Cutting board
There are also cutting boards made of glass, steel, or marble, which are easier to clean than wooden or plastic ones such as nylon or Corian, but tend to damage knives due to their hardness.
Early cutting boards were flat stones or large wooden slabs, likely emerging out of necessity.
With the advancement of technology and materials, plastic cutting boards soon gained popularity due to its lightness, and its low maintenance qualities.
A good cutting board material must be soft, easy to clean, and non-abrasive, but not fragile to the point of being destroyed.
Cutting boards made from multiple glued pieces are more widely available, but it is important to make sure the glue used is free from formaldehyde and melamine.
[2] Teak's tight grains and natural coloration make it a highly attractive cutting-board material, both for aesthetic and durability purposes.
Teak, a tropical wood, contains tectoquinone, a component of natural oily resins that repel moisture, fungi, warping, rot and microbes.
Care must be taken when selecting wood, especially tropical hardwood, for use as a cutting board, as some species contain toxins or allergens.
Furthermore, researchers are now developing a cutting board made from HDPE plastic waste as a more environmentally friendly option.
Semi-disposable thin flexible cutting boards also ease transferring their contents to a cooking or storage vessel.
Harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Staphylococcus can easily reside on a cutting board without proper care.
Proper maintenance of a cutting board is essential to sustaining a safe cooking environment and preventing food borne illnesses.
Bacteria or allergens can easily be transmitted from one part of the kitchen to another or from one food to another via knives, hands, or surfaces such as chopping boards.
Many professional kitchens follow this standard colour-coding system:[7] Regardless of the material, regular maintenance of a cutting board is important.
Wooden boards should never be placed in the dishwasher, or left immersed for long periods, as the wood or glue may be affected, or mildew may develop.
A light food-grade mineral oil is a good preservative for wooden cutting boards, as it helps keep water from seeping into the grain.
Note, plant based oils will go rancid, and cause wood cutting boards to pick up unpleasant smells.
One way being a combination of lemon juice and kosher salt, and another being a solution of 1:3 distilled white vinegar and water.
On the other hand, a simple spray and wipe of the white vinegar and water solution removes any lasting odors.
