Stupid question but...

Why do the instructions say to use a plastic stirring spoon instead of a
wooden one? Does it really matter?

Thanks.

--
MT

To reply directly remove all 5 y's from my address.

"mark thomas" <marycoy4@execyulinky.comy> wrote in
news:kOqdnSnTCsJjB-TfRVn-tw@golden.net:
[color=blue]
> Stupid question but...
>
> Why do the instructions say to use a plastic stirring spoon
> instead of a wooden one? Does it really matter?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> MT
>[/color]
Wood is a lot more porous (however you spell that) and could have lots
of bacteria etc. lurking where you can't wash them off. If you're
stirring boiling wort it probably doesn't matter.

peter

I always use a wooden paddle to stir while boiling, but then switch to the
plastic spoon to stir while chilling and for whirlpooling. Don't want to
risk using the paddle after the boil.

"Peter.QLD" <a@b.c> wrote in message
news:Xns964DAC1F3C91Erzis@203.50.5.233...[color=blue]
> "mark thomas" <marycoy4@execyulinky.comy> wrote in
> news:kOqdnSnTCsJjB-TfRVn-tw@golden.net:
>[color=green]
> > Stupid question but...
> >
> > Why do the instructions say to use a plastic stirring spoon
> > instead of a wooden one? Does it really matter?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > --
> > MT
> >[/color]
> Wood is a lot more porous (however you spell that) and could have lots
> of bacteria etc. lurking where you can't wash them off. If you're
> stirring boiling wort it probably doesn't matter.
>
> peter[/color]

On 05 May 2005 06:55:00 GMT, "Peter.QLD" <a@b.c> wrote:
[color=blue]
>"mark thomas" <marycoy4@execyulinky.comy> wrote in
>news:kOqdnSnTCsJjB-TfRVn-tw@golden.net:
>[color=green]
>> Stupid question but...
>>
>> Why do the instructions say to use a plastic stirring spoon
>> instead of a wooden one? Does it really matter?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> --
>> MT
>>[/color]
>Wood is a lot more porous (however you spell that) and could have lots
>of bacteria etc. lurking where you can't wash them off. If you're
>stirring boiling wort it probably doesn't matter.
>
>peter[/color]

Hi

I remember reading somewhere some time ago that in cooking, wooden
chopping boards are more hygienic than plastic. Trying to confirm
this, I found the following article taken from "The New York Times"
regarding tests carried out by the University of Wisconsin's Food
Research Institute.

Quote:-

"The scientists, Dean O.Cliver and Nese O. Ak, stumbled upon the
finding while seeking ways to decontaminate wooden boards and make
them as "safe" as plastic. Much to their surprise, they found that
when boards were purposely contaminated with organisms like
Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli that are common causes of food
poisoning, 99.9 percent of the bacteria died off within three minutes
on the wooden boards, while none died on the plastic ones.

When contaminated boards were left unwashed overnight at room
temperature, bacterial count, increased on the plastic, but none of
the organisms could be recovered from the wooden boards the next
morning.

The researchers tested boards made from seven different species of
trees and four types of plastic and found similar results: wood was
safer than plastic, regardless of the materials used. Thus far,
however, the researchers have been unable to isolate the agents in
wood that make it so inhospitable to bacteria."



OK, we are talking wooden chopping boards used in cookery here NOT
wooden spoons used for brewing, but presumably the same thing holds
good.

Regards



KGB

"KGB" <FedUpWithSpam@NoEmailAddre.ss> (KGB) wrote in
news:427a66e1.9658808@nntp.dsl.pipex.com:
[color=blue]
> On 05 May 2005 06:55:00 GMT, "Peter.QLD" <a@b.c> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>"mark thomas" <marycoy4@execyulinky.comy> wrote in
>>news:kOqdnSnTCsJjB-TfRVn-tw@golden.net:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> Stupid question but...
>>>
>>> Why do the instructions say to use a plastic stirring spoon
>>> instead of a wooden one? Does it really matter?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> --
>>> MT
>>>[/color]
>>Wood is a lot more porous (however you spell that) and could have
>>lots of bacteria etc. lurking where you can't wash them off. If
>>you're stirring boiling wort it probably doesn't matter.
>>
>>peter[/color]
>
> Hi
>
> I remember reading somewhere some time ago that in cooking, wooden
> chopping boards are more hygienic than plastic. Trying to confirm
> this, I found the following article taken from "The New York
> Times" regarding tests carried out by the University of
> Wisconsin's Food Research Institute.
>
> Quote:-
>
> "The scientists, Dean O.Cliver and Nese O. Ak, stumbled upon
> the
> finding while seeking ways to decontaminate wooden boards and make
> them as "safe" as plastic. Much to their surprise, they found that
> when boards were purposely contaminated with organisms like
> Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli that are common causes of food
> poisoning, 99.9 percent of the bacteria died off within three
> minutes on the wooden boards, while none died on the plastic ones.
>
> When contaminated boards were left unwashed overnight at room
> temperature, bacterial count, increased on the plastic, but none
> of the organisms could be recovered from the wooden boards the
> next morning.
>
> The researchers tested boards made from seven different species of
> trees and four types of plastic and found similar results: wood
> was safer than plastic, regardless of the materials used. Thus
> far, however, the researchers have been unable to isolate the
> agents in wood that make it so inhospitable to bacteria."
>
>
>
> OK, we are talking wooden chopping boards used in cookery here NOT
> wooden spoons used for brewing, but presumably the same thing
> holds good.
>[/color]
That's rather a good point, I'd forgotten about that. Though it's
worth noting that a plastic stirrer should be hard plastic that you
take care no to scratch. Unlike the plastic cutting boards that are
designed to be a bit softer and easier on your knives. That should
mean there's little room for anything to cling on/avoid the
sanitizer. But if wood kills anything infectious quickly, that's
better. Anyone care to guess at whether it could be expected to kill
wild yeasts?

peter

[color=blue]
>Hi
>
>I remember reading somewhere some time ago that in cooking, wooden
>chopping boards are more hygienic than plastic. Trying to confirm
>this, I found the following article taken from "The New York Times"
>regarding tests carried out by the University of Wisconsin's Food
>Research Institute.
>
>Quote:-
>
> "The scientists, Dean O.Cliver and Nese O. Ak, stumbled upon the
>finding while seeking ways to decontaminate wooden boards and make
>them as "safe" as plastic. Much to their surprise, they found that
>when boards were purposely contaminated with organisms like
>Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli that are common causes of food
>poisoning, 99.9 percent of the bacteria died off within three minutes
>on the wooden boards, while none died on the plastic ones.
>
>When contaminated boards were left unwashed overnight at room
>temperature, bacterial count, increased on the plastic, but none of
>the organisms could be recovered from the wooden boards the next
>morning.
>
>The researchers tested boards made from seven different species of
>trees and four types of plastic and found similar results: wood was
>safer than plastic, regardless of the materials used. Thus far,
>however, the researchers have been unable to isolate the agents in
>wood that make it so inhospitable to bacteria."
>
>
>
>OK, we are talking wooden chopping boards used in cookery here NOT
>wooden spoons used for brewing, but presumably the same thing holds
>good.
>
>Regards
>
>
>
>KGB[/color]

Thanks for this! I remember reading not long ago that wood absorbs
bacteria but doesn't release it. Apparently the organisms get trapped
in the wood's cells.

On 05 May 2005 22:37:18 GMT, "Peter.QLD" <a@b.c> wrote:
[color=blue]
>"KGB" <FedUpWithSpam@NoEmailAddre.ss> (KGB) wrote in
>news:427a66e1.9658808@nntp.dsl.pipex.com:
>[color=green]
>> On 05 May 2005 06:55:00 GMT, "Peter.QLD" <a@b.c> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>"mark thomas" <marycoy4@execyulinky.comy> wrote in
>>>news:kOqdnSnTCsJjB-TfRVn-tw@golden.net:
>>>
>>>> Stupid question but...
>>>>
>>>> Why do the instructions say to use a plastic stirring spoon
>>>> instead of a wooden one? Does it really matter?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> MT
>>>>
>>>Wood is a lot more porous (however you spell that) and could have
>>>lots of bacteria etc. lurking where you can't wash them off. If
>>>you're stirring boiling wort it probably doesn't matter.
>>>
>>>peter[/color]
>>
>> Hi
>>
>> I remember reading somewhere some time ago that in cooking, wooden
>> chopping boards are more hygienic than plastic. Trying to confirm
>> this, I found the following article taken from "The New York
>> Times" regarding tests carried out by the University of
>> Wisconsin's Food Research Institute.
>>
>> Quote:-
>>
>> "The scientists, Dean O.Cliver and Nese O. Ak, stumbled upon
>> the
>> finding while seeking ways to decontaminate wooden boards and make
>> them as "safe" as plastic. Much to their surprise, they found that
>> when boards were purposely contaminated with organisms like
>> Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli that are common causes of food
>> poisoning, 99.9 percent of the bacteria died off within three
>> minutes on the wooden boards, while none died on the plastic ones.
>>
>> When contaminated boards were left unwashed overnight at room
>> temperature, bacterial count, increased on the plastic, but none
>> of the organisms could be recovered from the wooden boards the
>> next morning.
>>
>> The researchers tested boards made from seven different species of
>> trees and four types of plastic and found similar results: wood
>> was safer than plastic, regardless of the materials used. Thus
>> far, however, the researchers have been unable to isolate the
>> agents in wood that make it so inhospitable to bacteria."
>>
>>
>>
>> OK, we are talking wooden chopping boards used in cookery here NOT
>> wooden spoons used for brewing, but presumably the same thing
>> holds good.
>>[/color]
>That's rather a good point, I'd forgotten about that. Though it's
>worth noting that a plastic stirrer should be hard plastic that you
>take care no to scratch. Unlike the plastic cutting boards that are
>designed to be a bit softer and easier on your knives. That should
>mean there's little room for anything to cling on/avoid the
>sanitizer. But if wood kills anything infectious quickly, that's
>better. Anyone care to guess at whether it could be expected to kill
>wild yeasts?
>
>peter[/color]

Should it matter all that much if it doesn't kill wild yeast? When
you pitch your yeast you're probably adding billions of lively viable
cells, do a few thousand wild ones matter? Wood is probably OK.

Unless they are genetically engineering the yeast we buy they are all
wild in some sense of the word.

I bought a 22" SS spoon at a restaurant supply house for ~$5. I won't
own a plastic cutting board, too dangerous. (but an excellent source
of plastic for all kinds of tinkering)

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
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"JS" <jcs4@frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:1115494549.1d5365cb76eac6bde5e8581129414322@teranews...[color=blue]
>[color=green]
>>Hi
>>
>>I remember reading somewhere some time ago that in cooking, wooden
>>chopping boards are more hygienic than plastic. Trying to confirm
>>this, I found the following article taken from "The New York Times"
>>regarding tests carried out by the University of Wisconsin's Food
>>Research Institute.
>>
>>Quote:-
>>
>> "The scientists, Dean O.Cliver and Nese O. Ak, stumbled upon the
>>finding while seeking ways to decontaminate wooden boards and make
>>them as "safe" as plastic. Much to their surprise, they found that
>>when boards were purposely contaminated with organisms like
>>Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli that are common causes of food
>>poisoning, 99.9 percent of the bacteria died off within three minutes
>>on the wooden boards, while none died on the plastic ones.
>>
>>When contaminated boards were left unwashed overnight at room
>>temperature, bacterial count, increased on the plastic, but none of
>>the organisms could be recovered from the wooden boards the next
>>morning.
>>
>>The researchers tested boards made from seven different species of
>>trees and four types of plastic and found similar results: wood was
>>safer than plastic, regardless of the materials used. Thus far,
>>however, the researchers have been unable to isolate the agents in
>>wood that make it so inhospitable to bacteria."
>>
>>
>>
>>OK, we are talking wooden chopping boards used in cookery here NOT
>>wooden spoons used for brewing, but presumably the same thing holds
>>good.
>>
>>Regards
>>
>>
>>
>>KGB[/color]
>
> Thanks for this! I remember reading not long ago that wood absorbs
> bacteria but doesn't release it. Apparently the organisms get trapped
> in the wood's cells.[/color]
thank you
i thought this was gonna be a site of people getting e coli, and rinsing the
wood board off and making supper again.

For plastic, thing is not to clean in boling water as it makes microscopic
cracks.
Unlike wood, it does not have a natural antiseptic,

Hence dont clean your plastic vat with boiling water

To back this up, I clean my vat with boilnig water only as I view cleaning
agent residue as more detrimental than bugs, but I do notice that my vat
becomes harder to clean.
When new, the crap slids off.

Stephen


"JS" <jcs4@frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:1115494549.1d5365cb76eac6bde5e8581129414322@teranews...[color=blue]
>[color=green]
>>Hi
>>
>>I remember reading somewhere some time ago that in cooking, wooden
>>chopping boards are more hygienic than plastic. Trying to confirm
>>this, I found the following article taken from "The New York Times"
>>regarding tests carried out by the University of Wisconsin's Food
>>Research Institute.
>>
>>Quote:-
>>
>> "The scientists, Dean O.Cliver and Nese O. Ak, stumbled upon the
>>finding while seeking ways to decontaminate wooden boards and make
>>them as "safe" as plastic. Much to their surprise, they found that
>>when boards were purposely contaminated with organisms like
>>Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli that are common causes of food
>>poisoning, 99.9 percent of the bacteria died off within three minutes
>>on the wooden boards, while none died on the plastic ones.
>>
>>When contaminated boards were left unwashed overnight at room
>>temperature, bacterial count, increased on the plastic, but none of
>>the organisms could be recovered from the wooden boards the next
>>morning.
>>
>>The researchers tested boards made from seven different species of
>>trees and four types of plastic and found similar results: wood was
>>safer than plastic, regardless of the materials used. Thus far,
>>however, the researchers have been unable to isolate the agents in
>>wood that make it so inhospitable to bacteria."
>>
>>
>>
>>OK, we are talking wooden chopping boards used in cookery here NOT
>>wooden spoons used for brewing, but presumably the same thing holds
>>good.
>>
>>Regards
>>
>>
>>
>>KGB[/color]
>
> Thanks for this! I remember reading not long ago that wood absorbs
> bacteria but doesn't release it. Apparently the organisms get trapped
> in the wood's cells.[/color]