Cutting board safety We use cutting boards for just about everything including breads, fresh fruits and vegetables, raw meat, chicken and seafood. They are a potential source of cross contamination in our kitchen. That is why it’s best to have a different cutting board for each product you are going to cut. Many stores are selling colored cutting boards or plastic cutting sheets for just this purpose. This way you can use one color for raw meat, another color for chicken and yet another color for fruits and vegetables. You decide on the color and stick to it. This will minimize cross contamination and prevent foodborne illness.
But which cutting board is the safest? The USDA recommends using a cutting board made from nonporous material like acrylic, plastic, marble, glass or wood. Nonporous materials are easier to clean and sanitize than wood. But wooden cutting boards are acceptable too. Just make sure you are buying one made from a solid, hardwood like maple.
All cutting boards will show signs of wear over time. Once your cutting board develops deep, hard-to-clean grooves, they need to be replaced. These grooves can harbor harmful bacteria that washing and sanitizing will not eliminate. So when you see those grooves, it’s probably time to purchase a new cutting board. To keep your cutting boards clean, wash them with hot, soapy water and rinse with clean water after each use. Sanitize with a mild bleach solution made from one tablespoon unscented, liquid bleach and one-gallon water. Let the cutting board soak for several minutes. Allow to air dry or pat dry with paper towels. Acrylic, plastic, glass and solid wood cutting boards may also be washed in the dishwasher.