How to use wooden cooking utensils to protect you and them

Wooden kitchen utensils are robust, visually appealing, durable and practical, but need to be cleaned properly to prevent potential health hazards.

Although wooden boards are gentler on kitchen knives than plastic, every cut nicks the surface, meaning germs can multiply, so pay attention to hygiene when using them, says Germany’s Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE).

Do not cut raw meat, such as poultry, on the same board as salad as bacteria can be transferred from the meat to the salad – meaning you risk ingesting the germs through your salad.

It matters less what kind of wood a spoon or spatula is made of, but it does matter when it comes to chopping boards, says nutrition expert Judith Schryro from the Berlin Consumer Advice Centre.

Hardwoods such as oak, beech or walnut release antimicrobial tannic acid with every cut, making it harder for germs to multiply.

Ultimately though, you need to clean your chopping boards properly. If they become too scratched, then replace them or sand down the board.