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Sharkstar
Upthread discussion of 'mineral oil'.
As far as I know PetroCanada had the first refinery that produced true 'White' mineral oils.
https://lubricants.petro-canada.com/en-gb/brand/puretol-white-oils
I first heard of these around 1994-5.
Previously 'mineral oil' was based solely upon viscosity, ignoring the amount of aromatic content that would have caused the toxicity concerns mentioned by @Bobbo.
Such 'mineral oils' would have been de-odourised, as Sulphur, or Nitrogen containing molecules stink, but there would possibly have been some other impurities present.
The PetroCanada Mineral Oils, are as far as I know fully hydrogenated, they contain little that is aromatic, and consist of only straight or cyclical alkanes. This means they have very reduced reactivity, but should soak into timber, if applied in thin layers.
Mineral oils were used as laxatives as they pass through the human digestive system barely changed and act as a lubricant in the lower intestines and sphincters.
This also explains the old wives tale of not eating handfuls of sultanas/raisins/currants. They all had mineral oil coatings used as a process aid to reduce clumping in the process from bulk to filled retail units.
Such 'process aids' do not have to be included in the ingredients listing.