WOOD KILLS BACTERIA

[ubeaut]

This is something that all woodworkers should read. I have been trying to get a copy of this article for over 6 years, since I first heard about it. Finally here it is. Thanks to Judy & John Wheeler.

THE AGE THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 1993 reprinted from New York Times


TIMBER CUTTING BOARDS HAVE THE WOOD ON PLASTIC
EVERY now and then a scientific finding flies in the face of conventional wisdom. And so it was with an accidental discovery By microbiologists at an American university that wooden cutting boards kill food-poisoning bacteria that survive very nicely on the plastic boards that have been widely promoted for years as safer than wood.

Scientists from the University of Wisconsin’s Food Research Institute stumbled upon the finding while seeking ways to decontaminate wooden boards and make them as “safe” as plastic.

Much to their surprise, they found that when boards were purposely contaminated with organisms such as salmonella, listeria and Escherichia coli that are common causes of food poisoning, 99.9 per cent of the bacteria died off within three minutes on the wooden boards, while none died on the plastic ones.

When contaminated boards were left unwashed overnight at room temperature, bacterial counts increased on the plastic, but none of the organisms could be recovered from the wooden boards the next morning.

It had long been believed that disease-causing bacteria from raw foods such as chicken would soak into a wooden board and be difficult to remove, even when washed; then when . other foods, such as salad ingredients that are eaten raw, are cut on the same board, the dangerous bacteria could be picked up by them and transferred alive to the consumer. Plastic was assumed to be safer because it is nonporous and contaminating organisms could be readily washed off.

Based on the new studies, scientist Dr Dean Cliver said: “Wood may be preferable in that small lapses in sanitary practices are not as dangerous on wood as on plastic.”

But he cautioned against being “sloppy about safety” and warned cooks to be sure to wash off cutting surfaces after cutting meat, chicken or, fish, whether the surface used is wood - or plastic

The researchers tested boards made from seven different species of trees and four types of plastic and found similar results: wood was safer than plastic, regardless of the materials used.

Thus far, however, the researchers have been unable to isolate the agents in wood that make it so inhospitable to Bacteria.
---------------------------------------------

This amazing piece of woodworkers propaganda should be committed to the memory of all woodies especially those who make bread & chopping boards and woodturners who make salad bowls etc.

Think of the implications of using polyurethane on a salad bowl. It is a plastic finish. Will it allow the nasties to grow unchecked like the plastic cutting boards? Should the inside of this sort of bowl be left raw with no finish at all? Will the addition of such things as oil finishes to the surface kill the part of the timber that actually eliminates the bacteria?

For the past 20 odd years I have maintained that the insides of bowls and bread boards etc, that come into contact with raw and wet foods be left unfinished. We have been using raw timber chopping boards for well over 20 years with no ill effects, people have been eating and serving food from raw wooden bowls and platters for centuries. So long as they are kept clean it would appear that there should not be a health hazard.

This should give many of you something to think about, and probably should be shouted from the tops of the highest buildings. Another great plus for wood.

I hope this rather long post stimulates some interest.

Cheers
Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

[Rod Smith]

Yeh, I've been sprooking off about this for at least 2 years. I came across the same information back then, periodic (mis)information on the tv and in the newspapers has prompted me to pass the information on to the papers and to Dr Graham Rouch who is the health authority spokesperson in Melbourne (they have a website). But his eventual response led me to believe he didn't actually read it as his reply didn't make sense in relation to the text I sent. What would be nice is if the authorities here did they're own study do get things settled properly, especially with all the talk of HUS etc. Another part of the info I read, if I remember correctly said that a survey of wood and non wood chopping board families showed a far greater rate of stomach "wogs" for the non wood people. Good stuff eh? See ya, Rod

------------------

[RETIRED]

Gooday all.

Thought these links might prove interesting reading as well. Be warned, they are long.

They are also the other side of the debate and should be read

www.sciencenews.org/Sn_arch/9_14_96/Bob2.htm (http://www.sciencenews.org/Sn_arch/9_14_96/Bob2.htm)

www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc97/7_12_97/Food.htm (http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc97/7_12_97/Food.htm)

------------------
Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"






[This message has been edited by (edited 14 November 1999).]

[This message has been edited by (edited 14 November 1999).]

[barrysumpter]

As a recent woodworking convert, I found this article enlightening and encouraging. However, being a pessimist I must ask a few more detailed questions. What wood was used in the research ? Is hard or soft wood better ? Was the wood treated with any type of chemicals before, during, or after the bacteria was applied ? How many subjects were involved in the experiment ?

------------------
Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter

[Len Rose]

Barry,
There you go, I was almost completely taken in by this good story and you come along and put a damper on it with facts, or the request for them.

Now, if Rod Smith believes it, it must be true!
I'm sure the sample was a substantial representation of a true cross-section of the potential cutting-board & knife weilding public, and that a large selection of various type woods were chosen for sampling.

What forgot to tell you, though, was it was a mixture of Jarrah & Tingle that performed the best, so you non West-"ern" Australians will just have to miss out.
Regards
Len Rose

[rond]

To me the bottom line is cleanliness
my wife has for over forty years used wooden cutting/chopping boards in the kitkcen and we have survived.
She even tried to use the flash marble ones
but they were so heavy we could not keep an edge on a knife
Now use an 'old fashioned bread board and serrated edge bone handled bread knife' and bone handled knives that we have bought at 'Odd Shops over the years.:)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Oooer, Neil! And you call us stirrers! :D

[journeyman Mick]

Wood kills bacteria huh, great! I've got a nasty infection, what sort of wood should I take, and how often?:D ;)

Mick

[bitingmidge]

A seven year old thread!

Is this the new record?

FWIW, we throw our timber cutting boards in the dishwasher, and to heck with the consequences. So far there have been none.

P
:cool:

[HJ0]

Makes good sense, never seen a plastic butchers block.


HJ0

[PAH1]

Makes good sense, never seen a plastic butchers block.


HJ0

Afraid not, all butchers have been required to change to plastic ones in NSW and the ACT by order of the health department. Now that there has been a bit more research put into the wood theory the health authorities will not change back thanks to legal liability issues, after all if the standard was altered to be less safe........

I am not sure that the resurrection of a 7 year old thread is a record, there is another that I remember that is about the same span, something relating to restoring a singer sewing machine.

[Termite]

For years whenever someone has asked about a finish for chopping boards I always reply NONE, and usually get howled down with use "this" or use "that".:cool:

[Cliff Rogers]

A seven year old thread!

Is this the new record?
....:cool:

Nah, went & found the oldest thread on the board, posted to it & then closed it so no body else could just so he has the record. :D

[PAH1]

For the latest information I just dug this one out, it is the abstract of a review by the author of the study that neil quoted.

J AOAC Int. 2006 Mar-Apr;89(2):538-42.

Cutting boards in Salmonella cross-contamination.

Cliver DO.

University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health and Reproduction, Davis, CA 95616-8743, USA. [email protected]

Cutting boards are commonly perceived as important fomites in cross-contamination of foods with agents such as Salmonella spp., despite the lack of supporting epidemiological data. A variety of woods and plastics have been used to make work surfaces for cutting. In general, wood is said to dull knives less than plastic, and plastic is seen as less porous than wood. Research to model the hypothetical cross-contamination has been done in a variety of ways and has yielded a variety of results. At least some of the work with knife-scarred plastic indicates that the surface is very difficult to clean and disinfect, although this may vary among the polymers used. High-density polyethylene, which is most used in commercial applications, has been shown to delaminate in response to knife scarring. Wood is intrinsically porous, which allows food juices and bacteria to enter the body of the wood unless a highly hydrophobic residue covers the surface. The moisture is drawn in by capillary action until there is no more free fluid on the surface, at which point immigration ceases. Bacteria in the wood pores are not killed instantly, but neither do they return to the surface. Destructive sampling reveals infectious bacteria for hours, but resurrection of these bacteria via knife edges has not been demonstrated. Small plastic cutting boards can be cleaned in a dishwasher (as can some specially treated wooden boards), but the dishwasher may distribute the bacteria onto other food-contact surfaces. Most small wooden boards (i.e., those with no metal joiners in them) can be sterilized in a microwave oven, but this should be unnecessary if accumulation of food residues is prevented. However, 2 epidemiological studies seem to show that cutting board cleaning habits have little influence on the incidence of sporadic salmonellosis. Further, one of these studies indicated that use of plastic cutting boards in home kitchens is hazardous, whereas use of wooden cutting boards is not.

[Gra]

I guess if you hit anything lining hard enough with a plank of wood you will kill it:D:D:D:D

[black1]

i put grape seed oil on any chopping board that i make. (it doesnt go sour like other oils and doesnt harden)( and scrub them with bi-carb and water mix)

[DavidG]

I follow the old butcher trick of putting salt on my wooden cutting boards.
Wash the board after every use and once a week rub salt in and leave 'till next time.

[jow104]

Don't worry fellas,
an elderly neighbour died last year aged 93, and I dont think she even did much washing up.

I my old gran told me that people who live in very clean enviroments usually suffer from epidemics. (or words that meant that)

[masoth]

Neil's post from eight years and three months ago (today) seemed to, at last, satisfy my search for a safe treatment of a mortar and pestle made from old red-gum previously standing for 45 years, as fence posts. But no! The debate continued and, potentially contradictory, archival references supplied by are no longer accessible - damn!
Oh, woe is me!!!
I'd reached a conclusion that the natural timber approach would be acceptable, even if some slight transfer of taste, and absorption of flavours took place.
Low and behold the ultimate surety from jow104:
"Don't worry fellas, an elderly neighbour died last year aged 93, and I dont think she even did much washing up.", and that'll do me. I will have seen my grand daughter to adulthood.
This has been an interestiing search - more than (I swear) 90 pages from various threads.:;

[meerkat]

Don't worry fellas,
an elderly neighbour died last year aged 93, and I dont think she even did much washing up.

I my old gran told me that people who live in very clean enviroments usually suffer from epidemics. (or words that meant that)


I wonder is SWMBO would accept this if ...:rolleyes::U

[Slavo]

There was a bit on that chanel 9 show with michael slater and sigrid thornton What's good for you (http://health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=165896) that concluded that wood makes the best chopping block. It sucks down the bacteria where they meet a slow death.

[bazza65]

hey everybody,

i just thought id throw this in, my major works project was based on the redevelopment of the 'traditional' chopping board. my research into it also found that timber is more hygienic and in particular Melaleuca or Ti tree timber (which by the way is very difficult to acquire in useable pieces) is one of the best to use, being a hardwood and also the fact that it contains naturally occuring anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that kill all the nasty's in food that end up on the boards.

<trend timbers at windsor did have some ti-tree timber but as undressed slabs and it required alot of working to get it dressed and useable>

cheers.

[Cliff Rogers]

This is an old thread that comes around every now & then. :D

Hey Bazza, do you know which one it was in particular?

Tea-tree Melaleuca lanceolata
Tea-tree Melaleuca squarrosa
Teatree Melaleuca quinquenervia

[rsser]

Oh goody.

What research did you do Bazza? Or find?

A while ago I did a search of studies comparing wood and plakky. These are the results of a few:

* Wood at least as good as polyethylene. Pine and beech tested, but only new material. Beech was no better than plastic:
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insigh...tentId=1599299 (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=44671068594E659F1DBD587F1EB0FF7F?contentType=Article&hdAction=lnkpdf&contentId=1599299)

* Anti-bacterial effects of wood greater than plastic:
http://www.atypon-link.com/WDG/doi/a...15/HF.2005.012 (http://www.atypon-link.com/WDG/doi/abs/10.1515/HF.2005.012)

True only for pine, not other timbers tested:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/hu4ylvq1jd1hkenm/ (http://www.springerlink.com/content/hu4ylvq1jd1hkenm/)

These are bacterium studies. Viruses and parasites are likely to be another matter.

Conclusion from only these studies is that it depends on the timber and effects with used boards needs to be studied.

[bazza65]

This is an old thread that comes around every now & then. :D

Hey Bazza, do you know which one it was in particular?

Tea-tree Melaleuca lanceolata
Tea-tree Melaleuca squarrosa
Teatree Melaleuca quinquenervia


all the species share fairly similar properties in terms of their anti-bacterial properties and so forth but the one in particular which was useable was melaleuca alternifolia. its very difficult to track down a supplier who goes into the detail of the breakdown of the species all varities as far as i could determine were very similar

beautiful timber though if you can bothered to put in the work lol lots of time on the thicknesser :U

[Cruzi]

There is a lot of conflicting evidence, it is true.

However, there are methodology errors in quite a few studies.

For example the ones saying plastic is as good as wood used only new plastic boards, wood retains its anti-bacterial properties even when badly scared, unlike plastic boards which become a health hazard. (http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infcuttingboard.html)

Wooden boards win hands down (http://health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=694161) over plastic boards.

There was also no difference between wood types (http://foodsafety.ifas.ufl.edu/HTML/il114.htm).

"The best wood" for chopping boards is always the timber the vendor is selling (http://charcool.com/shop/index.php?main_page=antibacterial).

[tea lady]

And what about bamboo? I've got a few of those. Any research around on them?:?

[bazza65]

And what about bamboo? I've got a few of those. Any research around on them?:?

not that ive found:no:

the research i did do turned up results that the wood type did matter in the case of chopping boards i.e. softwoods were not as suitable ... but i thoroughly do agree that theres alotttt of contradicting info about the matter

[rrobor]

Well Im sure we all use tea tree oil to kill athletes foot etc, after all its cheap and works the stuff you pay a fortune for doesnt. So then the proof is not in the pudding but in the shoe. Bamboo dont use, its not a wood its a grass, not that I think that matters. The reason not to use is that it splinters into very sharp nasty bits,. Any splinter you get is hard to pick out and will always fester

[Cruzi]

Wood was the food preparation surface of choice for thousands of years until the 1970's when plastic appeared and became the vogue.
The big advantage with wooden boards as I see it, is that when they do become scarred you can take a plane or sandpaper to them and regain a smooth surface, unlike plastic that has to be throw away. One tit-bit of info about plastic, all plastic ever made is still out there, it has not broken down or degraded.

The other very important point is, regardless of your preferences in a board, there is no substitute for basic food hygeine practices.

[soundman]

If there was ever a thread that deserved to haunt the board for ever this one is it.

( twisted vision jumps into head of video clip of wacko jacko's thriller... except with dancing cutting boards and bacteria)

The mods could make it sticky.... but that would ruin the surprise.....:D.....just when you thaught it was safe to check you email ......::o there comes a message that the cutting board thread is stalking the forum again:unsure:..... someone has woken the dead and its contraversial contents are creating havock again....:evillaugh:......after a while all the panic subsides and the "cutting board thing" is only spoken about in hushed tones:secret:......then without warning.....:priveyes:.......ARRRGH:yikes: its back.

Even the thread title in menacing "WOOD KILLS BACTERIA".

Beware of the undead.

cheers

[IanW]

I read this stuff quite a while back - it came up first more than 10 years ago. Having done a bit of a search of the scientific literature, I can confidently report that the research that has been done is inconclusive..... There is little doubt in my mind that rules about plastic versus wood were made solely on the perception that plastic 'must' be cleaner because it doesn't have all those nasty little hidey-holes for bugs to live in. This ignores the fact that most plastic boards soon sport hundreds of criss-crossed knife grooves that probably suit the bugs just as well if not better....

It also ignores the fact that there are other very important aspects to food handling besides the material cutting-boards are made of - general cleanliness & common-sense hygiene practices such as not cutting things that are to be eaten without further processing after cutting up potentially contaminated stuff like raw meat are far more important, as long as you start with a clean board. Two things most microorganisms hate most are heat (>60 deg C) & being dried out - so washing any cutting board in hot water (with detergents, which wreck cell membranes) & drying thoroughly between uses are very good ideas.

And keep several boards (surely no problem in the average woody's domicile!) one for dry goods like bread, and one for salad veges and one for meat.......

My other half is a food-safety specialist, & we have a cupboard full of both wood & plastic cutting boards. (& she still occasionally cuts onions on my bread board...... :~).
:U
Cheers,

[Lignin]

Fascinating report PAH.Thank you.:2tsup::2tsup:
It concurs with the findings a coupla mates and I found in a Microbiology project in Final Yr Vet Science 1972.:rolleyes:
The only addition that I would make is the fact that ,I think, it was law that butchers had to treat their wooden blocks, which are all end grain, with hot water and rock salt before scrubbing with a coarse wire brush, which removed a quite significant layer of contamination.
As all mothers, and even some Dads, know, salt water is an excellent antiseptic against a lot of pathogenic bacteria, and our unwashed "controls" were a soup of all sorts of horribles!!
FWIW, I make, and give as gifts, cutting boards from my hardwood off-cuts, and so far have not killed anybody,or even to my knowledge, given them a belly-ache.:U

[IanW]

The big advantage with wooden boards as I see it, is that when they do become scarred you can take a plane or sandpaper to them and regain a smooth surface, unlike plastic that has to be throw away.

Actually, you can quite easily plane the denser plastics with a sharp blade - done it many times - easier than hard woods....


One tit-bit of info about plastic, all plastic ever made is still out there, it has not broken down or degraded.


Not strictly true, but most plastics do take a very long time to degrade....


The other very important point is, regardless of your preferences in a board, there is no substitute for basic food hygeine practices.

Absolutely......
:U

[bluegum30]

we use both plastic and pine cutting boards and the pine ones are about 1 1/2 inches thick and made em myself too:wink:and every so often i put em through the planer and take about 1/2 mm of both sides and away we go again.

[ficfac]

As a chef of ten or so years I have chopped things of all kinds on surfaces of all kinds.

I vote for wooden boards all the way.

The last place I worked in replaced all the old wooden boards with plastic, so I just made my own wooden one, and told them no chance I'm doing away with it.

The worst to cut on is glass or marble.

As is generally agreed, there is no substitute for good hygiene. :2tsup:

p.s. Lignin, we still use a wooden butchers block. At the end of the night it gets covered in salt, then scrubbed down the next morning with a wire brush and hot soapy water. You can't beat it.

[Lignin]

Hey, fic,:U:;
You still at Sturt??:rolleyes:
What's happened to the updates??:doh::doh:
How's Schnoz??:-:-

[Scally]

This was forwarded to me recently.

http://gei.newscorp.com/daily-degree/2009/05/water-disaster.html

Have a look at the Water Disaster power point presentation.

It has some interesting comments on using Plastic Bottled Water.

[ficfac]

Hey Lignin,

Yeah still at Sturt. Still workin' part time as a chef :(

In all honesty I've just been too lazy with the updates :-

Schnoz is doin' good. He just made an egg. tee hee, that's what it's being called anyway.

I shall endeavour to post some pics of my latest pieces soon.

Cheers!

Sorry all for the side-track. :D

[ficfac]

Scally,

That should be compulsory viewing for all people everywhere.

Sticky maybe Eds?

Makes me even more glad I'm a tap water drinker :)

[Scally]

It certainly shows you how effective some marketing has been in getting people to use plastic.

We spend heaps on supplying water to everyone then buy it in plastic bottles.
It is hard to understand why anyone would do that.

I always have a glass bottle of cold water in the fridge.

[Charcool]

Hi all

Thanks to Cruzi for the link to my website regarding the "best wood" being that "sold by the vendor".

I have been a follower of woodworkforums for a long while to make up for my own very inadequate knowledge of Australian timber.

You guys/girls really know your stuff. So I was chuffed to suddenly see that my poor old site was being referenced by the forum! Now you've motivated me to join, so thanks Cruzi!

I'd just like to set the record striaght on why "this vendor" (http://www.http://www.charcool.com.au/products/35-wooden-chopping-boards.html) reckons camphor laurel boards made in Cruzi's local area (northern NSW) are the "best".

Yes, the antibacterial properties of camphor laurel are a big plus but for "the best" my choice of camphor laurel was a little more complex than that. I chose and continue to sell these boards (rather than cheaper imports) because (in order of importance):

a) They are Australian made
b) The timber source is a plentiful, registered pest which would otherwise be culled and wasted. (This makes so much sense, perhaps it should be #1?)
c) The wood grain is soft and reasonably kind to knives. It's not prone to cut marks and, as pointed out, is easily planed and "renewed"
d) (very subjective) but camphor laurel has a beautiful smell
e) unique colour and grain in each board
f) an emotive material

Don't get me wrong, I use plastic boards too. They are convenient, cheap and efficient but have lots of environmental and practical drawbacks.

Most timbers (especially Australian) are great too but if any member knows of another timber which has as much going for it as camphor laurel, let me know, because I'd love it too.

Thanks again for the reference and motivating me to join the forum.

cheers



Gene