How often do you thoroughly clean your chopping boards? You may think a simple water rise is enough to keep your boards clean but turns out they are quite tricky to clean. Chopping boards can harbour bacteria and germs, especially when they are not properly cleaned. Wooden boards especially have natural antimicrobial properties, making it more resistant to bacteria than other materials.
However, wooden boards can absorb moisture and liquids from food, which can lead to bacterial growth if not cleaned and dried properly. Over time, small cuts and grooves can harbour bacteria, so it's important to oil wooden boards regularly to maintain their surface.
Plastic chopping boards are easier to clean and often dishwasher-safe, but they can develop deep grooves from knife cuts over time. These grooves can trap bacteria, making plastic boards susceptible to contamination. Unlike wood, plastic lacks the antimicrobial properties that help inhibit bacterial growth.
A recently resurfaced video clip from the popular quiz show QI, went viral recently as it shed light on the cleanliness of chopping boards. Hosted by Sandi Toksvig, the high-brow quiz presented a range of questions on the topic of restaurants, with comedians Alan Davies, Phill Jupitus, Sara Pascoe, and Mark Watson participating.
One particular question focused on the best material for chopping boards to prevent bacteria. Sandi asked, "To prevent bacteria, what should your chopping board be made of?"
Sara quickly responded, "Wood. For ages they thought the plastic ones were better, people thought that wood has these little grooves and bacteria would go in there and live and multiply but then they actually found out that plastic was much worse."
Sandi confirmed this was correct, explaining that 99.9% of bacteria on a wooden chopping board disappears within three minutes, while bacteria remains on plastic ones. She added that while plastic boards can be put in dishwashers and heated, the key is to wash them well and replace them when they become worn.
“One good thing about plastic chopping boards is that they can be put in the dishwasher and heated up but the most important is to wash them and replace them when they get a bit knackered," she added.
If you want something that's safer, consider bamboo chopping boards which are similar to wood as it has natural antibacterial qualities, and it's more resistant to knife cuts. It’s also less porous than wood, making it less likely to absorb liquids and harbour bacteria.
Glass and stainless steel chopping boards are non-porous and don’t absorb liquids, making them easy to clean and sanitize. However, they are less common because they are hard on knives, causing them to dull quickly.