Cutting boards are an essential item in any kitchen, providing hygiene, ease, and practicality in a simple yet effective way. We all find ourselves having to chop and cut various foods in the kitchen, and using a chopping board is the healthy way to do this – and can save your work surfaces from a great deal of damage. You can get many practical accessories for the kitchen today, from kitchen carts to a cheese board cutter, but very few modern day kitchens and cooks would be without their reliable chopping board. When cutting any type of food, these boards provide a stable and safe surface, enabling you to protect your worktops and use a surface that can be easily washed and cleaned. But how do you choose from the range of available cutting boards?
Which is best – a wood or plastic cutting board?
When it comes to wood and plastic boards there is a lot of conflicting evidence with regards to which is the most hygienic. Some evidence suggests that wood kills off bacteria far quicker than plastic and other studies seem to suggest the opposite. Your best bet to make the right choice is to go by preference, quality, and budget. Whatever type of board you go for, you need to ensure that it is cleaned properly in order to eliminate debris and bacteria, and this can be done with plenty of soapy water and a water-bleach combination cleaner. Also, it is advisable to have two boards – one for meats and poultry and others for vegetables and salads.
Many people like the stylish appearance and the durability of wood boards, such as a butcher block board. Quality manufacturers such as John Boos offer a good range in the line of wooden boards, and these can look great in any kitchen. Remember to avoid brittle or porous woods, such as redwood or hickory – most wooden boards are made from hardwoods such as maple and oak. Also, experts suggest that once your board has become well worn and there are a lot of knife grooves in the surface, it is time to discard the board and look into buying a new one. This is because the grooves make it easier for bacteria and particles to get lodged into the surface area of the cutting boards.
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