News — bacteria

If you are wondering whether wood cutting boards harbour bacteria more than plastic, the short answer is no when they are cared for properly. In controlled tests, properly maintained hardwood and bamboo boards can keep bacterial transfer to food extremely low, and a well oiled wooden board used daily can safely last 5 to 10 years in a home kitchen. Do wood cutting boards harbour bacteria more than plastic? All cutting boards can harbour bacteria if they are dirty, soaked, or deeply gouged. The key question is which surface helps you control that risk. Studies from food safety researchers have...

If you want the most hygienic everyday board for home cooking, a well cared for bamboo board is usually safer for bacteria than a plastic board, because bamboo absorbs less water, is naturally more resistant to deep knife scarring and can last 5 to 10 years before needing replacement, compared with many plastic boards that need changing after 1 to 2 years once heavily scored. Why are bamboo cutting boards better for bacteria than plastic? There are three main reasons bamboo, especially dense moso bamboo, often performs better against bacteria than plastic in real kitchens. 1. Knife marks and hidden...

If you want the safest board for everyday home cooking, bacteria studies consistently show that both hardwood and quality moso bamboo cutting boards can keep bacterial levels below detectable limits when washed within 10 minutes and dried upright, with survival rates for E. coli and Salmonella dropping by over 99.9% within 3 to 12 hours on well maintained wooden and bamboo surfaces. In practical terms, that means a properly cleaned moso bamboo board like the Deer & Oak Large Bamboo Board (45x35cm, 1.8kg) is just as hygienic for daily use as a hardwood board, provided you follow simple care rules....

If you are wondering what the best chopping board is for a safer, cleaner kitchen, the short answer is this: a well sealed wooden board used correctly can cut bacterial transfer by more than half compared with a deeply scarred plastic board. Chopping boards become a breeding ground for bacteria when cuts, moisture and food residue sit together for longer than 20 to 30 minutes, giving microbes like E. coli and salmonella exactly what they need to multiply. Why are chopping boards a breeding ground for bacteria? Your chopping board or cutting board is one of the busiest surfaces in...