CHOPPING BOARDS
Everytime we chop on plastic boards we release microplastics onto the ingredients we are preparing. The deep grooves that our knives instantly make in the plastic can also harbour bacteria, making them unhygienic. Plastic chopping boards don’t last long before they are ‘stinking’ and some plastics are terrible for our knives.
It’s time to stop buying plastic boards. It’s time for timber! #TimeForTimber
“Businesses are free to use wooden chopping boards provided they are able to meet the legal requirements.”
Food Standards Agency
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In the UK the FSA refers to Retained EU Law (REUL) No 852/2004 and its Annex II for its regulatory framework for food hygiene. Annex II specifies that all articles fitting and equipment with which food comes into contact are to:
be effectively cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected. Cleaning and disinfection are to take place at a frequency sufficient to avoid any risk of contamination;
be so constructed, be of such materials and be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to minimise any risk of contamination;
with the exception of non-returnable containers and packaging, be so constructed, be of such materials and be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be kept clean and, where necessary, to be disinfected;
be installed in such a manner as to allow adequate cleaning of the equipment and the surrounding area.
There is no specification of what material we can use, only that they are cleanable and non-toxic. Chopping boards just need to be kept in good order, repair and condition, to minimise any risk of contamination and boards need to be disinfected (See maintenance note below as not all sanitisers should be used on wood) between tasks.
It is the responsibility of the business to show that wooden chopping boards meet the requirements of the food safety management system; i.e. that they can be used correctly and safely for food preparation. Read the FSA’s full statement here.
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There is a misconception that the porosity of wood leads to bacteria being trapped in the wood, creating an unhygienic surface with greater risk of cross contamination. In fact, when boards are maintained well, these pores are not a good environment for bacteria. This is one of the attributes of many woods, like beech and oak, that provides it with natural anti-microbial properties.
While wooden boards do require hand washing, studies show that hand scrubbing can actually result in cleaner boards compared to machine washing. See links below.
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As long as you can show the EHO that you are safely and adequately cleaning your boards between tasks then you are good to go.
You will need to update your HACCP plan and Hazard Analysis to include the proper maintenance of wooden boards. This includes:
Washing procedure of boards with the use of salt after high risk foods and allergens are used.
Scheduled treatment of boards with a food safe oil once a week.
Statement of time required and given for them to adequately dry.
A labelling system so that different boards are used for different foods. They do not need to be colour coded. Simple labels will do the job as long as its consistent and your team understands the system. You can even ask your board supplier to engrave labels.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Reading this we know many of you will be wondering about EHOs. We are going in depth here so that you can be ready to ensure you don’t get marked down for using wooden chopping boards in your kitchen. Going into the legal requirements will be a little dry… ready to get nerdy about Timber boards?
NOTE - If you are still concerned about being marked down on inspections, then you can liaise with your local authority environmental health team to discuss any specific aspects of your food safety management system and what you need to include.
How to maintain and clean boards
Note: Don’t wash endgrain boards with strong disinfectants. Hot soapy water is all you need most of the time. Look for sanitizers that can be used on porous surfaces and that have a pH between 4 and 10 to avoid damage.
Thanks to Daniel Callen and Ballymaloe Cookery School for this video
Links to peer reviewed studies
Have these ready to show any EHOs who haven’t caught up with the latest science!
Microplastics are in our food
A study that identifies microplastics from chopping boards as a substantial source of microplastics in our food. Let your EHOs know about this potential health risk.
WOOD IS NOT UNHYGIENIC
A study finding there was no significant difference of microbiological count on a beech board compared with a plastic board after cleaning.
Wood has antimicrobial properties
A study highlighting the natural antimicrobial properties of certain woods, particularly oak and beech.
Hand washing boards is more hygienic and Wood pores trap and kill bacteria.
A review of studies highlights one study that found hand washing to be more effective at cleaning boards than intensive machine washed. The review also found multiple studies showing that the porosity of certain woods actually traps bacteria in cavities, killing them due to the unfavourable environment.
THE SOLUTION
We've been collaborating with Jez Ralph (pictured), founder of Evolving Forests, mixing our kitchen knowledge with his timber expertise.
Use Wooden Chopping Boards.
Because it’s a biological material. It’s fully renewable, it’s storing carbon, and any particles, washed out or ingested, will decompose rather than being placed in the environment forever.
What type of wood is best?
We want to use a wood that has similarities to those regimented properties of plastic; a stable, straight grained timber. Beech is one of the best options:
Beech is a widely grown species that grows relatively quickly throughout Europe as plantation wood. This means it is unlikely to come from virgin forest and in many areas its use is allowing foresters to move to more diverse, ecologically enhancing, forest systems.
It is dense which provides longevity and durability.
It has antimicrobial properties.
It has lower levels of tannins than oak making it a relatively inert white wood. This means that it is unlikely to taint the colour or taste of the food you are prepping.
All in all, beech offers a great opportunity to create an affordable board, that encourages biodiversity restoration and that can safely handle the heavy usage of a professional kitchen.
Endgrain or Edge grain?
End grain, the cross section of the tree you can see the rings in, will provide a harder, more durable cutting surface than face-grain or edge-grain wood. This is because of the way the cells are exposed on the board. It won't particularly effect knife sharpness as the knife is hitting the same cellulose, but will make it easier to clean and manage the board.
INFO ON SOME OTHER COMMON BOARDS OPTIONS
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Oak boards will require more care and attention to keep them in top condition, but they do provide a sweet spot between durability and knife edge retention. Oak could work well for a chef keen on keeping their edge and who is careful to carry out the correct maintenance - it can easily be refreshed through sanding. However, it is a lot more expensive and slow growing in comparison to beech and needs to be sourced from sustainable forestry.
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Similar to beech but it’s a lot softer and not as dense meaning it will not have the longevity or durability of beech. Better for home use!
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Maple makes a beautiful board but it is slower growing, more expensive and currently comes from the USA.
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These all make beautiful chopping boards that are easy on the knives but they would really struggle with the heavy usage of a professional kitchen. They are full of character, likely to be expensive and may be best used for table-side cutting.
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On paper this is a great wood for chopping boards. It's easy on your knives, long lasting and made using by-products of the rubber industry. However, rubber plantations are largely from parts of Asia, Africa and South America and have been linked to deforestation. Why should we ship over wood from abroad when we have great timber here we can use and know is being sourced without causing deforestation.
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Bamboo is fast growing wood that makes long lasting boards but it is hard on your knives. We also think it doesn’t make sense to bring over bamboo from abroad when we have other better suited materials here in the UK.
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Although easy on your knives it’s synthetic rubber made from chemicals. We suggest sustainably sourced wood every time.
Our SuggestionS
We know wooden boards are more expensive than plastic and many establishments will be unable to afford enough to stop using plastic boards completely.
A cost effective board that can be competitive with plastic ones is possible with scalability - we just need to show there is demand from our industry. So fill in the poll below!
When buying wooden boards always look out for GIB, FSC and PEFC certifications to ensure good forestry management.
WOULD YOUR KITCHEN SWITCH TO WOODEN BOARDS ?
WOULD YOUR KITCHEN SWITCH TO WOODEN BOARDS ?
WOULD YOUR KITCHEN SWITCH TO WOODEN BOARDS ? WOULD YOUR KITCHEN SWITCH TO WOODEN BOARDS ?
Knife edge reTention
ADVICE From the wooden chopping board Company
All wooden chopping boards exist on a spectrum of durability. This shouldn’t be confused with density or the terms hardwood and softwood which have biological meanings. When choosing your board consider how and where it is going to be used. Almost all common wood types are suitable for presentation boards or for table side cutting by front of house. For heavier use in a commercial kitchen choose a wood that is durable and hygienic such as Beech, more specifically, Beech from the UK with a ‘Grown in Britain’ (GiB) sourcing accreditation.
However, it’s this very durability (or resistance to abrasion) that can create a blunting effect on your knife. The softer woods such as Cherry and Walnut protect knife edge retention, and the harder woods such as Maple and Beech are less easy to mark. There is no right or wrong answer as to which wood type to use - choose one that best suits your needs. The great thing is that all wooden boards, unlike plastic, can easily have their surface refinished with a little sanding..
The timber we recommend the most to customers is Oak (followed quickly by Beech) because it is in the middle of the spectrum and has a nice balance of durability and edge retention properties. Whilst there is no overall best wood, most of our commercial customers do find the one that is right for them if they think carefully about how they will use it and their preferred position on the scale of durability vs edge retention.
