The survival and disinfection of Salmonella typhimurium on chopping board surfaces of wood and plastic

To simulate the persistence of Salmonella typhimurium out food preparation surfaces, survival was assessed on 25 cm(2) wood and plastic chopping boards both new and after heavy scoring. Survival was assessed by counting the numbers of S. typhimurium recovered after rinsing the inoculum off the board surface followed by contact plates. Recovery of the board inoculum from the rinse diluent was significantly greater from plastic than wood, and from untreated than scored boards. S. typhimurium was recovered, using contact plates, on scored wood boards up to 120 min after the initial rinsing procedure, up to 60 min on scored plastic and up to 30 min on untreated wood or plastic. On boards with food residues, there was significant recovery from scored boards, although there was no difference between wood or plastic. Disinfection was more readily carried out on plastic than both types of wood boards. The results of this study suggest that wooden boards (especially those that are scored through use) present a greater potential hazard for cross contamination than plastic chopping boards. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.