Anne N. makes the point that the contamination of cutting
boards is more of a problem with meats than for us veggies.
I would agree. Contamination comes in different forms.
For meats, it would certainly be salmonella bacteria,
a great concern that requires careful handling. It's
remarkable that more Americans don't get sick eating
at restaurants! If you are a caregiver for a person
who has a compromised immune system (cancer, AIDS,
end stage renal disease, etc) this is of special
concern.
Contamination for veggies would most likely be
pesticides. Center for Science in the Public
Interest has published that washing fruits and
vegetables with soap and rinsing them very well
removes almost 90% of the pesticide residues.
Now I wash every thing I eat very carefully,
squirting a little liquid soap over my hand
and applying it to the foot and rinsing well.
It only takes a few seconds. Probably pesticides
are less dangerous (in the short run) than
bacterial contamination, which can make some
people deathly ill. Also, it's hard to diagnose.
I think it also helps to wash your cutting boards
with some full strength vinegar each day. The
smell only lasts a few minutes. If you don't like
vinegar, just use regular dish washing soap and hot
water. Some have advised putting the cutting board
in a dishwasher and running it through the drying
cycle. That's excellent if you have room for it.
(Dr.) Mike Rosenblatt
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