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CARISOLO, INC. Cutlery Manufacturing & Service Since 1895
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Cutting Surfaces
Cutting boards are most often made of wood or plastic, and these are two of the best surfaces to use. Both of these types of surfaces tend to have a relatively soft surface and minimize any damage to the knife edge. There are also chopping boards made of glass, steel, marble or corian, which are easier to clean than wooden or plastic ones, but will damage the edge of knives. We strongly recommend NOT using these types of surfaces.
Wood Cutting Surfaces Wood has some advantages over plastic in that it is somewhat self healing; shallow cuts in the wood will close up on their own. Wood also has natural anti-septic properties. Hardwoods with tightly grained wood and small pores are best for wooden cutting boards. Good hardness and tight grain helps reduce scoring of the cutting surface and absorption of liquid and dirt into the surface. Red Oak for example, even though a hardwood, has large pores so it retains dirt, even after washing, making it a poor choice for cutting board material. Wood boards need to be cared-for with mineral oil to avoid warping, and should not be left in puddles of liquid. Care must be taken when selecting wood, especially tropical hardwood, for use as a cutting board as some species contain toxins or allergens. Plastic Cutting Surfaces While plastic is theoretically a more sanitary material than wood for cutting boards, testing has shown this may not be the case. The softer surface of plastic boards is scored by knives, and the resulting grooves and cuts in the surface harbor bacteria even after being well washed. However, unlike wood, plastic boards do allow rinsing with harsher cleaning chemicals such as bleach and other disinfectants without damage to the board or retention of the chemicals to later contaminate food. Plastic boards are usually called PE Cutting boards, PE being a shorthand for polyethylene the material which the boards are made of.
Rubber Cutting Surfaces A recent trend has seen thick solid rubber pads used as cutting boards in the Sani-Tuff line popular in restaurant kitchens. They are about as expensive as well-made wood boards, they can take chemical disinfectants, and they are very heavy for their size, so they tend not to slip. Proponents claim remarkable self-healing properties, the same knife protection as good plastic or wood boards, and an inability to harbor significant amounts of moisture or bacteria.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regardless of the material, regular maintenance of a cutting board is important. - Sanitation with cutting boards is a delicate process, because bacteria can reside in grooves produced by cutting, or in liquids left on the board. For this reason, it is often advised to cut raw meat on separate cutting boards from cooked meat, vegetables or other foods. - A very dilute bleach solution is best for disinfecting cutting boards.
-To remove odors, rinse the board and then rub with coarse salt and let stand for several minutes. Wipe board and then rinse clean. This procedure will also smooth out minor imperfections in the wood.
-Wood boards should never be placed in the dishwasher, or left immersed for long periods, as the wood or glue may be affected. -A light food grade mineral oil is a good preservative for wooden cutting boards as it helps keep water from seeping into the grain. Alternatively, one may also use a food grade drying oil such as poppy seed oil, tung oil or linseed oil. The first two dry much faster than linseed. Note that most commercially available linseed and tung oil are not “food grade” as they contain metallic driers. In general, edible savory vegetable or olive oils are not recommended because they tend to go rancid, causing the board to smell and your food to pick up the rancid taste.
-Cutting boards should be treated when they start looking dry to prevent cracking. A standard recommendation is 5-7 times a year, or as needed.
-When heavily or deeply scored, wood or plastic cutting boards should be resurfaced as scoring can harbor bacteria, or mildew in the case of plastic boards. Wood can be easily resurfaced with various woodworking tools, such as scrapers or planes. Sandpaper is to be avoided however, as it leaves residual abrasives in the surface, which will dull knives. Resurfacing a plastic cutting board is more difficult and replacing it is recommended instead.
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