Surface Preparation
Rice Bran oil is used to coat the timber surfaces and should be reapplied after continued use. The recycled hardwood timber bases of the Bushblocks are coated with a matt lacquer finish and require no further maintenance.
The following research information is available on-line and illustrates the desirability of using wood surfaces, over plastic, for food preparation.
Research on Wooden Cutting Surfaces
According to findings of microbiologists at the Food Research Institute of the University of Wisconsin, USA, wood is a better and safer material for cutting boards than plastic. Traditionally, wood has been the material of choice for cutting boards because it provides a soft resilient surface that protects the knife’s edge.
Microbiologists, Cliver and Nese, have tested a variety of both plastic and woods, contaminating the cutting boards with different types of animal born bacteria that cause food poisoning including salmonella, listeria, staphylococcus aureus and e-coli. They discovered wood was a much less effective host for food poisoning bacteria than plastic.
Researchers found that 99.9% of the bacterial cultures placed on a wooden board were unrecoverable and presumed dead within three minutes, while the same cultures thrived on plastic surfaces. When left overnight, bacteria on plastic boards multiplied; whilst no live bacteria were found on wooden boards left a room temperature. Knife scars in plastic were a safe haven for bacteria.
However, it is important to thoroughly wash not only the cutting board but also the knife and your hands with hot water and detergent whenever you change foods. Bacteria from the first food item can contaminate the next. After washing, wipe off excess water with a paper towel and oil lightly.
AUSTRALIAN EUCALYPTS GENERALLY ARE REPUTED TO HAVE THE HIGHEST AND STRONGEST ANTI-BACTERIAL TANNIN CONTENT OF ANY HARDWOODS IN THE WORLD.
Ref: Ak, N.O., D. O. Cliver, and C. W. Kaspar. 1994. Cutting boards of plastic and wood contaminated experimentally with bacteria. J. Food Protect. 57:16-22.
Galluzzo, L., and D. O. Cliver. 1996. Cutting boards and bacteria—oak vs. Salmonella. Dairy, Food Environ. Sanit. 16:290-293. | 
