Best type of cutting/chopping block

[gooose53]

Been trying to determine what is the best kind of cutting/chopping block to get. Is plastic better than wood, wood better or is another type of material better? I use a plastic most often but do have an old wood block.

 

[homebrew & bbq]

From the things I've read, wood is more difficult to sanitize.

 

[fatback joe]

I prefer wood. Seems the knives I use like it better.

Seems to be some debate (Imagine that

) from what I have read. Either way you have to clean & sanitize, but I prefer the look and feel of wood over plastic.

http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/cutting_board.htm

 

[walking dude]

i have read and heard.............plastic for meats........with a separate one for poultry, and wood for veggies..........or vice-versa.........summin like that.......heheheh

i DO know its a good idea for a separate cutting board all together for poultry, so you don't get cross contanimation..........

hth


d88de

 

[walking dude]

FBJ..........read the article you posted........

now i am even MORE confused..........if THATS possible

well.......crap............heheheh NOW what.......no one seems to be able to come to ANY type of consensus........maybe this should be made into a poll?

d88de

 

[iso]

Plastic. Easier to sanitize & withstands the washer better. Generally harder on knives from my experience.

If you must use wood then use it for veggies & breads and the plastic ones for meats.

Personally, I prefer plastic for everything and just wash & sanitize them after each use regardless of what was put on them. No having to figure out what was used for what. I use seperate boards for uncooked and cooked. They both get washed and sanitized the same afterwards.

 

[fatback joe]

Glad I could help. LOL

 

[vlap]

I always thought that plastic was easier to sanitize but I read somewhere that wood is actually a more sanitary surface than plastic. They use plastic in the culinary industry since it can hold up better.
I wish I could find that article because it really surprised me.

 

[vlap]

http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/cutting_board.htm

"Without washing, without touching it, the bacteria on the wooden board died off in three minutes. On the plastic board? The bacteria remained and actually multiplied overnight. It seems wood has a natural bacteria-killing property, plastic and glass don't."

 

[fatback joe]

We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually,

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/i...tingboard.html

Something along these lines?

 

[vlap]

Yes... and see above

 

[fatback joe]

Yeah, I type too slow........new posts come in while I am pecking out a response.

LOL

 

[vlap]

We were typing it at the same time.. Also its good that we found two separate reports confirming the same thing.

 

[fatback joe]

I think you had posted the same link that I posted earlier in the thread......LOL Oh well, good information..........no matter what it says I am sticking with the wood anyhow.

 

[walking dude]

yeah........i was just going to say that vlap's link is the same link you posted earlier.lolol......

well..........STILL cornfused


d88de

 

[fatback joe]

Get a wood block and glue plastic to one side of it, so you can just flip it back and forth as your cornfusion comes and goes.

 

[homebrew & bbq]

Apparently the USDA thinks both wood and plastic are equally safe.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets...fety/index.asp

 

[vlap]

Wood Good...Plastic bad! Still confused? I somehow missed the link joe posted earlier.

From reading the 2 different reports though they seem to agree that bacteria does not live long on a wood board.

 

[bbq bubba]

Wood would be my favorite (I make my own) but have several plastic one's......liter, easier to clean and they do not allow wood at comp's!
Actually started a thread on this a while back.....http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ead.php?t=3766

 

[swkegelguy]

While working in a butcher shop for a short period of time, plastic was all we used. We used some type of foam disinfectant everyday and once a month we would sand them smooth.

I use a couple of plastic boards and always have the cheap disposable plastic sheets which I have labeled (veggies, poultry, beef, pork). The sheets are very cheap and can be used several times.

Just my two cents on the subject.