Everyone who uses a chopping board warned that common error could be dangerous

Proper prep work is fundamental to cooking a meal, which means the right equipment is essential. You need good-quality pots and pans, razor-sharp knives, and other indispensable utensils to create culinary delights.

And of course, a solid chopping board is essential for getting all those ingredients finely diced before they sizzle in the pan.

However, there exists a common but incorrect belief about the optimum material for your chopping board which has been recently challenged. There's one particular type that might be a breeding ground for germs, especially if you're without a dishwasher, so it could be time to think about switching.

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A clip from the much-adored TV show 'QI' has resurfaced on TikTok, igniting discussion on what materials are safest for chopping boards, as reported by the Express.

The programme's host, Sandi Toksvig, asked the panel: "To prevent bacteria, what should your chopping board be made of?" Busting the myth, it turns out that wood, not plastic, is the answer.

Comedian Sara Pascoe chimed in during the show, saying: "For ages, they thought the plastic ones were better. People thought that wood has these little grooves, and bacteria would go in there and live and multiply."

"But then they actually found that plastic was much worse," she disclosed.

Sandi concluded with a startling tidbit that might make you reassess your kitchen tools: "99.9% of the bacteria that is added to a wooden chopping board has disappeared within three minutes of application."

"And on plastic ones it's all still there," she highlighted, showing a magnified image of bacteria on the big screen for all to see. She further explained that the main advantage of plastic chopping boards is that they can be cleaned in a dishwasher, unlike wooden ones.

The intense heat of the dishwasher should kill any lingering bacteria after use, she added. Sandi concluded with a tip: "The most important thing, of course, is to wash them and then replace them when they get a bit knackered."