Plastic cutting boards: features and choice

Kitchen cutting board - an item that is always at hand with a good housewife. It is designed for cutting various products, butchering meat, fish. Sometimes chopping boards are used to serve cooked food. Previously, wood products prevailed in the arsenal of housewives, but today the choice of materials is much wider. On sale you can find wooden, glass and plastic models.

High-quality plastic boards for the kitchen are made of polypropylene or polyethylene. These two types of plastic are not harmful to human health. Upon contact with food, they do not give them harmful toxic substances.

Some manufacturers offer models with a special antibacterial coating. Such a “shell” increases the hygiene of the product and extends its life.

Any model of plastic boards have certain advantages:

• resistance to absorption of pungent odors;
• an obstacle to the development of harmful microorganisms;
• light weight;
• aesthetics - various models in different color variations are on sale;
• ease in leaving - it is allowed to wash a product by any detergents, washing in the dishwasher is possible;
• durability and reliability (applies to items made of high-quality plastic);
• affordable price.

There are chopping plastic boards and some disadvantages.For example, if a product is made of low quality plastic, its surface may become scratched when interacting with a knife. Due to such damage, the item loses its hygienic properties over time - it begins to “absorb” extraneous odors, and on its surface the reproduction of microorganisms hazardous to health occurs. Cheap plastic products can not be called practical and durable.

Another drawback is the “fear” of high temperatures. This applies to both cheap and expensive models. Hot dishes should not be placed on a plastic object, otherwise it will lose its attractive appearance.

The stores offer an extensive range of plastic cutting boards. Different models differ in their shape, dimensions, color schemes, design features. On sale there are products of the following forms:

• square;

• rectangular;

• round;

• oval.

As a rule, color models have bright and rich colors. They can be both monophonic and with various images: fruits, berries, landscapes, flowers, pictures with various kitchen attributes. You can choose small-sized products or large boards made of thick plastic. The latter are able to withstand serious mechanical stresses, but it is still impossible to chop or chop meat on them.

Manufacturers produce boards for cutting products with or without handles. Models with a holder are more convenient to use. There are also boards on the stand for sale. Basically, such sets are performed in a single stylistic design.

Depending on the model, plastic boards can:

• equipped with specialized rubber buttons to prevent slipping when cutting products;
• be equipped with a container designed to discharge chopped vegetables, fruits, meat and other products;
• have “grooves” to collect excess fluid;
• have an antibacterial protective "shell";
• equipped with thermal protection (these are the only models that can be used as a hot stand).

Due to the huge selection of domestic and foreign plastic boards for cutting, it is sometimes difficult to make the right choice and acquire a high-quality and easy-to-use model. Here are the main parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing.

A kitchen cutting board is not the most important “tool” in the arsenal of a modern housewife. However, without it, it will be problematic to cook food without damaging the countertop in the headset's working area. When choosing an item, it is important to hold the product in your hand. It should not be too heavy and bulky, otherwise it will be inconvenient to use such an item.

The most "running" sizes of boards:

• 20 * 30 cm;
• 30 * 40 cm;
• 30 * 50cm.

Using large items, as well as small ones, is not always comfortable, therefore It is worth choosing the optimal size for yourself.

The shape of the board is selected depending on personal preferences, but experienced chefs believe that the most convenient items have a rectangular shape. Colors and appearance of the product are also selected according to their desires. In order not to get confused which board is intended for which product, you can buy products in the form of vegetables, fruits or fish for cutting the corresponding products.

If convenience is important, preference should be given to models with handles, recesses or special recesses designed to grip the product. More convenient are models equipped with a hanging hole and “grooves” for collecting the fluid that came out when cutting the products.

Choosing a cutting board, should refuse to purchase cheap and delicate items. As a rule, to reduce the cost of such a product, manufacturers use low-quality raw materials for its manufacture.The result is an unreliable board, which will soon need a replacement.

Any kitchen board must be properly looked after. Such measures will extend its service life and also help prevent the propagation of harmful microorganisms on the surface of the subject. Plastic boards can be washed in the dishwasher or by hand using a sponge and laundry soap or a specialized detergent. After washing, it is advisable to wipe the product dry.

You can use store cleaners or soda to clean the board. Vinegar (essence 9%), lemon slice or bicarbonate will help to quickly remove the smell. They are sold in almost any grocery store and, despite the low price, are very effective. To clean the product or eliminate unpleasant odors, you need to soak the board in water with vinegar in a ratio of 1: 1, grate with lemon or cooked pasta from soda and water.

See the next video for the benefits of plastic boards.