This topic comes up a lot. I would really like to see some scientific proof of a wood species not being food safe. There are known allergies to certain species, but the warnings are people working with them; not for finished products.
In fact the species of wood most recommend for cutting boards is considered quite toxic and more so than most exotics. Read the warnings below about hard maple:
Hard Maple, along with other maples in the Acer genus have been reported to cause skin irritation, runny nose, and asthma-like respiratory effects.
As far as finish, I am with Dallas on this one. I stick to mineral oil and beeswax. In theory all finishes cure food safe, but mineral oil and beeswax do the job just fine.
-- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KandJWoodCrafts
