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Are Wooden or Plastic Cutting Boards Safer?
By Dr. Jonathan Wright on 03/02/2009
Question: Can you please help settle a disagreement I’ve been having with my daughter? She’s been trying to get me to replace my wooden cutting boards with plastic ones, insisting that the wooden versions hold more bacteria since they can’t be put in the dishwasher. I think the wooden ones must be fine, since I’ve been using them for years and no one has gotten sick. Which one of us is correct?
Dr. Wright: Research shows that wooden cutting boards actually do not sustain the growth of bacteria -- but the plastic versions do. In part, this research was stimulated by various health departments mandating the use of plastic cutting boards in commercial establishments. These mandates were based on the same assumption your daughter has made: that wood -- with all its cracks, crevices, and knife cuts -- would harbor microorganisms, and that seamless hard plastic -- with only superficial grooving from knives -- can be cleaned more easily and effectively.
But researchers found that microorganisms simply didn't survive on wooden cutting boards that were cleaned after use. And plastic cutting boards, even after similar cleaning, did, in fact, harbor bacteria with regularity.
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Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. has degrees from both Harvard University (cum laude) and the University of Michigan. More than any other doctor, he practically invented the modern science of applied nutritional biochemistry and he has advanced nutritional medicine for nearly three decades.
As of today, Dr. Wright has received over 35,000 patient visits at his now-famous Tahoma Clinic in Washington State.
To learn more about Dr. Wright, and to sign up for his free Health e-Tips eLetter, please visit www.wrightnewsletter.com.
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Comments
Anonymous
I'm confused by the article about Pennsylvania Dept of Agriculture goons descending upon the Mennonite farmer for selling raw milk. First, I am led to believe that Pennsylvania does not allow the selling of raw milk, but then you state that he 'declined to renew his license to sell raw milk'. So, the goons were checking to see if he was selling WITHOUT A LICENSE. And, there were reports from others that he had been selling...
If something requires a license, of course we are duty bound to get a license if we want to do that (drive a car, practice medicine, sell). I own a vending machine and oftentimes I am tardy in getting my yearly business license for it; if the 'goons' come by and check, I am given a warning. I hop to it and get the darned license!
Anonymous
Thanks Dr. Wright -- I've argued about this for years, though it looks like I was wrong!
Anonymous
All you have to do is place your plastic cutting board in the microwave oven for 3 minutes, after you have rinsed it clean.
The micro waves eliminate anything that might harm you. Or better still, place the plastic cutting board in the microwave oven for three minutes before you use it. Charlie Horse.
Anonymous
Question: Is there a cure for aphasia, or any help anywhere. I have heard of CI therapy for other stroke disabilities, but it doesn't seem to apply to aphasia.
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