News — kitchen hygiene

If you want to clean a chopping board after raw meat safely, scrub it within 5 minutes with hot water and washing up liquid, then disinfect it for at least 5 minutes with either a food safe antibacterial spray or a diluted bleach or white vinegar solution, before rinsing and drying it upright. That simple 3 step routine greatly reduces the risk of cross contamination from raw chicken, beef or pork onto salads, fruit and cooked food. Why proper cleaning after raw meat really matters Raw meat can carry bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli. These can survive...

If you wash it in hot soapy water after each use, dry it upright and oil it every 2 to 3 months, a wooden chopping board is hygienic enough for daily family cooking and can safely handle raw meat, fish and vegetables for 5 to 10 years. The key is choosing a dense hardwood or quality bamboo board and following a simple cleaning routine, not avoiding wood altogether. Is wooden chopping board hygienic in everyday use? The short answer is yes. Studies comparing wood and plastic have shown that bacteria on dry wooden boards often die off within a few...

If you clean and dry them properly, wooden cutting boards are safe for food and often safer than cheap plastic boards, because wood naturally slows bacterial growth and a well cared for board can last 5 to 10 years or more in a home kitchen. Why wooden cutting boards are safe for food There is a common worry that wood soaks up juices and traps bacteria. In reality, studies on hardwoods and bamboo show that bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella die off faster inside wood fibres than on many plastic surfaces. On a quality 45x35cm wooden board, the...

If you want the best red chopping board for raw meat in the UK, the most hygienic solution is a dedicated board used only for raw meat, ideally at least 38x28cm so juices stay on the board and off your worktop. At Deer & Oak we recommend pairing a clearly designated raw meat board with a colour coding system, using a red marker or corner tab so everyone in your kitchen knows that board is for raw meat only. Why a dedicated “red” board for raw meat matters In UK home kitchens, red is widely used for raw meat in...