News — kitchen hygiene

If you want your wooden cutting board to last 5 to 10 years, the simplest upgrade to your routine is this: clean it with coarse salt and water once a week. Salt gently scrubs the surface, draws out moisture and odours, and helps keep boards like our 45x35cm Large Bamboo Board (1.8kg) and 45x35cm Large Acacia Board (2.1kg) in good condition without harsh chemicals. Why clean a wooden cutting board with salt instead of harsh detergents? Wooden and bamboo boards are naturally porous. Heavy use of strong detergents or soaking in water can cause warping, cracking and raised grain in...

If you want the best non porous chopping boards for bacteria prevention, choose a hard, low absorbency surface, use separate boards for raw meat and ready to eat foods, and replace boards once deep cuts appear, usually after 5 to 10 years of regular home use. In the Deer & Oak range, the Carbonised Bamboo Board 45x35cm (DNO-CBB-LG) is the most bacteria resistant wooden option, thanks to its tighter grain and pre oiled finish that reduces moisture absorption. What makes a chopping board non porous and safer from bacteria? "Non porous" simply means the surface does not easily absorb liquids....

If you prepare raw fish more than once a month, it is not considered safe to use the same chopping board for fish and veg unless you either have separate boards or you follow a strict 3 step routine: wash in hot soapy water for at least 30 seconds, rinse, then air dry fully for at least 2 hours. For most home kitchens, the safest and easiest option is to keep one board for fish and meat and a separate board for vegetables and ready to eat food. Why sharing a chopping board for fish and veg is risky Raw...

If you want to reuse a chopping board for meat and vegetables in the same meal, the safest option is to use two separate boards or a double pack, and only reuse a board for vegetables after washing it in hot soapy water for at least 20 seconds. This simple habit cuts your risk of cross contamination from raw meat juices to ready to eat foods by a very large margin and keeps your kitchen safely within UK Food Standards Agency advice. Why reusing one chopping board is risky Raw meat, especially chicken and pork, can carry bacteria such as...