they don't include lead, which elements and/or compounds are they? 173.88.246.138 (talk) 01:51, 25 July 2020 (UTC)

add Mustard_oil in the table of compraision
FoodData Central

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172337/nutrients

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_oil#cite_note-5 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ulti.paladin (talk • contribs) 13:53, 22 December 2020 (UTC)