Yep, it is true.
There was a big deal about it when the research first came about. This is exactly the type of thing that the local television stations run with. So we were abused with about a hundred stories on this topic awhile back.
It boils down to who you want to believe, and apparently, the type of "bacteria":
No one has HEARD of Danish Oil here and I use a lot of it on my turnings, so I stock up when we go..
mac
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In this case, it's sort of an old friend to the cook and he wants to keep using it, just needs it resurfaced..
mac
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Yep.. My grandfather ate, drank and smoked all the stuff that's bad for you now.. and died at a very cranky 108.. My folks said that he was just too mean to die..
mac
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My paternal grandfather smoked, and inhaled, Prince Albert pipe tobacco in a pipe, for almost 80 years. The doctors made him quit at 96, and he only lived another 3 years after that. My Dad claims it was the aggravation of having to quit, and not the smoking, that finally got to him.
Same here. I've got a built-in cutting board in the kitchen that was made sometime in the 50s and it does just fine with no or minimal finish on it. About a year ago, I took it out and planed it to take out some of the marks that couldn't be easily sanded out, reassembled it and put it back without oil and it's doing just fine.
I ended up planing it, both to get rid of some deep cuts and because of a couple cracks between boards were starting to widen. I had to cut the board down to get it through the planer anyhow, I simply cut it apart at the cracks, planed it to uniform thickness and reglued. You can't tell there were ever any problems.
Surprised me too. I'm only sure I read some of the studies and what they concluded. The bacteria didn't reproduce or multply or whatever bacteria do on the wooden boards. Maybe something to do with the ph or tanic acid or something. I can't remember why just that it was reported as so.
Frank
I prefer wooden boards too.
However, I dropped one the other day and it split at a glue joint that had widened over the years to show a crack.
I sure didn't like the look of what was growing in there... I have a large maple one (about 20 years old - it was a wedding present) that I'm going to re-rip and re-glue as it's starting to open up at the joints.
Russians say "One who neither smokes nor drinks dies healthy." (Rhymes in Russian)
Isn't that what we all want?
Three Jolly Coachmen, courtesy of the Kingston Trio. (Repeat lines deleted)
...now here's to the man who goes to bed quite mellow, he goes to bed quite mellow.
...now here's to the man who goes to bed quite sober, he'll die before October.
...now here's to the lass who steals a kiss, and runs to tell her mother,
She's a foolish, foolish thing, for she'll nare get another.
...now here's to the lass who steals a kiss, and stays to steal another,
She's a boon to all mankind, for she'll soon be a mother.
man who goes to bed quite mellow, he goes to bed quite mellow.
Hmmm... He WAS Russian..lol He drank his home made wine and smoked those evil black cigars all his life... Spent most of his life as a cooper so he made barrels at home, too..
He actually complained to neighbors when the family wouldn't let him buy a power lawn mower... at 97 years old..
mac
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Good point! I have no idea how wide this beast is.. might not fit in the planer..
mac
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Heartless bastards. At 97 I can see where he might be getting decrepit enough to need it.
=== Mac, You can do several things with the boards.
- plane it (resurface it), so it is flat again.
- if it will be used for decorations, any high gloss finish will do,
- if it will be used on a daily basis in the kitchen, a good coating of mineral oil will kill off any bacteria that may want to establish residence in the board's cuts. After letting the oil soak for several hours, wipe off any excess with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Repeat the mineral oil application once a week if it is used on a daily basis (you mentioned a restaurant, that would mean daily). If for home use you can get by with a monthly application, but more often if you are paranoid about bacteria, salmonella and that kind of stuff. I have several cutting boards and they get the mineral oil treatment once a month if they need it or not. Do not wash with soap and water, plain warm water will do, the soap will wash away the mineral oil.
My two centavos.
Ray Austin, TX ===
Because the scrap dishwasher I was discarding had a top made of maple that was just right to make into cutting boards. I had a large HDPE cutting board I made 15 years ago, and another that my wife bought that was too small. I wanted an inbetween one, so I made it out of the scrap wood. Now all the relatives are asking for copies.
- Owen -
HUH? We kill bacteria by putting salt out to draw the water from their cytoplasm or emulsifying their cell walls with detergent. If you remember your Biology, the lipid bilayer cell walls are hydrophobic, and would love the company of oil to hide them from the things that would lyse them.
I wonder if they were worried about him cutting his own foot off, or chasing neighbors with it..
mac
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I'm picking it up tonight, Ray, and will see what I'm getting into..
Depending on size and condition, I'll sand or maybe plane it and recommend that he leave it unfinished... I don't want to spend a lot of time on it because I'm hoping to make it a quick job and not charge for it.. (networking!)
If there's anything a restaurant here has an abundance of, it's salt and limes.. lol
mac
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