Custom cutting boards are indispensable tools in the kitchen, but not all are the same. Depending on the material they are made of, they may have different characteristics as well as different uses.
In this article, we will compare wood and plastic cutting boards to let you decide which are the best to offer to your clients.
Plastic or wooden custom cutting boards? The test
There is a great diatribe between those who say plastic cutting boards are better than wooden ones and vice versa.
Some claim that plastic cutting boards are more hygienic because they can be washed in the dishwasher; others, however, respond by saying that you ingest microplastics that are deposited on food by the knife blade while cutting the board.
We have indeed discussed about custom cutting boards and microplastics in this article.
An interesting analysis was made by K-Tipp, a Swiss consumer magazine, that compared 12 plastic and wooden cutting boards to understand which was the best material in terms of bacterial contamination and other features.
Different tests were performed by cutting food on the boards and then checking them after they were washed with a sponge and detergent as is normally done at home.
The results were very interesting.
The cutting board with the lowest amount of bacteria was made of beech wood.
On the contrary, plastic cutting boards were heavily contaminated with bacteria at the end of the test.
This occurs because plastic is a very soft material, and the knife blade causes many grooves on the board’s surface when cutting. Scraped parts are very difficult to clean and become perfect places for bacteria, which can hide and survive even after the cutting board is washed in the dishwasher.
According to the FDA (Food and Drug Association) Food Code:
Cutting surfaces, such as cutting boards and blocks, that become scratched may be difficult to clean and sanitize. As a result, pathogenic microorganisms transmissible through food may build up or accumulate. These microorganisms may be transferred to foods that are prepared on such surfaces.
Wooden cutting boards have self-healing properties, so they are less likely to develop ruts or ridges. In fact, as you cut, the wood fibers separate, allowing your knife blade to pass through, but as you lift your knife, the resilient wood fibers come back together without any visible damage.
Wooden utensils can also be treated with special food contact paints (EN1934-2004) that protect them from moisture and avoid the proliferation of mold and germs. You can also apply special antibacterial varnishes with active metals for better durability and resistance to bacteria.
The best-rated product in terms of ergonomics and comfort was a bamboo cutting board thanks to the presence of nonslip rubber edges and grooves for collecting liquid that would otherwise soil the work surface.
The test showed, however, that wooden cutting boards warp after two weeks of wear and washing with hot water.
This is probably due to the poor quality of the products tested. A top-quality custom cutting board treated by a competent manufacturer won’t warp over time and maintains its shape for years.
If managed properly, wooden cutting boards can last for a long time. Some special finishes can be applied to make wood more resistant to impact, falls, chemicals, and moisture, which ensures very long service.
Moreover, even if a wooden cutting board gets cuts, it doesn’t have to be thrown away as is the case with a plastic one. You can easily sand the surface and then rub with some oil to make it look new again.
From the point of view of sustainability, wood is certainly the best choice
A cutting board made of FSC- or PEFC-certified wood and treated by an environmentally conscious manufacturer causes no harm to the environment during harvesting or processing and does not produce microplastics, which are extremely harmful to the entire planet.
Considering that consumers today are increasingly conscious about environmental issues and prefer buying sustainable objects, having wooden custom cutting boards in your catalogue is the best choice to be competitive.
Moreover, besides being more eco-friendly, wooden cutting boards are more beautiful, elegant, and prestigious than plastic, and this leads many people to use them as objects of design in their kitchen, and the best restaurants use them as trays or serving dishes.
It is important to choose a manufacturer that can create beautiful and custom cutting boards that clients can personalize according to their needs in terms of shape and finishing options.
In this article, we discussed a case study involving the creation of colored cutting board designs.
Finding an expert manufacturer is necessary to create state-of-the art objects and customize them according to your and your clients’ requirements.
Minelli S.p.A. has decennial experience in wood manufacturing and invests a lot of time and money to get the newest technologies and create the highest-quality wooden products in the market.
If you need more information, contact us now!
