Wood is generally preferred for chopping boards as a thick board made of seasoned wood will last a very long time and the food does not slide over the surface. Wood also has the advantage of not blunting knives as quicly as other materials.
Doubts have been raised about the hygiene of wood, but researches found that wooden boards may be better than plastic for keeping bacteria at bay. A variety of boards were deliberately contaminated and left overnight. Levels of bacteria on the wooden boards were virtually undetectable while bacteria levels had actually risen on some of the plastic boards. The researches surmized that bacteria may be sucked in by the porous structure of wood and destroyed by the antimicrobial chemicals that protect trees from infection.
Other materials used for chopping boards are polypropylene and toughened glass, both of which can be sterilized easily. In a restaurant or other professional kitchen, these polypropylene boards are often color coded so that different ones are used for raw meat, cooked meat, fish, fruit and vegetables to avoid cross contamination.
Whatever material you choose, be sure to scrub your board thoroughly in hot fresh water and soap or an antibacterial cleaner after every use. If the board is washed properly and stored on its edge and not in contact with other surfaces, contamination will be minimal.
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Asian Recipes **
