Wood Or Plastic Cutting Board

With knife damage wood retains its anti-microbial properties while a plastic cutting board does not.

Wood or plastic cutting board. Testing Wood vs Plastic Cutting Boards. More Work to Clean. EHOs Environmental Health Officers the food safety people pushed everyone into using plastic cutting boards instead of wood cutting boards because it was perceived as being more hygienic and easier to clean.

This robs bacteria of needed moisture for growth. One of the defining features of these boards is that they are easy to maintain. Simply use warm soapy water to clean off the board.

6 1993 edition of Science News a fascinating article on cutting boards describes research claiming that wooden cutting boards possess some sort of bacteria-killing properties thus making them less likely to contaminate food than plastic or acrylic cutting boardsPathogens prefer plastic the article declares. The type of wood the cutting board is made from is also important Heil says. Unlike plastic or silicone boards a wooden cutting board is tailored to withstand frequent use.

There have been several studies done with wood boards versus plastic that involve bacteria testing for the level of sanitation and the effect they have on knife sharpness. Wooden cutting boards are more difficult to clean than plastic too. A plastic cutting board is a great option for working with raw chicken beef fish and other raw meats.

While a plastic cutting board may not have the visual appeal of wood it can be a more flexible and durable option. Wood boards harbor fewer bacteria than plastic and can also be resurfaced should they become damaged he says. A quality wooden cutting board has all the hallmarks of quality woodworkno obvious flaws and a fine finish.

Originally published in the Feb. The board should then be rinsed with hot water and dried in an upright position. These boards are non-porous which makes them the best cutting board for.