News — acacia boards

No, you shouldn't put wooden cutting boards in the dishwasher. Even a single 70 ºC dishwasher cycle can cause a 45x35cm board to warp, crack and lose its protective oil, which can cut its lifespan from 5 to 10 years down to less than 12 months. Hand washing with hot soapy water for 30 to 60 seconds, then drying upright, is the safest way to clean and sanitise wood. Why wooden cutting boards don’t belong in the dishwasher Wood is a natural, porous material. A dishwasher combines high heat, aggressive detergents and long exposure to water, which is exactly what...

In the UK, most household recycling collections will not accept old chopping boards, especially plastic ones, so around 90% of worn boards end up in general waste. The most sustainable option is to reuse or repurpose your board for as long as possible, then choose a recyclable or biodegradable material such as bamboo or acacia wood for your next board so it can be responsibly disposed of or composted at the end of its life. Can chopping boards be recycled in the UK? The short answer is: plastic chopping boards usually cannot go in UK household recycling, while wood and...

If you care about keeping your knives sharp for 5 to 10 years, a well made wood cutting board is usually kinder to the blade than plastic. In repeated home tests over 12 months, cooks typically report around 20 to 30 percent less sharpening when using end grain or dense wood boards compared with hard plastic boards of the same size. Wood vs plastic cutting board for knives: quick answer For most home cooks and keen hobby chefs, wood wins the wood vs plastic cutting board for knives debate. Wood has a little “give”, so the edge of the knife...

If you clean and replace boards correctly, high quality wood is usually more hygienic than plastic for cutting boards. Studies from food safety bodies show that bacteria on hardwood and bamboo boards can drop by up to 98% within a few hours as moisture is drawn into the wood fibres, while plastic boards often keep bacteria in deep knife scars until they are fully scrubbed or replaced. Wood vs plastic: what actually happens to bacteria When you slice chicken, beef or fish, you leave a thin film of protein, fat and liquid on the board. What happens next depends on...