What is a cutting board. Cutting boards

No kitchen - nor home, nor commercial - does not cost without cutting boards. With this simple device, it is convenient to part products, keeping the surface of the table from scratches and contaminants. Cutting can be transferred to the plate, not afraid to scatter on the road. Since ancient times, people used that were drank from different breeds of a tree. But technology development led to the fact that these kitchen attributes are now made from a wide variety of materials. Plastic, stone, glass - all this is used in production. The question, from which material there is a cutting board, every mistress is set before buying.

Variety of materials

Today, modern manufacturers offer different composition and prices. Including chopping boards. What better to choose to serve longer, were safe for health, did not stupid knives and corresponded to the cost declared on the price tag? Each material has its pros and cons. They need to be considered by choosing for the kitchen. What better is to solve the hostess.

Classic - wooden plank

Traditional and most common material - wood. Such devices are universal - suitable for cutting vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, bread and other products. When running, the board does not slide on the table, and the cuts are not chopped over the surface. This aspect reduces the risk of cuts and injuries. In addition, the wooden surface is carefully related to the knives, not blunting them sharpening. This allows for longer to serve kitchen inventory. But a lot, and what tree is better for a cutting board depends on the properties of the material. On the package it should be indicated, one or another kitchen utensil is made from what kind of variety.

Oak - the most durable and solid tree. It does not crack, not deforming, does not absorb smells. It has long been used in shipbuilding, because it is not afraid of moisture. This is one of the best options for wooden cutting boards. But this attribute in the kitchen will be pretty heavy, and the price of such products will not be low.

Acacia is solid, does not absorb odors, resistant to moisture. But it is also quite expensive.

GEVEY, or rubber tree recognized in the world material for cutting boards. They are dense, resistant to water and smells. Yes, and their price is quite democratic.

Pine and birch - common wood breeds, but for kitchen accessories they are too soft. They absorb smells, crumble under the sharp blade and deform to such an extent that they can crack. This option is inexpensive, but also short-lived.

Bamboo - Material from which they make beautiful and practical cutting boards, what better will look in the kitchen, because it is a great decorative decoration. They have a number of benefits: resistant to abrasion, practically do not scratch, do not absorb moisture and smells. But there is one substantial minus. Bamboo - the plant is herbal and does not have solid wood. Boards are made of thin strips glued together. And on the quality of the adhesive depends the suitability of material to use in the kitchen. If the formaldehyde-based composition was used, then such a product is better not even to buy, because this substance falling into the body causes severe poisoning. In addition, it can accumulate in organs and tissues. The composition of the glue on the package, unfortunately, is not specified.

Wooden boards care

Regardless of the selected material, it is necessary to care for the skid, so that it serves as long as possible. After purchase, it is advisable to lubricate it with mineral or linen oil. Repeat this procedure several times during the day. Then you need to rinse and dry. For disinfection, they can be watched with lemon juice or vinegar once a week. And also: wooden boards are better stored in air, and not in the closed box.

Plastic

Plastic boards flooded stores stores. And it is not surprising. They are light, comfortable, beautiful. Manufacturers produce their various shapes and colors. But are they so good? Before buying, you need to make sure that they are made of polyethylene or propylene. These materials are suitable for contact with food and do not harm human health. If the board is from the other or not specified, it is better to refrain from buying.

The smooth surface of the plastic can slide for what is not very convenient when cutting products. They can not be placed and fermented hot dishes. Over time, cracks are formed on plastic, in which bacteria accumulate and multiply, therefore there are unpleasant odors. Such a product must be thrown away.

Now flexible plastic boards are available. They are convenient to use, inexpensive. But their service life is limited. They quickly come into disrepair.

To extend the service life of plastic, manufacturers produce multilayer boards. When the upper layer comes into disrepair, it can be posed with an acute subject and remove. The board will again be as new. The thickness of the layers is about 2 mm, while the entire plate is about 5 cm.

Wood or plastic?

Employees from the American laboratory conducted a study, which cutting board is better: wooden or plastic. As a result, it turned out that when the surface is smooth, both options are sufficiently hygienic and suitable for use. But the appearance of the smallest cracks significantly changed the picture. In wooden samples, the microbes died after processing and drying. But in the plastic, they did not pour out anything and continued to multiply. With scratches such boards are becoming dangerous to health. By the way, in American public catering establishments it is forbidden to use plastic boards regardless of the composition.

Beautiful glass

Comparatively recently, glass cutting boards for the kitchen appeared on the market. What better to choose options depends on the interior design. They look quite stylish and become decoration. In addition, they do not absorb smells and do not scratch. They are resistant to temperature and can be used as coasters under hot. Wash them easy. But they have more minuses than pluses. They are very stupid knives because of their hardness. In addition, the sound of metal on the glass literally "cuts" the nerves. This is a rather fragile subject that can crash when falling. Before buying, you need to see if there are rubber legs on the underside. If not, the board will slide and will be inconvenient to use.

Fake diamond

Acrylic stone boards are also a new market. They withstand high temperature, do not scratch, easy to handle. But the cutting on them is blown away any, even superostile knives. In addition, the cost of such an attribute will be not small.

What cutting boards are the best, decides everyone for yourself, because even a professional answer can not give a professional.

Cutting boards for the kitchen - what better? It also depends on what products are selected. The perfect option is somewhat different: for fish, for meat, for vegetables and for bread.

The size of the board depends on the preferences of the hostess. With too small, chopped products will crumble, and large are not very comfortable in circulation, heavy and cumbersome. What sizes must have cutting boards, what better to choose? Ideal parameters fluctuate in the range of 25x40 cm.

After use, they must be thoroughly washed and dried.

You need to regularly change the cracked specimens.

While you can not find the perfect cutting boards. What better? They should be chosen by the hostess depending on the financial capabilities and preferences.

It would seem that such a simple kitchen utensil element, like a cutting board, does not cause any questions. Now these products are made from different materials, they are sold in all the shops of the dishes. However, did you think about the fact that some materials (plastic, glass) did not exist before? What used our distant ancestors, what did the products cut? Meanwhile, the history of the occurrence of a cutting board is quite interesting and deserves attention.

Stone "Board" as a model of modern

In primitive times, when the only sources of human nutrition were hunting and gathering, as a cutting board for large carcasses, suitable stone blocks with a smooth surface appeared as a cutting board. They were divided into pieces on them with the help of homemade guns. Surprisingly, the stone was a prototype of modern boards.

After some time, the plaques of wood came to change the stone, and almost unchanged they existed until the 20th century! Of course, over time, their shape, smoothness, was improved, because machines and construction tools appeared, capable of making a piece of wood perfectly smooth and smooth. But the essence remained the same - the board was a treated piece of wood, and the products could differ only in the type of wood (used birch, pine, oak and beech), sizes, presence or absence of pens.

Wood boards: Path with antiquity to modern day

Solid wood boards quickly came into disrepair: on the surface of a monolithic piece freely multiplied by bacteria, rinse such a product with a quality product - the task is not easy. In addition, the tree was picked up, deformed, darkly.

From the mid-20th century, cutting boards began to produce from plastics, relatively recently appeared glass boards. However, wooden products have retained their relevance, and almost every kitchen can meet such boards.

It turned out that wooden boards made from pressed fiber, much more practical and durable than solid piece of wood. Such innovative boards, for example, Epicurean, with absolute naturality of the composition do not absorb moisture, are not deformed and serve for a long time. Today, they are used by cooking professionals, and also acquire people who know a lot of cooking.

Natural material is best

Here is such the history of the occurrence of a cutting board of woodwhich is unlikely to ever disappear from the kitchen. Despite the availability of plastic boards, each subconsciously feels that there is nothing better and safer than anything. Yes, and care for such boards today does not cause difficulties - high-quality products can be easily washed even in a dishwasher.

The cutting board must be beautiful, comfortable and functional. You have the right to choose yourself such kitchen utensils, which will serve as decoration in your kitchen and participate daily in the creative process of cooking.

Knife on a cutting board

Cutting board - The object of the kitchen ego intended for cutting or destroying food. It is a plate with a flat or slightly concave working surface, made of material from the material with which the kitchen knives are not blinking.

Cutting boards can have a different shape and a large range of sizes. In principle, all cutting boards can be divided into two large groups: heavy and lungs. Heavy cutting boards are boards with a mass of more than 1 kg, they motionlessly arrange on the table and can occupy the entire table top. Light cutting boards are cutting boards of a small mass and limited size, their functional difference from heavy boards is that they are used as a container to transfer products. Light cutting boards occupy a dominant position on household kitchens; While professional dominated on professional.

General requirements for cutting boards

The cutting board should provide the user with a convenient and safe base for work. It should be stable, not swing, not slide and not fade. She should not bounce when working, creating traumatic situations. It is desirable to have a cutting board of elastic legs, damping knives and providing stability. Its work surface should be sufficiently solid and wear-resistant, to effectively resist the cutting-chopping effects. But at the same time, the working surface of the cutting board should not be unnecessary solid, otherwise the knives will quickly lose sharpening.

The height of the working surface of the cutting board must correspond to the user's growth. It should be located at an altitude of 10-15 cm below than the distance from the floor to the elbow of the cutting. This height provides convenience of work and avoids quick overwork.

Sanitary and hygienic requirements for cutting boards

The cutting board must correspond to sanitary and hygienic requirements for kitchen inventory. It should be easy to wash, should not be distinguished by harmful substances, to be resistant to the effects of food acids, should not change the color of the products and give them outsiders and tastes. After each use, it is necessary to clean the board from the residues of food and rinse thoroughly. Periodically, cutting boards must be disinfected.

To minimize the risks of infectious diseases due to cross-sector with bacteria, it is necessary to use different boards to work with various groups of products. What to avoid using the board is not for the purpose of Sanpine 2.3.6.1079-01 prescribes alphabetically marked cutting boards, according to the product group for which they are intended. The HACCP standard for the same goals adopted color marking.

type of product Sanpine marking HACCP marking
raw meat "CM" red
crude chicken "SK" yellow
raw fish "Wed" blue
raw vegetables "CO" green
cooked meat "VM" brown
bolar Fish "BP" brown
boiled vegetables "IN" brown
meat gastronomy "Mg" brown
gastronomy "G" brown
greens "S" green
sauer vegetables "Ko" brown
herring "Herring" brown
bread "X" brown
fish gastronomy "WG" brown
cheese "FROM" white

In the conditions of homemade kitchen, the strict separation of cutting boards can be neglected by limiting the separate boards for raw and finished products.

Materials

The tree is the most common material of cutting boards. Wooden cutting board can be made of a solid piece of wood or glued from separate dies. From different breeds of wood, boards with different consumer properties are manufactured. From Givea, Acacia, Gladichia, ash, the boards are resistant to cuts, well opposing moisture, poorly absorbing smells. From beech and birch, boards are very careful to sharpening knives. And oak boards have a beautiful texture, and high antibacterial properties, due to the abundance of tanning substances. Not smaller than oak, antibacterial properties have plates from larch, for them is also characterized by very high resistance to wetting.

Not less than wooden distributed plastic cutting boards. For them, various types of plastic can be used, but polypropylene is most common. Plastic cutting boards have a huge wealth of shapes and colors. From plastic you can make original boards that combine many functions. Very significant plus plastic boards in front of wooden is their exceptional resistance to water. And their main disadvantage is very frequent in the lack of information on the brands of the plastics used and the additives used in them; What causes serious concerns about their safety due to the possible allocation of toxins. This is especially characteristic of little-known manufacturers. When plastic cutting boards, it is very important to observe the washing mode specified by the manufacturer, since plastic cutting boards can be destroyed when washing in the dishwasher, or under the influence of household chemicals.

In recent years, bamboo boards have been distributed, they are made of bamboo braced lamella. Their most advantage is high resistance to water and lack of warping. In escortability to sharpening, the bamboo is significantly inferior to the tree and most plastics. The main disadvantage is not environmentally friendly: bamboo plantations are located in the wetlands of the rivers, because of the bamboo tissues, toxins and heavy metals are discarded from plants and cities located above the flow.

Silicone cutting boards will correctly call the cutting mat. Their benefits are lightness, flexibility, many colors. The main drawback is deep cuts that are obtained on them, in which bacteria multiplies in the abundance. Remove which is practically impossible without high temperature processing.

Glass, ceramics, natural stones, metal are also used to make boards, but from them knives quickly lose sharpening, so they can only be recommended as design elements of the interior or serving.

Modern cutting boards for the kitchen are made of wood, glass, plastic, silicone, natural and artificial stone.

They are round, square, rectangular, in the form of fruits, vegetables and fish. Without this kitchen, it does not cost the preparation of salads, first and second dishes, cutting snacks and bread. In Arsenal, at least three boards should have at least three boards. Examine how to choose suitable accessories, how to give preference to consider when buying.

Types of cutting boards by material

First of all, kitchen boards are accepted by the manufacturing material. Materials differ among themselves strength, ways to care, degree of absorption of odors and juices from products. Based on these criteria, choose the appropriate accessory for meat, fish, vegetables, sausages, cheese, bread.

Tree kitchen boards

Kitchen cutting boards made of wood different sizes and forms are most often found in the arsenal of home owners. Wood choose for environmental friendliness, but there are several important points here. If one products are made of solid array, others are glued, and therefore chemistry is already present in the composition.

Models from solid wood It is more expensive. They are much stronger - do not split and do not scatter from logging. Choosing, be sure to specify which breed of wood is used for production.

  • Durable and durable oak and acacia boards preferred by professional chefs. Disadvantage - high cost.
  • The most practical and acceptable for the price of the product from beech and birch.
  • Models from pine are even cheaper, but differ in high hygroscopicity, it is better to use them for bread and other dry products, after which you can do without washing.
  • Threaded rubber and gevent deserve attention - such products are not afraid of moisture and sharp knives.

Do not reject glued models, they are resistant to deformation and are less afraid of moisture than products from the array. True, and split faster.

All types of wooden cutting boards are preferably protected from water, without being washed too often and thoroughly drying. For meat and fish, it is desirable to buy special models with an appropriate mark. They are impregnated with special oils providing antibacterial protection.

The lack of wood is the complexity of care and disinfection. They are better not to beat meat, especially metal hammers.

The most durable of wooden - end boards. These are made of solid wood, they are thicker than usual and saturated with special oils. Their main difference is the location of the fibers perpendicular to the cutting surface. This location warns the bunge of the knife.

Torch Cutting boards belong to professional. They can safely chop meat with bones. If there are no strong contaminants, it is better to wash without detergents not to remove protective oils. To increase the service life, it is recommended to soak with food mineral oil.

Cheap boards from plywood It is quite suitable for bread, greenery, vegetables, cheeses and sausages. Plywood - glued wood, so there is nothing dubious in the composition. It is important that the glue is safe.

Bamboo - alternative wood

Bamboo kitchen board looks like a wooden. But the bamboo grows very quickly, so it is much cheaper. Bamboo products for the kitchen are not afraid of moisture, they can be used for juicy products and boldly washed. Bamboo peculiar to suppress the development of microbes, it does not absorb smells.

Bamboo cutting boards are always glued, as from an empty inside a herbaceous stem, even though they look like a tree, you can not otherwise get a ski.

Glass and glass-ceramic accessories for cutting

Fragile but beautiful and practical glass Fixtures for cutting are convenient for wet products, as they can be quickly washed and disinfected. Choosing models with a pattern, check that the picture is applied to the opposite direction, otherwise the paint will fall into the food.

Glass surfaces are suitable for any products, but do not try to chop them and beat with a metal hammer. They are comfortable for slicing herring, sausages, greenery, vegetables. Do not expose glass to the effects of contrast temperatures when washing.

Glass ceramics - more durable material, but also does not tolerate shocks and contrast hot and cold. And glass, and glass ceramics quickly stupid knives, so it is not very suitable for everyday operation.

So that the glass does not slip on the table, there are rubberized legs on the involve side. In this segment there are models that can be washed in a dishwasher. Beautiful glass cutting boards are suitable for feeding pizza table, pies, cakes. Models from heat-resistant glass is convenient to use as coats for hot.

Cheap plastic for different tasks

Plastic cutting surfaces are one of the cheapest, but should not immediately refuse this option. High-quality plastic is resistant to abrasion and cuts. Kitchen accessories made of plastic is easy to wash and disinfect. They do not occupy a lot of space, they are not afraid of falling and blows. Cutting products on plastic is easier than glass - they do not scoop.

Very interesting plastic transformersthat bend, forming a funnel, warning scattering of vegetables. If there are holes in one of the parts, then you can wash fruits and vegetables, as in the colander.

Cheap plastic boards - dubious choice. For the production of such not very high quality plastic, which is quickly covered with small scratches from the knife. Of course, you can buy this option in case you need to cut something non-standard. In order not to risk an expensive and beloved assistant.

Market Novelty - Silicone

The silicone rug is difficult to call the board, but it also serves to cut out products and copes well with the task. Silicone Easy and flexible, sliced \u200b\u200bvegetables are comfortable to conquer to the plate and pour into the pan, sending the accessory directly to the soup. Material not afraid of low and high temperatures, detergents and blows. It comes well, even sticks to the table and does not slip while working.

Good manufacturers silicone is restored from punctures and cuts. Silicone mats are often complemented by marking in centimeters, it is convenient for the preparation of products from the test. There are models that can be used as a stand under hot and rug for baking.

Sometimes silicone is found in combined versions, for example, as a non-slip base, handles, side surfaces. It is combined with wood, plastic, glass.

Heavy and solid stone

Stone cutting surfaces heavy and massive. Boards made of natural stone durable and durable, but do not exaggerate their advantages.

  • Natural stone porous, he absorbs pollution and juicesAt the same time laundering and disinfected it is problematic.
  • Knives about the stone are stupid even faster than about glass. Ceramic knives are better to keep away.
  • The material cannot be subjected to a sharp change of temperatures.
  • Durable contact with acids is not allowed.

Marble and granite boards are better used for dry and low-fat products without pronounced fragrances. Experienced hostesses recommend using them to rolling the dough.

More accessible by the price of cutting boards made of artificial stone. They are based on polymers, so the material is easier, stronger and easier to care. Manufacturers argue that the knives remain sharp, and the surface does not absorb smells and is easily washed away from pollution.

Functional boards with additional features

Progress touched even this simple accessory. Today you can buy a cutting board with extended functionality and antibacterial coating, for example, with a content of silver particles.

Breadboard with bread

We have already affected the boards with covers intended for storage and cutting bread. Such an option is convenient because you will never confuse the product chalkboard that requires heat treatment, with bread.

In the same line there are special offers for pies and pizza. They are convenient for feeding and storage.

Baguette cutting devices

As far as needed in the kitchen such accessories, solve you. In any case, they look original and help cut the long baton with neat slices of the same thickness. Especially convenient to cut fresh bread with a crispy crust. It is better to use a knife saw for work.

Cheese Cutting Board

Special boards for cutting cheese are several species:

  • With a set of knives for different grades of cheese. In compact models, knives are stored in compartments on the reverse side. There are more massive options in which supports or retractable boxes are provided for the knives.
  • Cutting cheese boards with a fishing line or built-in knifedesigned for cutting thin slices of solid cheeses.
  • Small planks with glass covers on the type of bread. They are supported by the perfect storage microclimate.

Special boards for cheese are always made only from a natural tree or bamboo, resistant to mold. Periodically, they need to wash and disinfect.

Multitasking nozzle for washing

For washing there are different options for boards. The most compact in this line is semicircular, they are installed on the sink. Another option - surfaces for cutting with colander.

Bulk models worth choosing only if you have a spacious kitchen and there is a need for the processing of a large number of vegetables. The colander is right above the sink, so you can safely open the water to wash the vegetables for cutting and rinse the knife. Also, such a model is convenient for cleaning vegetables.

There are wooden, plastic and glass products on sale. Given the proximity of water, it is better to give preference to light and practical plastic.

Product Container Board

This is the whole box, in the upper lid of which there is a cutting surface and a hole. In the process of cutting, foods are sweeping into the hole, from where they fall into the retractable box. Convenient for salads, stew and other dishes requiring a large number of various ingredients.

The line has different design options. Most often, developers are playing with the shape, the number of boxes and ways to access them.

The same row should be attributed to bread boards with bins compartments. Very convenient, as the crumbs do not have to collect on the table, but you can pour the birds.

Combination with weights for maximum accuracy

By combining two important devices, kitchen accessories designers created a smart device. Such a model is needed by hostesses that love to prepare exactly by recipes. Sliced \u200b\u200bproducts will not be difficult to weigh and immediately add the missing piece.

How much boards in the kitchen

On sanitary standards should have five boards For cutting various groups of products. The quantity can be reduced if you cook at home very little, and enlarge if you constantly operate in the kitchen.

In active owners, there must be separate cutting surfaces:

  • For raw meat - durable, easy to leaving disinfection. Suitable or stone.
  • For fresh fish - if not chop, you can take a glass-ceramic or glass.
  • For products that are not exposed to thermal processing.
  • For vegetables and greens. Plastic or silicone will be consolidated, as it will have to wash it often.
  • For bread. The material will suit any, the main thing is that it is compact and stored separately. Convenient options with hinge for hanging.

Beautifully look at the sets of cutting boards, but they include products from one material. If this is a wooden set, then buy a small silicone and glass, they will not take a lot of space, but will be useful for wet works.

Size and form - for intended purpose and preferences

Decide with the size of a cutting board simply. Focus on the size of the products and their quantity.

  • For cutting chicken, meat and fish it is recommended a 50 cm board with a thickness of 3-4 cm.
  • For cutting vegetables for salads and various dishes - 20 by 30 cm.
  • For bread - 20 by 30 cm.
  • Small planks are suitable for cheese and sausages for sandwiches, greenery.

In addition to round, rectangular and square cutting boards, there are models in the form of apples, tomatoes, fish, crescent. Do not rush to smile, the form helps not to confuse the devices and do without signature.

For everyday tasks, the most comfortable form is rectangular, it is easier to store it in the kitchen. Round are needed for pizza, pies, karavaev, cakes.

Cutting surfaces are far from always smooth. Frequently found grooves. They are needed to collect juice from products. Such models are suitable for vegetables, fruits, meat.

Think - how you will store kitchen boards. Sets are often sold with stands. It is beautiful and convenient, but will require space on the table or in the closet. Convenient suspension options with a hole or hinge for hanging. In this form, the accessory dries faster and not exposed to mold.

All kitchenware needed thoroughly wash and disinfect. Observe the recommendations so that the boards serve for a long time, and the food on the table was safe.

  1. Products made of plastic, plywood and glasses wash hot water with detergent and wipe.
  2. Wooden scalked with boiling water, and if they have noticed the fallout or plugging of dirt (products), squint with a knife. Do not keep a tree in water for soching and do not store near the plate, so as not to swell and disagree.
  3. For disinfection of glass, plastic, artificial stone can be used soda. For the acids-resistant materials suitable vinegar.
  4. Beautiful cutting boards under Gzhel, a stilever and other patterns, use only with an unpainted side.

Do not be lazy to see the reviews about the manufacturer and read the instructions for the product. Handicraft handicrafts are beautiful, but they better entrust the decor functions, as there are no security guarantees.

What a cutting board from the mass of the proposals to choose for the kitchen, decide for you! Look at the store to different models, compare the tasks and intensity of use, place for storage and financial capabilities. You may prefer to buy and change cheap products or prefer goodness and beauty.

Like any professional kitchen inventory, cutting boards must be seamless in accordance with the norms of hygiene and the needs of the institution. In the online store you can buy cutting boards of various colors. But what kind of useful to your chefs and what benefit can be obtained from them - more in our article.

Choose the colors of the cutting boards correctly

According to hygienic standards, at the professional kitchen there must be at least 10 cutting boards, different from each other in colors.

Simple associative color separation is described and approved in HACCP standard:

  • White - for dairy products
  • Green - for vegetables
  • Blue - for seafood
  • Yellow - for raw birds
  • Red - for raw meat

The main goal of using multiple boards is to ensure the safety of cooking, namely:

  • prevent the spread of infection
  • eliminate contact of raw and finished products,
  • prevent mixing of smells and tastes of different products.

What to draw attention to the color of cutting boards?

Most often, cooks use professional cutting plastic boards of different colors. They are sufficiently light, while durable and comply with hygienic requirements. The thickness of the plastic can be from 12.5 mm to 40 mm. Professional inventory is more expensive than residents. And so for what is worth paying more:

  • The material that is quite durable to be quickly not covered with scratches, while quite soft, so as not to fasten the knife.
  • Property Do not absorb odors and moisture.
  • The presence of comfortable hanging holes.
  • The presence of rubber legs for convenient fixation on the table.
  • Easy cleaning.
  • Chemical stability.
  • The presence on some models of the grooves to prevent the flow of fluid when cutting on the table.

Order only professional kitchen inventory, be successful in your business!