Little-known chopping board mistake could be making you seriously ill

A snippet from a 2020 instalment of the brainy quiz show QI has resurfaced, leaving viewers gobsmacked after discovering an unexpected truth about chopping boards.

The episode, steered by Sandi Toksvig, delved into a range of questions themed around eateries, with comedians Alan Davies, Phill Jupitus, Sara Pascoe, and Mark Watson on hand to tackle them. The shared clip highlighted a particular question regarding optimal food preparation practices.

Sandi queried: "To prevent bacteria, what should your chopping board be made of? ".

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Sara was quick off the mark with her response: "Wood. For ages they thought the plastic ones were better, people thought that wood has these little grooves and bacteria would go in there and live and multiply but then they actually found out that plastic was much worse."

Sandi confirmed Sara's answer was spot on, revealing that a staggering 99.9% of bacteria placed on a wooden chopping board vanishes within three minutes, while it remains on a plastic one.

She further commented: "One good thing about plastic chopping boards is that they can be put in the dishwasher and heated up but the most important is to wash them and replace them when they get a bit knackered."

Many have been under the misconception that plastic chopping boards are more sanitary than their wooden counterparts due to their easy-to-clean surface. However, reactions to the clip included surprise, with one individual remarking: "I was NOT aware of this."

Another added: "qi never fails to be surprisingly informative." A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin revealed that bacteria, including salmonella, failed to survive on wooden chopping boards left overnight, but flourished and multiplied on plastic ones.

Wood, besides being a superior surface for knife use, also boasts anti-microbial properties that attract bacteria and inhibit their reproduction.

To maintain cleanliness of your wooden chopping board, it's recommended to wash it thoroughly with hot water and soap prior to food preparation, dry it with a cloth instead of air drying, and avoid stacking wet boards together as this can lead to mould growth.