Cutting boards made of wood and plastic can generate tens of millions of microparticles every year, As reported in a small-scale research published in Environmental Science & Technology. Most cutting boards are made of rubber, bamboo, wood or plastic, and develop grooves and slash marks over time. Researchers wanted to investigate the microparticles released when chopping vegetables on plastic and wood boards, as well as any potential toxicity from these tiny materials. The team calculated that food preparation could produce 14 to 71 million polyethylene microplastics and 79 million polypropylene microplastics from their respective boards each year, which could have negative health impacts if ingested.
Cutting boards are a staple in most kitchens, but a recent study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology by the American Chemical Society reveals that these kitchen utensils are an overlooked of micrometer-sized particles. As reported in the study, cutting carrots on wood and plastic boards can generate tens of millions of microparticles every year.
Most cutting boards are made of rubber, bamboo, wood, or plastic. Over time, these kitchen implements develop grooves and slash marks from mincing, slicing, and chopping food. Recently, researchers have shown that some plastic board materials, including polypropylene and polyethylene, can shed nano- and micro-sized flecks when cut with knives.
Yet those studies didn’t assess how many of these microplastics could be produced during realistic food preparation scenarios. This would be an important piece of information because the particles might have negative health impacts if ingested.
The researchers collected and measured the micro-sized particles released from cutting boards, which were repeatedly struck by a knife. In their tests, they compared five people’s chopping patterns and one person’s chopping on different materials with and without carrots.
From the results, the team calculated that food preparation could produce 14 to 71 million polyethylene microplastics and 79 million polypropylene microplastics from their respective boards each year. The estimates could vary, depending on an individual’s chopping style, the board material, the force needed to cut through foods, whether ingredients are roughly or finely chopped, and how.
A toxicity test, however, revealed that polyethylene or wood microparticles emitted during chopping had no significant influence on mouse cell viability. This means that while cutting boards may produce microparticles, there is no evidence that they pose a significant health risk.
Nevertheless, the study highlights the need for more research into the potential health impacts of microplastics in our food. Microplastics have been found in everything from drinking water to seafood, and scientists are still working to understand how they might affect human health.
In the meantime, there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure to microplastics. One is to choose cutting boards made from natural materials like wood or bamboo, which are less likely to shed microplastics than plastic boards. Another is to avoid cutting foods on damaged or heavily grooved cutting boards, which are more likely to release particles.
Given these points, this study is a reminder that even seemingly innocuous kitchen utensils like cutting boards can have unintended consequences. By being mindful of our choices and habits in the kitchen, we can reduce our exposure to potential health risks and help protect the environment from the harmful effects of microplastics.
