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d Ccms '\\\ § c TQ&\: Wters,. C | _| \ & ' , , © & 4 stt .t \@h\;i? A few months ago, I wrote abo ’)*fia restoring those hardwood cutting boar ‘5:.3% and butcher blocks. Soon after, I read & [ article in The Economist that compar & 3 wood to plastic. I wish I had been able ‘ include it. wE Better late than never. Here is the g of the article. Hardwood is far safer th & plastic or rubber when using as a cutti boast of beautiful courtyards and ments and detailing. From marble appliances that are in each suite Oakville and history speaks for us adorned with the finest appointâ€" For An Appointment call Wendy Martin or Carol Keen: gardens. We merely have to say But it‘s what‘s inside that counts! Just one look and you‘ll see why Two storey luxury penthouse suites with wood burning fireplaces priced from only that we‘re at the heart of Olde bleached oak and lush broadâ€" loom in the living areas. Not to mention the six top of the line it‘s what‘s Inside that counts flooring in the bathrooms to he Towne Square suites are 416â€"338â€"0737 Pager 416â€"338â€"9000 any condominiums can REAMNX Other suites from abouleii‘re $169,9200 $119,200 Debate A few months ago, I wrote about restoring those hardwood cutting boards and butcher blocks. Soon after, I read an article in The Economist that compared wood to plastic. I wish I had been able to include it. Better late than never. Here is the gist of the article. Hardwood is far safer than plastic or rubber when using as a cutting surface in the kitchen. Tests were carried out at the University of Wisconsinâ€"Madison which had origiâ€" nally set out to discover ways to deconâ€" taminate wooden surfaces in the kitchen. In their labs, they tested nine different woods, four different plastics, and a rubâ€" ber chopping board. Potent bacteria (salmonella, listeria and E. coli) were spread over all the surfaces and left for three minutes. The more I watch those fabulous nature programs on TV and read about the incredible wisdom and efficiency of nature, the more I despair for the way we are treating our environment without any awareness of the danger we may be causâ€" ing. What is more frightening is the realâ€" ization that in many cases, such as the profitable "harvesting" of so much of our forest with little or no regard for proper rejuvenation is dooming those who follow (plants and animals, as well as children) to a very bleak world. The wood samples â€" on the other hand â€" actually cleansed themselves so thorâ€" oughly that no trace of the bacteria could be found! After all, they live longer than most plants and animals and even when they die they can resist micro organisms for decades. I know several dead trees that have been standing for 40 years or more with little evidence of change. It appears, as astonishing as this sounds, that plants which have spent milâ€" lions of years fighting bacteria have become pretty efficient at it. Trees, the biggest of plants, are the best. The researchers could not determine why wood was so effective, but they guessed the porous structure of the wood soaks up the fluid with the bacteria conâ€" tained in it. Once inside, the bacteria stick to the fibres of the wood and are strangled by one of the many noxious antiâ€"microbial chemicals with which trees protect themâ€" selves. None of the above dismisses the practiâ€" cality of plastic cutting boards. They are easily disinfected after use with bleach or strong soap and not damaged by it. The danger seems to lie in the fact that we can be forgetful or too busy to carry out the cleansing ritual with any consistency. If you recognize yourself in this description, the wise course is to use wood rather than plastic cutting surfaces in the kitchen. The bacteria level on plastic and rubber remained unchanged, but it plummeted 99.9% on the wood. When bacteria was left on overnight at room temperature, the bacteria on the plastic actually multiplied. Evidence of this efficiency can be seen in 70â€"yearâ€"old vineyards in Niagara that still have the original cedar posts to supâ€" port the wires on which the grape vines grow.