A cutting board seems a simple piece of kitchen equipment, but its choice and use have a direct effect on food safety, especially when it comes to cross-contamination between raw meat, fish and vegetables. The right board also makes your work more pleasant and safer, and keeps your knives sharper.
Colour codes in professional kitchens
Many professional kitchens work with a common colour system, so everyone in the kitchen can see at a glance which board is meant for which product:
| Colour | Use |
|---|---|
| Blue | fish and crustaceans/shellfish |
| Yellow | chicken and other poultry |
| Red | raw meat (use a separate board for cooked meat) |
| Green | vegetables and fruit |
| White | neutral products such as bread and cheese |
| Black | varies per kitchen; often for cheese, cooked meat or allergen-free products |
The principle is also easy to apply at home: keep at least one board separate for raw meat and fish, and never use the same (unwashed) board for vegetables that are eaten raw.
Raw meat and fish get their own board. Vegetables you eat raw never on that same board.
Wood or plastic?
Wood
Wooden cutting boards naturally have some antibacterial properties and are durable in use, but they do require maintenance: not in the dishwasher, not left to soak in water (which warps the wood), washed by hand, left to dry well and treated now and then with a food-safe oil or board wax to prevent drying out and cracking. With deep cuts a wooden board can be sanded down.
Plastic
Plastic cutting boards are easier to clean (often dishwasher-safe), but over time they get grooves in which bacteria can settle, and those grooves, unlike with wood, cannot be sanded away. So replace a plastic board in time once the surface is clearly damaged.
| Material | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | knife stays sharp, durable, repairable | needs maintenance, not in the dishwasher |
| Plastic | dishwasher-safe, light, in colours | grooves, must be replaced |
| Bamboo | hard and light, eco-friendly | can blunt knives faster |
| Glass or stone | easy to clean | blunts knives quickly, slippery and dangerous |
Don’t cut on glass, stone or marble. Those surfaces are too hard for your knife and make it blunt in a short time.
Stability as a safety factor
A cutting board that slides while you cut is one of the most underestimated causes of cutting accidents in the kitchen. Put a damp tea towel under the board, or choose a board with non-slip feet, so it stays firmly on the counter.
- Choose a board that is large enough, so you don’t have to work on the edge.
- Use a thick board of at least 2 cm for heavy work.
- Keep the board and worktop dry and clean.
- When cutting hard products, such as pumpkin, fit the board snugly against the worktop.
Which size and shape?
A good basic board is about 40 × 30 cm: large enough to work calmly, small enough to handle and clean. A board with a juice groove catches moisture from meat and roasts, handy for carving. A smaller board is handy for herbs and fruit.
Cleaning and maintenance
After each use
- Scrape remains off the board.
- Wash the board with hot water and washing-up liquid and a brush or sponge.
- Rinse and let the board dry upright, so both sides air-dry.
- Put it away only when it is completely dry.
Caring for wooden boards
- Rub it every few weeks with food-safe mineral oil or board wax.
- Remove smells and stains with coarse salt and half a lemon.
- Sand away deep cuts with fine sandpaper.
- Never leave it standing in water.
Caring for plastic boards
- Wash them in the dishwasher or at a high temperature.
- Check them regularly for deep grooves.
- Replace them when the surface is clearly damaged or discoloured.
For extra safety, for example after raw chicken, you can pour boiling water over the board after washing.
How do you use the boards in practice?
| Situation | Board |
|---|---|
| Cutting raw chicken | separate board (yellow or one of its own), clean straight away |
| Vegetables for a salad | green board or a clean board |
| Filleting fish | blue board, with damp cloth underneath |
| Bread and cheese | white board or a wooden board |
| Carving cooked meat | clean board, never the board of the raw meat |
If you only have one board, use the order: first vegetables, only then raw meat or fish, and wash the board thoroughly afterwards.
The most common mistakes
You use one board for everything
That gives a chance of cross-contamination.
Solution: use separate boards, or cut vegetables first and meat afterwards, with washing in between.
You leave the board in water
Wood warps and cracks.
Solution: wash it by hand and let it dry upright.
You use a sliding board
That gives a high risk of cuts.
Solution: put a damp cloth under it.
You use a damaged board
Bacteria settle in deep grooves.
Solution: sand wood or replace plastic.
You cut on glass or stone
Your knife gets blunt quickly.
Solution: use a wooden or plastic board.
Putting it into practice in your own kitchen
- Check which boards you have and what condition they are in.
- Designate one board for raw meat and fish, and one for vegetables and bread.
- If you like, put a colour marking or sticker on it.
- From now on always put a damp cloth under the board.
- Make a habit of cleaning straight after use.
Frequently asked questions
Is wood safer than plastic?
Not necessarily. Both are safe if you clean and maintain them well. Wood is gentler on your knives, plastic is easier to clean.
Can a wooden board go in the dishwasher?
No. The heat and moisture make the wood warp and crack.
How do I get onion or garlic smell off a board?
Rub the board with coarse salt and half a lemon, let it work for a moment and rinse.
When do I need to replace a board?
A plastic board with deep grooves you replace. A wooden board you sand down, or replace if it is cracked or rotten.
Do I really need several boards?
Two is a good start: one for raw meat and fish, one for vegetables and bread.
Cutting boards at a glance
- Use separate boards for raw meat and fish and for vegetables that are eaten raw.
- Colour codes: blue fish, yellow chicken, red meat, green vegetables, white bread and cheese.
- Wood is gentle on your knife but needs maintenance.
- Plastic is easy to clean but must be replaced when there are deep grooves.
- Always put a damp cloth under the board.
- Don’t cut on glass or stone.
- Clean straight after use.
Remember this
A cutting board is not an afterthought. It isn’t about the most expensive material. It is about separation, stability and maintenance: separate boards for raw and eaten-raw, a board that doesn’t slide and a board that is clean and intact.