silverfish

[yamin]

Outrageous isn't it? And whilst there undoubtedly are some pretty awfula nd fatal tropical diseases, that they may have more protection from, we have drugs drugs and more drugfs which have taken the fatality out of many, ok not all, but many of these tropical diseases, if caught early enough. They have no such benefit.

Incidently, an area that always interests me on that line - medical theory suggests possibility of certain diseases, such as thalassaemia and sickle cell disease, providing protection against diseases such as cholera - kind of an evolutionary pay off. Interesting subject area......

 

[jocelyn plummer]

whereas wood is a more hostile environment.

Wood is self healing isn't it, that's why its more resistant to harbouring bactaria.

 

[Penners]

Does anyone else remember the story about the Eskimos?
Apparently they began to die like flies when they first encountered the common cold.

The Martians did, too, when they tried invading Earth. That'll teach 'em.

Wood is self healing isn't it, that's why its more resistant to harbouring bactaria.

I'm not sure that wood can be said to be self-healing. I've wasted a fair bit of cash on saws if my cuts are just going to heal up again ( :wink: )!

But you're right in a sense. Apparently wooden chopping boards are less likely to harbour infection because they dry much faster than plastic. The bugs that are left on the surface are rapidly drawn down into the pores of the wood, out of harm's way, and the dry surface is fairly bug-free. Plastic just holds all the bugs on on the surface.

 

[Feltwell]

Kirstickle - look at me - filthy and happy and sitting on several families of silverfish

I know some people like their lamb cooked rare, but that is taking it to extremes.......

 

[Penners]

I agree, and I prefer mine unwrapped.

 

[biffvernon]

I think the 'self-healing' property of wood refers to end-grain chopping boards where the knife does not actually cut the wood fibres but just slips between them. On other chopping boards the cut fibres are soon worn away leaving a fresh surface and ever so slightly thinner copping board.

Yes, bacteria are drawn down into the wood and so less likely to rub off onto food. There they die through lack of food, moisture, an acid environment containing a host of tannins and similar chemicals that are part of the wood and which stop trees turning into compost too soon.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Fascinating! (and thanks for the spray cleaning product recipe Abi, I'll try that)