News — kitchen hygiene

If you cook a lot of chicken, mince or Sunday roasts, you have probably wondered at some point: are bamboo chopping boards hygienic for raw meat in UK kitchens, or should you stick to plastic? There is plenty of mixed advice online, so let’s clear it up properly. So, are bamboo chopping boards hygienic for raw meat? Yes, good quality bamboo chopping boards can be hygienic for raw meat in UK kitchens, as long as you use and care for them properly. In some ways they can actually be preferable to cheap plastic boards, which quickly end up covered in...

If you have spent any time browsing kitchenware lately, you have probably noticed bamboo everywhere. It looks beautiful, it is kind to the planet and it is usually lighter on the worktop than traditional hardwood. But are bamboo chopping boards healthy and safe for UK kitchens, especially when you are dealing with raw meat, fish and everyday family cooking? Are bamboo chopping boards safe from a food hygiene point of view? Short answer: yes, they can be very safe, as long as you choose decent quality boards and look after them properly. In UK kitchens, the main worries are usually:...

If you are choosing a new chopping board, you have probably come across two favourites: carbonised bamboo and acacia. Both look beautiful on the worktop, both feel reassuringly solid under the knife, and both have a reputation for being kinder to blades than glass or stone. But when it comes to hygiene and durability, which actually comes out on top? Let us walk through carbonised bamboo vs acacia: the ultimate comparison for hygiene and durability, with a few practical tips from the Deer & Oak kitchen along the way. What is carbonised bamboo and how is it different? Standard bamboo...

Acacia chopping boards are beautiful, hard wearing and kind to your knives. They are also a brilliant choice for preparing meat, as long as you use them properly. The key is knowing how to prevent cross-contamination with acacia chopping boards for meat so that raw chicken does not end up sharing a stage with your salad. In this guide we will walk through simple, practical steps to keep your kitchen safer, your food tastier and your boards looking good for years. What is cross-contamination and why does it matter? Cross-contamination happens when harmful bacteria from raw meat or poultry spread...