FAQs

Red chopping boards are used for the preparation of raw meat in commercial and domestic kitchens to reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination between food types. Categorising your chopping boards based on colours can create an association between the colour of your board and the food type you should prepare with it.

Raw meat contains bacteria that haven’t yet been killed with the heat of an oven, pot, or pan. Cooked meat has already been rid of these bacteria. So using the same chopping board for both types of meat can reintroduce the bacteria found in raw meat into the sterilised cooked meat. You should use your red chopping board for raw meat specifically and a white chopping board for cooked meats.

The primary reason why we use different coloured chopping boards is to reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination. Contamination can refer to the transmittance of harmful bacteria between ingredients or allergen residue that can cause severe allergic reactions in some. Adhering to the standard colouring system, for example, red chopping boards for raw meat and purple chopping boards for allergens, can substantially reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination.