News — chopping board safety

If you want a clear answer: you should not reuse the same side of one chopping board for raw meat and ready to eat vegetables in a single cooking session. The safest option is either two separate boards or a double sided board where one clearly marked side is for meat and the other for vegetables, cleaned in hot soapy water between uses. Why reusing one chopping board for meat and vegetables is risky Raw meat can carry bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli. These can easily move from tiny knife marks on a board to salad leaves,...

No, you should not reuse a chopping board for vegetables straight after raw chicken unless you’ve washed and disinfected it thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with hot water and washing up liquid. Food safety guidance in the UK is clear: either clean the board properly between uses or keep separate boards for raw meat and ready to eat foods like salad and fruit. Why reusing a chopping board after raw chicken is risky Raw chicken often carries bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella. When you cut chicken on a board, juices seep into knife marks and the surface. If...

If you wash and disinfect it properly for at least 20–30 seconds with hot water and washing up liquid, you can reuse a chopping board after chicken, but the safest option is to keep one dedicated board for raw meat and a separate board for ready to eat foods. Many home cooks use a two board system to cut the risk of cross contamination from raw chicken by over 90 percent. Why raw chicken on a chopping board is risky Raw chicken can carry harmful bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella. These can easily move from a chopping board to...