The chopping board mistake too many people make: 'Contamination'

There’s something about a wooden chopping board — or any wooden utensil for that matter — that brings a sort of rustic, pared back feel to your kitchen. In my own cooking, I love the solidity of wood for chopping veggies, and I feel like a proper chef stirring my (packet) brownie mix with a large wooden spoon.

But there’s a reason commercial chefs don’t actually use wooden utensils in a restaurant kitchen, and it all comes down to hygiene. You might be familiar with the age-old debate as to whether plastic or wooden chopping boards are more hygienic (spoiler, it’s plastic). But for those of us unwilling to part with our wooden ways, how often should we be replacing utensils to keep our cooking hygienic and sanitary?

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When to replace wooden chopping boards and spoons

According to Food Safety Plus scientist Edward McCartney, there’s no hard and fast rule about when to change up your wooden cooking utensils — but he does recommend plastic over wood for the most hygienic approach.

“The trouble with any wooden utensil is they absorb water and food residue and they're very difficult to sanitise because of their porous nature,” McCartney explained. “What that can mean is there's potential to transfer or harbour bacteria, and of course, allergens. So if you're allergic to something and those utensils have been previously used for something you're allergic to, there could be some allergy cross contamination.”

If you’re keen to stick to wooden utensils, however, make sure you’re being as diligent as possible in the cleaning process.

How to properly clean wooden utensils

Information from the NSW Food Authority states that boards used to prepare food — whether plastic or wooden — must be washed with hot soapy water and rinsed with clean water before being air dried, or patted dry with clean paper towels.

It also advises to sanitise your board using chlorine bleach after the cleaning process, and to ideally make sure your wooden cutting board has a smooth, hard surface and rounded corners that won’t chip or crack.

“They should be dense enough to resist slice marks that harbour bacteria, and be easy to clean,” the Food Authority guidelines noted. “It may be worthwhile to use an oil or wax treatment for the wooden board to prevent water absorption, mould growth and germs, and to stop food particles from becoming lodged on the surface.”

Oil treatments have long been touted for ensuring the longevity of wooden chopping boards by providing a barrier against food and bacteria. McCartney also highlighted that historically, butchers would salt wooden boards to try and prevent microbial growth.

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But at the end of the day, he said these methods were not very effective — which is largely why plastic has become the preferred material for utensils, particularly chopping boards.

Key signs it’s time to bin your wooden chopping board

There are some telltale signs to be aware of that are clear indicators it’s time for your wooden spoon or cutting board to go.

McCartney said when there’s evidence of scoring, such as visible scratches and crevices, then it should be replaced as this makes it difficult to clean. Discolouration also indicates that food residue has been absorbed into the chopping board. Again, if you see this, it’s time for a replacement.

Though it’s recommended to use plastic over wood when it comes to cooking, that doesn’t mean you can’t stick with your rustic chopping board or trusty wooden spoon. Just make sure to clean them properly — and toss them when they’re no longer spick and span.

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