Wood Cutting Boards–Why I use them

The other day I mentioned that wooden cutting boards are better than plastic. Why do I use  wood cutting boards. I have always used them. but I have also used other types of cutting boards too. Over the years, I have used glass, plastic, silicon and wood. But  these days I prefer my wood cutting board. Not only is it pretty and not likely to wear out or never need replacing it is a better product. My current favorite wood cutting board is older than my oldest child.. 
Why did I decide that wood was best?
Several factors went into my decision.

• Wood  repels the pathogens. Researchers at UC Davis discovered in a recent study that  hard woods repelled microbes. They were concerned that the wood would be harder to clean than the plastic. What they found was the opposite. Wooden cutting boards that had many cuts continued to act as new wood. Whereas plastic cutting boards that were knife scarred were impossible to clean hard to disinfect. More bacteria was recovered from a used plastic cutting board than a wood surface.
• Professional chefs prefer wood cutting boards.
• Over time wood pays for itself. It may cost more to begin with but. because it is durable and can be resurfaced it will last a long time. I have several wooden cutting boards that are over 10 yeas old.
• Wooden Cutting boards are better for your knives. Plastic boards are somewhat harder than wooden boards, your knives will most likely dull more quickly when cutting on a plastic cutting board

Some points to Remember

• You really should have at least two separate cutting boards. One reserved for just for meat. I keep two cutting boards for this reason. One is the meat board the other is the fruit and vegetable board. I never mix the two. If you mix you run the risk of cross contamination.
• Clean your board and make sure it dries thoroughly. This will help keep the bacteria off of it.  I have found that vinegar works really well for this  To disinfect and clean my wood cutting boards I wipe them with full-strength white vinegar after each use. I keep a spray bottle of undiluted vinegar handy in my kitchen for cleaning counter tops too.
• To preserve the life of your cutting board it is important to take care of it. It will need to be oiled periodically, Food grade mineral oil is recommended.

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