Is it Bad to Use a Wooden Cutting Board? Is it Bad to Cut Raw Meat on a Wooden Cutting Board?
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2024
- Hannah explores the old wive's tale that it's bad to cut raw meat on a wooden cutting board and more in this week's episode.
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For those curious, a colony forming unit (CFU) just means a live bacterium, healthy enough to start copying itself (forming a colony) if given warmth and sustenance. Meaning after cleaning, out of a myriad of live bacteria, only 10 survived the cleaning.
By comparison, in a clinical lab, most surfaces are considered clean enough to work on when 3-4 CFU are detected.
I’ve been trying to tell people this for years. I love wooden cutting boards. Way better than plastic
I use wood, bamboo, plastic and flexible. Oh, all of them. 🙄 My wooden cutting board I made in shop class in high school. Ummm, 46 years ago. Walnut and Maple.
The silica content in bamboo will dull knives quickly. Bamboo cutters know this.
@@b_uppy yeah, I agree. I'm getting rid of the bamboo. It's just sitting almost all the time. That's for the reminder.
@@paulsmith9341
Btw, neato on the homemade cutting board.
You are here to make me envy your wood cutting board aren’t you😄
@@mi2092 yeah....🙄
When I was a child I frequented an old fashioned butcher shop where all the work was done manually on a very large, heavy butcher block. The old butcher explained that when he cleaned the butcher block, he finished by a heavy dusting of salt on it to kill bacteria. This makes sense to me and I prefer it to bleach. I use two wooden boards: one for veggies, bread and prepared meats and one for raw meat.
"I use two wooden boards: one for veggies, bread and prepared meats and one for raw meat."
Good job. Avoiding cross contamination is the key, and is more important than the particular material used.
Love your presentations a lot.
People have used wooden cutting boards for years. They're all dead now. Coincidence? I think not.
Swaggercat lol
What, am I the last of the woodencuttingboardvictims?
@@paulsmith9341 No, you're the last survivor.
@@swaggercat power to my immune system!
Exactly, the correlation is undeniable.
Heard a few years back that maple was one of the best wood cutting boards. Story goes that naturally occurring tannins were highly antibacterial. Also, flat edge grain is supposed to be better for knife work, and grain for chopping with a cleaver. And a chopping block is supposed to be built under pressure to keep it from splitting.
A quick hit with a sander and a wooden board is back in use if it gets a lot of knife Mark's in it.
Great video and very informative. I was always curious about bacteria and wood cutting boards.
This is a huge relief. I was honestly feeling guilty about my wooden cutting board. Lol
I've used wooden cutting boards for decades, cleaned 'em with detergent and water and not only has no one died via my kitchen, but no one has even had a stomach upset. I use Spray and Wipe on the brush and sponge cleaner wand in summer months so there's no bacterial growth on the implements I use to clean the boards. I use a different board for fish/seafood, meat/poultry and then everything else (veggies, bread, herbs) ie: 3 boards
Salt and vinegar work very well too, as they do when fermenting vegetables. Even better, is using lemons (citric acid replaces the acetic acid of vinegar) cut in half to scrub the cutting board that some salt has been sprinkled on. The lemon also adds a fresh scent as it is used as the scrubber, and the salt besides killing pathogens and encouraging a little healthy bacteria, also acts as a mild abrasive to scrub away food particles left behind. If the wood looks old and dry after it has been left to dry, a little mineral oil will restore color and health to the wood surface.
you can also try hydrogen peroxide just rinse it off
Plastic accumulates in the body over years. Plastic is not adjustable as you can imagine
@@frequencypaint1858 I thought this was false, but it turns out it’s not! From what I read it’s a very small amount, but you get more from drinking liquid from container, and from heated plastic. From what I found the actual effects are unknown, especially with the possibility of ultramicroscopic plastic potentially entering cells, and how much is actually being disposed, but the theorized effects are negative. It does seem that there’s more focus and worry on how large groups of these particles can act like dust and damage the environment, as they spread absolutely everywhere, and organs through inhalation.
Finally one of these I can actually use thanks for this. I had similar questions.
Hannah,
you do a REALLY good job with these segments.
Thank you for your excellent and VERY helpful work.!!
For me, flexible plastic are the best. I like how you can easily chop, bend and dump, rinse and repeat. I put them in the dishwasher, there is always some room on the side.
You use a dull knife.
On the very good Netflix series “cooked” a US nun makes European cheese in a traditional manner with wood barrels and gets forced by the sanitary services to use stainless steel containers. I don’t remember the details but they end up going back to wood because it handles better any contamination. The nun happened to also be a microbiologist. The general moral of the story is that the absolute war on pathogens is always lost against natural selection, you are just selecting and giving free range to that one in a billion that you can’t kill but that can kill you. We live in a permanent soup of micro organisms, we need them to live, digest and cook, we need to accept that, clean is good, sterile is a dangerous delusion.
very well said
The CHEESE NUN! She’s the best!
Becoming free of bacteria would kill you! Probiotics are germs that are good for you, like those in yogurt, kefir, and fermented foods. A combination of salt and vinegar protects against pathogens and encourages healthy lacto bacteria as it does in fermenting vegetables.
Modern Education teaches theories of papers written for a degree from Universities but rarely prove in everyday living. When cleaning stainless steel, groves are created to trap moisture and bacteria. Even if it looks clean to the nake eyes. Wood on the other have the natural abilities to suck the moisture from the groves to make it inhospitable for bacteria and molds to thrive. You are welcomed.
The Cheese Nun! Mother Noella Marcellino, I met her in DC once in the Smithsonian Natural history food court. We were both hiding out from a torrential downpour. Only spoke a few moments, but in that short time she planted seed for a hobby/passion of cheese-making and cooking in general. She knew her subject, and spoke with conviction, clarity, and passion
It's the mineral oil seasoning applied to the lemon-salt sanitized surface every month or so that "seals" the woos surface from infiltration from bacteria carrying moisture and also why you can rinse it briefly under your faucet without causing warping. The seasoning maintenance is everything.
ATK, you need to publish videos on how to care for wood cutting boards, cookware, appliances, etc. to educate us on proper ways to make our kitchen tools last four years. There's so many bad ways that a piece of expensive kitchen equipment can be ruined.
Instead of bleach, spray hydrogen peroxide and distilled vinegar. Doesn't matter which is sprayed first; just spray one, then the other. DO NOT MIX the two into one container. The action happens with the individual application of each. Also works for cleaning throughout the house.
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide creates peracetic acid, so maybe don’t mix those lol
I have been making cutting boards for 30yrs and have been cooking for 60yrs. FWIW cutting meat on a hardwood cutting board is not so bad if you have sealed it with oil but a dry board will soak up meat juices which is not good. Wipe down with bleach or lemon oil. I season all of my boards with olive oil and use a poly board for meat. Eastern maple is best and Western maple is almost as good. I have a western maple board that I have used every day for 25yrs and it will probably outlive me. Keep them out of sinks full of water and DEFINITELY out of the dishwasher. Easiest way to destroy any board is a dishwasher.
Literally the best explanation on RUclips, period!!! Thank you so much!!!!
Thinking of getting an expensive oversized cutting block but not so fond of having to oil it and maintain it when it already cost $200+ and my bamboo cutting board cost like 50 and still works good
I often use the plastic boards to cut meat, just so I don't have to lug my heavy wooden board to the sink to wash when prepping both veg and meat. The plastic boards are also very useful to transfer flour or powdered sugar to a stand mixer when you need to add it slowly. (curl up the board and slide it over the bowl and shake)
I've got that exact composite cutting board. I've had it for years and never noticed any odor. Out of curiosity I gave it a little sniff. Other than smelling vaguely of the onions I had just diced, I got nothing. Especially no "wet dog"
One good piece of wisdom shared by Masa, a RUclips channel run by a Japanese gentleman , is to wet the wooden board first before cutting fish or meat. The theory is that the wood fibers are filled with clean water, then the fishy smell or raw meat fluids will have lesser chance to penetrate the wood.
I also read years ago that the wood tannin will kill bacteria to a certain extent, which is something plastic board can’t do.
The cuts on a wooden board will also heal better than plastic, leaving less room for bacteria to hide.
I always use wood cutting boards for meals. I do have a couple thin plastic cutting mats, but I generally only use them to make sauerkraut. They make it easier to toss the cabbage in the crock.
Used both a off the rack and custom made wooden board for cutting, mold arose from both after a couple months or so even after extensive cleaning.
Awesome you answer so many questions that I had. Thank you!
What's wrong with using one side of the wooden board for raw meat and fish, and the opposite side for the other things (e.g. veggies, fruits, greens)? You can even mark the sides with a permanent marker or cut a notch in the corner, to know which is which.
The most important thing you should do to help with bacteria on a wood cutting board is to make sure it’s properly seasoned with a food grade mineral oil. This also helps prolong your board as well. And you should never use bleach on a wood cutting board. Mild soap and water is the way to go. Season, season season your board on a regular basis.
I love your presentation style, Hannah. So glad you host this series. I always look forward to new videos from you and Dan. I hope Tanner will co-host a "Responds" video soon.
I have been using wooden chopping boards for 38 years. I simply clean them with hot water and soap. I have never been sick at home after cooking,nor have friends or family i have served.
In the 1970's doctoral student Fred Watenberg went around to local Berkeley California restaurants & delis testing cutting surfaces and tables for the best way to kill germs. He found wood cutting boards cleaned more germ free than any other surface, even stainless steel. He also found the best way to kill germs & clean a surface was separate treatments of white vinegar & hydrogen peroxide. It didn't matter in which order they were used. He said this combo killed more germs, according to his petri dish samples, than anything else even bleach or alcohol.
Nice. I like the idea of avoiding bleach and using something a little more food-safe. My first thought was to use something like 'Star-san' which is used for home-brewing.. you can even drink small quantities safely without being hurt or noticing any bad flavours... definitely not true of bleach!
I don't really know anything about cooking or food prep. I'm just here as part of my palindrome therapy. So thanks!
2fer one - I had to look-up the meaning of that word (i.e., "palindrome")... Found it has nothing to do with: "Sarah Palin".
Because of it, you made my day!... Thanks!!!
😂👍
I'd been wondering about this, very helpful! I like the use of a lab for more empirical data on the subject!
What about the difference between long grain wooden boards and end grain cutting boards?
Edge grain vs end grain; End is better for edge retention.
great q, one of our editors has been working on a massive cutting board story over the past few months and she does a deep dive into this, stay tuned!
This same channel has a video on that! :)
I've used wood all my life. I hand wash them with Dawn. I salt them every once in a while (overnight) and oil them about once every 2-3 weeks.
Same. I will once and a while run a half of a lemon over it..then the sea salt to marinate a bit. once and a while, the wood oil for treatment
Study….Bacterial Retention and Cleanability of Plastic and Wood Cutting Boards with Commercial Food Service Maintenance Practices
It concluded that - “Even after standard food service washing and sanitizing, colonies of the inoculated bacteria were observed sporadically, but only on wood surfaces and not on plastic. These results suggest that wood surfaces can absorb moisture and in effect can absorb contaminating bacteria, and the difficulty in removing these bacteria may make this material less desirable from a food safety perspective”.
From a man that makes custom cutting boards after your cutting board is seasoned I have only found this conditioner at ace hardware. It a bee wax conditioner all natural and you only need to condition your board 4 times a year. Happy cutting be safe. With warm Regards. RR
That giant wooden cutting board in the washing scenes is amazing!
Teak wood from TEAKHAUS. $80 to $100 depending on size from Amazon.
i'm the cook at home and i HATE anything but wood. my girlfriend has this idea that cutting meat on wood isn't good. THANKS FOR THIS LAB RESULTS. I MAY FINALLY BE ABLE TO GET HER OFF MY BACK. thank u looooooord lol
Good luck lol
Love the direction this channel's taken with individual formats
I might be stuck in my ways but I'll only prep raw poultry on a plastic cutting board because I can wash it through the dish washer which reaches 175F. Where I work we use specific coloured cutting boards for different types of food.
Can you share or publish the direct results from the lab for us to look at?
They can't do that because then they would have to actually go to a lab and have it tested instead of just saying they did. Nothing to see here. Move along.
++
@@swaggercat seriously, it does seem more than a bit doubtful. They could have at least mentioned the lab name or had someone from the lab talk on the video. And if wood cleans just as well as plastic, why do they bother with the details on bleach solution to use after you've already used soap and water? What a dumb episode.
I cook and woodwork. Doing anything in the shop with bamboo takes the edge off tools fast.
I got a bamboo board, and it was cheap so I didn't expect much and it splintered from the beginning. Any good way to treat it so it's usable?
My mom had purchased the Large TeakHaus Edge Grain chopping board, and it's slimmer cutting board model a few months ago. However, the chopping board has deep cuts in it from her using ceramic knives on it with quite a bit of force on it. The cutting board is fine though, just light scratches.
You didn't talk at all about which is really best for your knife. Wood is generally better than plastic, but I would avoid bamboo since it dulls your knife very quickly. Best overall cutting board is end grain wood, prioritazing maple and walnut.
we'll see, we built a robot and are testing this right now, lots of unsubstantiated info out there.
THANK YOU!!! exactly what I was looking for!!!
This video solved the biological issue. Thank you.
The remaining issue is the chemical issue.
Can plastic boards contaminate food with BPA?
Can wooden boards contaminate food with chemical compounds?
I have wondered that, too. I don't use those flexible plastic cutting mats for that very reason. They creep me out. Plastic and dye has to be a bad combo to cut on. I also wonder if some wood is grown specifically for cutting board use and has been treated with pesticides during the growing process.
Good to know because I need a new cutting board.
I use white vinegar mixed with water 50/50 to clean my wood board and oil my board monthly. Is that bad?
That is the method I use, also use baking soda paste to remove smells. I have to use spoon butter after. (Because I know you will ask, spoon butter is a 50/50 mix of bees wax and mineral oil warmed together. I use it to oil my boards)
I’m sure this method is better than spraying it with bleach
Is it bad, when sharpening knives, to not wipe them off when done? I always wipe but I've seen others that don't😲 Drives me nuts!
I always wipe mine, I don't want to eat metal particles with my food.
If you use a honing steel there's no metal being removed, just put back in line
My bad, didn't know what honing was. That's what he does, Kieran McDermott. Thank you!
Hmm I have both I have one wood board hand wash for cooked foods to carve, plastic color coded Joseph Joseph boards symbol for mainly my husband so I don't have to remind him I wash those in the machine. Even have thermometer grilling even use it for oven since has temperature for meats on it
I’ve had composite boards for years and never had any smells. Epicurean boards. Usually just rinsed off, and if meat was cut then I use the dishwasher. No maintenance whatsoever... not sure how you guys had a problem with them
Yep. I've got the exact board she held up and I've certainly never smelled wet dog in my kitchen.
Unless my dog just came in from the rain!
daddyquatro makes me wonder if they’re doing this because whoever made their preferred boards is sponsoring them
@@AdamEarl2
Yeah I certainly wouldn't want that monster wooden cutting board they recommend.
I love my epicurean board! A quick wash with hot soapy water with a green scrubby, let it air dry and it's good as new.
I think the only time I ever put it in the dishwasher was that time I was slicing beets.
I have marble board for meats. Hhave wood boards that are deemed written one side an onion side (for smelly foods) & a non onion side.
Great video as usual!! Can you guys weigh in on the new stainless steel cutting boards we are seeing advertised? I would assume those dull the knives as well? Also there is a lot of talk of how much plastic we could be eating using the small pliable plastic cutting boards.
Thats why I came here...I kept seeing those ads, so wanted to see if it was true or not.
Hannah is a nakiri knife a necessity for your knife collection ?
I’ve worked in restaurants for 20 years. You should always sanitize your wooden cutting board with bleach water or white vinegar water every time after cutting raw protein such as meat, chicken, or fish.
I wish you touched upon the possibility (or not) of small bits of plastic from a plastic cutting board getting onto your food when discussing this, and the potential long term dangers this poses?
What about a steel or titanium cutting board ?
I recently purchased a bamboo cutting board, have never soaked it and don't have a dishwasher. Simple hand washing and I see splintering a lot, and it has a crack. I will stay clear from Bamboo cutting boards in the future.
Thanks
Thank you and to clarify: at one point it seemed like you were implying that soap kills bacteria. Soap is a surfactant - I think that would be good to video clarify, as I have noticed many do not understand this.
Yep! Great point. I also think it must be said that you don't need to kill pathogens to be safe. Regular soap, as a surfactant, is effective at washing away pathogens and that's enough.
Many people opt for "antibacterial soaps" which are designed to leave a biocide residue on surfaces that it cleans. Many of these biocides have not been tested enough, so we don't fully know what effects they have on us and our microbiomes. However, when the effectiveness of "antibacterial soaps" were tested against regular soap, the results showed no significant differences.
@@shade9592 Wouldn't it be easier to just drink the soap after the meal, thus cutting out the middleman?
@@swaggercat too fussy, i prefer to inject the soap right into my veins every morning
Sticking my 3/8"x15"x20" poly cutting board in the dishwasher is just so dang convenient. A second or two with soapy water and a bleach cleanser in the sink (I leave the soap on) and then straight into the dishwasher. Poly, Done. If I had elves to maintain a nice wood cutting board, I'd do that, but I can't afford elves these days. And I have a feeling it's gonna last a lifetime for 1/4 the price of a wood board. Another Done. Did I mention I really like sticking it in the dishwasher?
Thanks for the info! Just one quick question: which oil should be used to periodically treat the wooden cutting board? I need to do this!
Mineral oil
Agree - mineral oil. That's what I've been using for years for wooden spoons, boards, and such - even my bread tray (for making biscuits) purchased over 50 years ago. Still looks great.
Mineral oil. Oils like olive oil or coconut oil will go rancid on your board, don't want that.
I have never oiled my wooden cutting boards. I see no problems.
.
I love the title. I’m hooked at about 2 seconds in to this video...
Does the species of wood a cutting board is made of make a difference? Do oils from different species of wood transfer to raw foods? What about using cutting boards made of multiple species of wood? Do wooden cutting boards need to be sanded down after time to eliminate any deep cut marks? What about wooden cutting boards made of exotic wood species? Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Less fragrant hardwoods preferred. End grain boards last longer than face grain boards but my face grain of Walnut and Maple is 40 years old. Would you want to pay premium prices for exotics then chop and slice on it? Not to mention some exotics are not safe for contact with food.
Great info. Thanks.
Per my grandma and mom's suggestions and wise teaching, I use plastic for any type of meat and wood for veggies & fruits.
Very good info. and thank you
What are the differences between a plank or butcher block wooden board.
Butcher blocks have end grain on the surface, while standard cutting boards have side grain.
Great energy !!! Good advice 👍
What is the ratio of bleach to water? I want to mix up a small spray bottle without making a whole gallon
That wood board is gorgeous
TEAKHAUS from Amazon. $80 to $100 depending on size from Amazon.
I’m wanting to make an end grain cutting board out of oak wood. Options vary on oak wood for use on cutting boards, what do you think?
Is shesham wood cutting board good to use?
I cant stand the scratches on plastic cutting boards. I love my glass cutting board i hate using all the other ones I guess I’ll just have to sharpen my knives often but either way is not like I use it all that much
But what about results from the dishwasher using plastic?
How do i keep my maple/walnut edge grain board flat?
If it starts to warp lightly spray the flipped up side (concave) with water, flip over, and place something of equal size, but heavy, on top. Leave it for a few days and it should get rid of the warp. And as you probably already know, NEVER soak your board or run it through the dishwasher! :)
Thank you science! Finally data driven advice...
The keypoint for me is that plastic boards can go in the dishwasher and wooden boards cannot. Do you want to wash your wooden board by hand after every single meal? If so, have at it. I'm going to use plastic for meats.
What type of oil do you use to coat it?
Mineral oil
10kitchen.com/best-wood-cutting-boards-butcher-blocks/
How about ceramic? Do they blunt knives?
Do the knife marks in cutting boards harbor bacteria? At what point should you replace a cutting board?
1. The smelly composite boards lose the nasty smell in a couple of washes, and they are great to use. 2. You could have just given us the answer to the question, and saved us more than three minutes.
My Gran used to use "Salt" to disinfect a cutting board followed by washing in water. What's up with that, any benefit? Is it just a waste of salt.
:)
I have teak end-grane cutting board. If I cut raw meat on it I take it to the sink and use soap and hot water but for intermittent cleaning and getting off minor contaminants i use a home made mixture of hydrogen peroxide and lavender, is the hydrogen peroxide likely to be as effective as soap and water or bleach?
I never use a cutting board, my mom didn't either, guess I learned from her. I just use a plate, and my knifes are not dull, just don't press your knife into the plate. Works for me.
You and your mom are missing out on one of the joys of cooking. That said, if you like what you do, more power to you.
What kind of plate do you use? I've found that plates make a horrible noise against my knives and they're often too small if I'm cooking more than one portion
@@JawsofFreedom I just use my dinner plate. They don't make any noise when I do it.
Nancy Barnett
"I never use a cutting board... I just use a plate..."
Since a plate is round and has a rim, you really can't efficiently chop, slice, and mince on one. I suggest you take a knife-skills class to see what you're missing.
@@seikibrian8641 Well for Pete's sake, I'm 65 years old and for all those years I have got the job done just fine. Why on Earth would I want to spend money on something I already know how to do. As long as I can get the job done what does it matter. I never use a potato peeler either do I need to take a class for that too? I have seen people use a cutting board and I can get it done just as well as them. I prefer to use a plate it works great for me.
I’m surprised no mention of the difference between end grain and edge grain cutting boards when it comes to dulling blades.
we're actually testing this right now, we built a robot to hold the knives because you have to make an incredible amount of strokes for it to actually dull them noticeably, stay tuned for the results. we're also looking at the much-debated topic of wood vs. plastic, which dulls your knife faster. should be interesting!
End grain wooden cutting boards are so much better on your knives than edge grain or long grain.
What about any chemicals used in making the plastic/wooden cutting boards. Are they safe?
You didn't mention grooves that get scratched into a plastic cutting board can harbor bacteria.
Finally, someone else that thinks glass cutting boards are shit. Everyone I know uses them, and the sound makes me want to rip out my eardrums lmao
Been using them all my life.... 50 years old!
WHAT ABOUT STAINLESS STEEL WHY DOESNT ANYONE TRY THAT
I don’t want to ingest small particles of plastic . You can literally see the shaving of the plastic after chopping and cutting
What about steel board?
it'd probably really dull your knife, do you have one? i've never heard of that before.
Hannah Crowley i don't have it personally but it is recommended in indian restaurants because it is easily washable to become bacteria free undoubtedly and required no maintenance. you can search steel chopping board to Know more
Thank you for the video! Can you please let me know what's the concentration of Sodium Hypochlorite in the bleach you use to sanitize your wood board? My European household bleach could be very different than the one in the states.
Most standard disinfectant bleach solution is 1.5% - 2%
Wood and bamboo are both naturally anti microbial.
I have two boards: one which is dedicated to cutting meat and another dedicated to cutting everything else. This is how I was taught in a professional kitchen to cut down on cross-contamination. Problem solved.
What kind of oil should you use on a wooden cutting board
Food grade mineral oil. Bamboo is not wood; it's a grass.