Titanium Cutting Boardss

[RichieB]

Recently I've read about wood boards and illness that was attributed to the board
cleaned with soap and hot water and didn't do a sufficient job in killing the germs. Now, I use wood and think I'm cleaning to eliminate the risk. I haven't had an issue. But the idea of titanium is something I have looked into. Not cheap and I'm not dumping the wooden ones yet. So, I'm reaching out of get input, experience and opinions. I'm not ready to run out get titanium.

[captainlee]

Have you ever had an issue with contamination from a wooden board? I haven't and wash them in hot soapy water. I understand how the wood can absorb food product and not get sanitised by a typical wash. You could always add a diluted bleach solution for some extra precaution. For everyday use we have the plastic boards. I only use the wood for carving a bird or a large cut of meat. Titanium looks interesting and seems reasonably priced for the piece of mind.

[GolfGeezer]

How would knives hold up being used on a titanium board? Would blades need more sharpening cycles (versus honing) ?

[captainlee]

I too thought about the issue with knives.

[Richard Chrz]

As someone who sharpens knives, I would say that time will likely lean towards damaging knives, much like plastic cutting boards.

[Richard Chrz]

I’ll add one note of admission, while I do not break down primitive cuts of beef, and really not much on pork either, other than trimming off fat caps, etc. and breaking down chicken is done with pretty sturdy knives for me, so for trimming fat caps, and breaking down chicken, I use a large plastic cutting board. I just don’t trust chicken, period. And those knives are hardy typically, not precision necessarily. But once anything is cooked, or most meal prep, that’s all wood.

[RichieB]

No I've never had an issue. The idea of bleach is a good one as long as you really clean it up after using. And yes, from what I've read it's the residue of food that can trapped in the grooves made over time. Maybe worked with a stiff scrub brush is another thought.

[HawkerXP]

I’ll lay a cloth soaked in bleach over my scored wood board for a little while. Then, wash the board with soap and water. Let dry, then using a orbital sander, sand the scoring out of the surface. I have some Boos board products that I apply when I am done sanding.

[Murdy]

My recollection from working in butcher shops is that the preferred procedure is to soak in a beach-water solution as the last step (after otherwise cleaning the board (or whatever)) and then letting the bleach solution air dry.

[JoeSousa]

Never would have thought that a metal cutting board would be a thing. I understand that titanium isn't much harder than a good hardwood so the knife damage probably isn't as bad as I think it would be but still the thought of a knife scraping on metal makes my hair stand up.

I use plastic boards when I am just cutting up an apple or some carrots but most of my other cutting is done on wood boards. I know some woods have antimicrobial properties (maple in particular) and if the knife marks get too deep to make me worry I know I can always sand the board and re-oil it.

[STEbbq]

Excellent points on sanding and nail on chalkboard type sound.

[ssennott]

I only use wood boards and never had any trouble. Titanium for a cutting board I think I'll take a pass on that.

[Donw]

This has been discussed over on blade forums. Best summary is yes, titanium is softer than steel but brass is even softer. Do you want to run your knife’s edge over a brass cutting board? The answer is definitely no.

[STEbbq]

Why not brass?

[Donw]

STEbbq Basically the edge of your knife is a V shape and you want the thinnest part of the edge to be straight and without imperfections. That is why we hone the edge to straighten out the edge and remove bending and imperfections which even regular use can cause. The softer the cutting surface the longer the thinnest part stays in good cutting condition. Metal, glass, tile, and stone cutting boards are going dull the edge quicker than wood or plastic.

[Oak Smoke]

I have two beautiful wood cutting boards that I’ve never used. I always grab one of my cheap plastic ones when the time comes. They’re easy to wash-disinfect and can be replaced with a trip to Walmart. Titanium is not on my radar.

[Santamarina]

What I’ve read suggests that wood is more naturally antimicrobial than plastic/glass/etc. We have a couple cheapie plastic boards I’ll use if our others are busy - holiday or get together with multiple prepers in the kitchen. But my first choice is always wood!

[58limited]

I mostly use a plastic cutting board but I also use a couple of wood ones. Never had a problem with any of them. Titanium would be interesting though, just don't need another cutting board right now.

[SheilaAnn]

At my old job, we had a 5’x5’ (if memory serves) block. It was a work of art! Anyways, once a week, we would scrub and dry it. Then put on a thick layer of salt to sanitize. Next shift (sometime me) it would have to get swept off. Loved the involuntary exfoliating hand treatment!

at home, though, I scrub and hand dry. My instinct tells me that titanium would ruin your knives. And honestly, I also believe if you scrub and dry your board after each use, oil regularly you will be fine. It’s not like you leave the dirty boards sitting out for days on end, right?

[Murdy]

We had an old one of those at a place I worked. There was a rasp that you were supposed to use to scrape the surface down after using it. Every time the inspectors would come through, they'd remind us that it was illegal to use it and that it could only serve as a decoration (Wisconsin in the 80s).

[SheilaAnn]

There is an old timey butcher shop near the Deep Ellum area of downtown Dallas that has blocks that have to be so illegal to use. I may have a picture…..

[N227GB]

Plastic is more functional. Here's one I bought a couple of years ago that's good for containing juice. It's also reversible; one side has little spikes that can help stabilize a cut of meat. It fits in the dishwasher. I don't think you can get all that with wood or titanium.

[Murdy]

Commercial meat rooms all use some sort of plastic/composite cutting boards.

[SheilaAnn]

Murdy

[Spinaker]

Those blocks are unreal! WOW!

[wu7y]

Those definitely have a few miles on them. You can see from the texture of the cutting surface and the partially exposed dowels those did not come out of the woodshop looking like that. Classic! Thanks for sharing.

[Spinaker]

Hot take! Titanium? This is not a knock on you at all, Richie B I know you are genuinely curious. I guess so am I to a point.

IMHO, this is just another example, of trying o fix something that does not need fixing. First of all, wood is actually naturally anti-bacterial. Not perfect, sure, but pretty dang good. Also, having a clean work surface and tools to start with is key. I use a hydrogen peroxide/water blend or diluted bleach and water. I scrub the board with soap and water to get the solids off, spray the board with either bottle, let it sit for a few mins and wipe clean. Then take a dry rag and wipe that. Never had any issues at all. All I ever use is wooden cutting boards.

In commercial operations, they use plastic and stainless for everything. They can be easily sanitized and cleaned with caustic, acetic acid and sanitizer. They tend not to warp under heating and cleaning, drying etc. However, most of this concern comes from the shear volume of animals being killed. The chances of food-borne illness is higher. Processors need to find the cleanest possible way to avoid recalls, scares and degrading their brand with issues. For them it is worth it. (Plus, plastic boards are WAY cheaper) Would a titanium board be "safer" IDK, maybe? Would it be easier to clean and sanitize? Maybe....probably. But do you NEED this in your kitchen? Do you clean and sanitize your whole work area every day with caustic, acetic acid and sanitizer like the big boys? No. IMHO, this is complete overkill. Waste of money. Save your money buy a brisket, trim it on your current cutting board and enjoy not being sucked in by another snake oil sale.



For what it is worth here is an excerpt from Meathead's article Food Safety From The Store To The Table In The Age Of COVID-19

"There have been several studies comparing cutting board materials. The results are mixed. Both wood and plastic can be cleaned well with hot soapy water, but plastic can go into the dishwasher where the water is a lot hotter and the soap more caustic, rinsing more thorough, and drying is hot. But the problem with both is when they get cuts. Microbes can hide in the cuts and might even survive the dishwasher, but not many. Wood, however, has some properties that can kill microbes, so if they get down into a cut, they might not get out. In either case, if your cutting board gets a lot of deep cuts and gouges, sand it smooth or throw it out. If it is oak, burn it in your smoker."

"For countertops, cutting boards, knives, meat grinders, and other things that can’t go in the dishwasher, bleach is your go-to sanitizer. That’s why they put it in swimming pools.

You don’t want to wash down your carrots with a poison. Buy an empty spray bottle at the drug store and fill it with a dilute solution of household bleach. USDA recommends a solution of one tablespoon of 5% unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. After washing with warm soapy water, sanitize with bleach. Wet the surface with the bleach solution and allow it to stand for several minutes. Rinse with clear water and air or pat dry with clean paper towels. Store the solution in the bottle, tightly sealed, and use it often."

[Mosca]

I like this. I spray my board with mildew remover, but I like the more dilute option better.

[gcdmd]

Mosca The main ingredient in mildew killer is usually hypochlorite, same as bleach, which is probably cheaper on a volume vs. volume basis.

[RichieB]

Thanks all for your input. As I said in the OP, this was a venture in curiosity. What I've learned is wood boards are good and I need to pay more attention to the cleaning of them. Some great ideas on how to properly was suggested. Fortunately, I haven't had any adverse effects and through more diligence in the future should mitigate any further possible negative impact.