In this week's article I thought I would discuss cutting boards. Almost every home or business that I go into have and use cutting boards. It really doesn't make a difference whether it's wood or plastic, cleaning that surface is very important to the person using that item for health reasons.

I know there is a lot of controversy about which cutting board is better for use. For many years, the conventional wisdom held that non-porous plastic was better for use because plastic was not as hospitable as wood to micro-organisms, like salmonella from raw chicken. A study done in 1993 by University of Wisconsin challenges that concept. They discovered that 99.9 percent of bacteria placed on wooden boards disappeared within thre minutes, however failed to disappear on plastic ones.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Food Safety is sticking with plastic. Its experts found that while bacteria died on wood surfaces, micro-organisms become trapped in deep cuts on wood surfaces. On the other hand these same pathogens washed away on plastic.

The bottom line is, which ever you choose, clean and sanitize it well by using a scrubber or brush and soapy water, especially after cutting raw meat. The friction from scrubbing ruptures the cell wall of the micro-organism, and the detergent helps lift and remove the debris that holds pathogens. Personally, I recommend using four different cutting boards. One for beef, one for pork, one for chicken and one for vegetables. If you cook a lot of fish, then get one for fish. Mark them accordingly so you won't get them confused.

If you are allergic to any of the above products, please don't use them. Always test fabrics and paints before using any chemical compounds. Please remember to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and eye protection for your eyes.

If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed Madan at Northwest Environmental Services (255-2266) or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed Do?

Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified executive housekeeper, Northwest Environmental Services, specializing in commercial, residential and disaster cleaning.