Been using a bamboo cutting board for the last 13 years, never going back.
I’m afraid of bacteria hiding in the nooks and crannies
That’s exactly what makes wood better, though: the bacteria gets drawn into the board via capillary action and then dies when it dries out.
Interesting, I’ll have to look into this more. Wood really is the best surface for the “feel” of cutting on it.
I mean, that’s literally what the video we’re discussing is about (starting at 8:34). You did watch it, right? 😜
I’ll admit I haven’t had a chance, but I’ve got it saved! Either way I like to do some of my own research and not trust a YouTube video alone.
these balls ain’t gonna fill themselves with microplastics
I’m also afraid of microplastics
Apparently the best wooden cutting board for tight grain, and therefore no crevices are the end grain ones. They’re the ones that look like cubes of wood stuck together. When I trained as a chef, the teaching kitchen we worked in had a massive board for meat and they would clean it (I’m not sure exactly how the cleaning went, I dropped out before I progressed to that bit) but after cleaning they stored rock salt on it. I assume to draw out moisture and preserve any remnants that might remain. I’m looking for a good end grain board for meat, I haven’t switched that one yet.
Wood has anti-microbial properties, which plastic does not. The other commonly raised concern is contaminants getting stuck in the grain or cut grooves of wood cutting boards. The problem is any plastic cutting board will also have grooves after it has been used for a while. Ultimately, a properly cleaned wooden cutting board is probably safer than a properly cleaned plastic one.
On the topic of anti-microbial materials, silver, copper, and copper alloys including brass are anti-microbial, so the best material for doorknobs and other high-contact surfaces from a sanitary standpoint is uncoated silver or brass.
