2. Wooden cutting boards tested showed anti-bacterial properties.
“Hardwoods, like Blackwood, are fine-grained, and the capillary action of those grains pulls down fluid, trapping the bacteria – which are killed off as the board dries after cleaning,” says Ben Chapman, a food safety researcher at NC State. “
One study found that this can happen as quickly as 3 to 10 minutes after the surface of the board being contaminated with harmful bacteria, though greasy substances like chicken fat can remain on the surface of the board and continue to be a food-safety risk for many hours; washing in warm soapy water was sufficient to remove the harmful grease-borne bacteria.