Cutting Board Safety

It is a proven fact that plastic cutting boards are safer to use in your home than wood cutting boards, but what are some of the reasons? This article will examine the pros and cons of both types of cutting boards and list some basic rules of cutting board safety.

A greatly publicized study reported that wooden boards had anti-microbial qualities while plastic cutting boards trapped bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition conducted their own study to test the truth in these findings. They found that microorganisms became trapped in wood surfaces and were difficult to dislodge by rinsing alone. Once trapped, bacteria are able to survive in a dormant stage for long periods of time, potentially contaminating foods and causing food-borne illness the next time that the cutting board is used. The study also found that microorganisms were easily washed off of plastic surfaces.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Eastern Regional Research Center also conducted a study of wooden and plastic boards, focusing on the differences in bacteria attachment. They concluded that bacterial levels were higher on wooden boards regardless of the contact time for the infected item. They also found that all washing methods were more reliable with the plastic boards than with the wooden boards.

What can you do to ensure that your cutting board is as safe as possible? The USDA recommends that you use plastic or glass surfaces for cutting raw meat and poultry; however, wooden cutting boards used exclusively for raw meat and poultry are acceptable. Make sure that you use a different cutting board for cutting other foods such as produce and bread. This will prevent the bacteria from the meat or poultry from contaminating another food.

Be sure to keep all cutting boards clean by washing them with hot, soapy water after each use; then rinse and air-dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels. Dishwasher use is safe for non-porous acrylic, plastic or glass boards, and solid wood boards, but laminated boards may crack and split.

All boards should be sanitized regularly with a solution of one- teaspoon liquid chlorine bleach per quart of water. Flood the surface with the bleach solution and allow it to stand for several minutes, then rinse and air-dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels.

Remember that even plastic boards will wear out over time. Once cutting boards become excessively worn or develop hard-to-clean grooves, they should be discarded.