You cut vegetables, fruit or meat on your cutting board every day. What is released in the process, you cannot see. But research shows that a plastic cutting board can release endocrine disruptors and microplastics, directly into the food you prepare. The amounts are larger than most people expect, and the substances that come along do something that has made plastic suspect for decades: they behave like hormones in your body.
In this blog we explain which substances play a role, what research says about them so far, and when it makes sense to think about a different material for your cutting board.
How a plastic cutting board releases endocrine disruptors
A plastic cutting board wears with every cut. That is unavoidable, no matter how sharp your knife is or how carefully you cut. In 2023, researchers at North Dakota State University published a study in the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology in which they calculated how many microplastics are released with normal daily use. The results were striking: with polyethylene (PE) boards, exposure rises to 7.4 to 50.7 grams of microplastics per person per year. With polypropylene (PP), it is around 49.5 grams.
Those particles end up on the knife, on the vegetables and ultimately in the food. But it is not just about the plastic particles themselves. Plastic contains chemical additives that are used during production and can be released through wear or heating. The two best-known groups are BPA (bisphenol A) and phthalates.
BPA mimics the hormone oestrogen. The Dutch Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre) describes it as a substance that can disrupt hormone balance because it mimics oestrogen in the body. Phthalates are added to plastic as plasticisers and have been linked in various studies to reproductive and developmental effects. A peer-reviewed review in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology (2023) described how micro- and nanoplastics and the associated chemicals can disrupt the endocrine system, with possible consequences for fertility, development and the immune system.
BPA, phthalates and the scratched cutting board: what changes with use
Modern PE and PP cutting boards are usually BPA-free. That is good news, but it does not solve the core problem. Researcher Himani Yadav found that the number of microplastic particles released depends on both the material and the age of the board. A scratched cutting board releases more particles than a new one, because the grooves in the surface keep getting deeper and more material comes loose with every cut.
Even BPA-free plastic contains other bisphenol compounds, such as BPS and BPF, which were introduced as substitutes but show comparable endocrine-disrupting properties in research. We wrote about this earlier in the blog Is BPA-free plastic still harmful? What you need to know about BPS, BPF and microplastics.
Phthalates play a separate role. They are not built into the plastic structure itself, but are loose plasticisers added to the material. That means they can migrate into food relatively easily, especially with repeated use, heating or prolonged contact. Even in small amounts, phthalates are relevant, because endocrine disruptors can affect the hormone system even at low concentrations.
Microplastics in blood and organs: what does the research say?
That microplastics end up in the human body has now been established. The Dutch RIVM confirms that microplastics have been found in human blood, lungs and the placenta of pregnant women. The precise long-term health effects are still the subject of ongoing research. The RIVM has long advised the government to reduce exposure where possible.
A clinical study in the New England Journal of Medicine (Marfella et al., 2024) attracted a lot of attention: in patients undergoing surgery to remove plaque from the carotid arteries, micro- and nanoplastics were found in the artery walls. Patients with the highest concentrations had a significantly higher risk of heart attacks and strokes in the years that followed. Direct causality has not been demonstrated, but the association is worrying enough to take seriously.
Environmental scientist Meiru Wang of Leiden University studies how plastic particles enter the body. Her conclusion is clear: concerns in the scientific world are growing, and nano- and microplastics affect health in ways we do not yet fully understand. That is no reason to panic, but it is a reason to reduce unnecessary exposure.
Polyethylene, polypropylene or polycarbonate: does the type of plastic matter?
Not all plastic cutting boards are the same. The most common materials are polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). PE is the basis for most standard cutting boards and colour-coded boards in kitchens. PP is used for thinner, flexible cutting mats and wears slightly less quickly than PE, which limits microplastic release somewhat.
Older boards made of polycarbonate (PC) form a separate category. Polycarbonate was the source of the BPA debates of recent decades: this material contained BPA as a building block of the plastic structure, not as an additive. Those boards have now largely disappeared from the market, but if you still have an old, thick, hard plastic board lying around, it is a good idea to check what material it is made of.
The conclusion: the type of plastic makes some difference to the amount of microplastics released and to the chance of BPA migration. But no common plastic cutting board material is completely free of releasing particles with daily cutting. Want to read more about how the materials compare? Take a look at our blog about the cutting board material comparison: plastic, wood, bamboo or stainless steel.
Is a wooden cutting board the answer?
Wood does not release microplastics. That is a real advantage if you want to reduce your exposure to endocrine disruptors from plastic cutting boards. But wood has its own limitations. It is porous: bacteria and moisture soak into the material, especially in the knife marks that form with use. Wood cannot go in the dishwasher, needs regular oiling and can warp with intensive or incorrect use.
For anyone who takes the hormone and microplastic concerns seriously but does not fancy maintaining wood, a stainless steel cutting board offers a practical alternative. Stainless steel is non-porous: nothing gets into the material and nothing comes out. No microplastics, no BPA, no phthalates. The surface is dishwasher safe, does not give off odours and stays hygienic with intensive use. TitanChef makes cutting boards from 304 food-grade stainless steel, the same type that is standard in professional kitchen settings.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified microplastics as an area of concern and calls for further research and precaution. The precautionary principle applies here: if you can easily reduce exposure, that is a logical step, even if the full scientific picture is not yet complete.
Endocrine disruptors from plastic cutting boards: who does this matter to most?
Endocrine disruptors are relevant to everyone, but they are of particular concern for specific groups. Pregnant women, young children and people who already have hormone-related complaints are at the top of the list. The hormone system of an unborn baby or a young child is still developing and reacts more sensitively to external disruptors than that of an adult.
In the EU, BPA has been banned in food packaging since 20 January 2025. It was banned in baby bottles even earlier. That legislation reflects what toxicologists have been saying for a long time: endocrine disruptors require extra caution, especially among vulnerable groups. Replacing a cutting board is one of the simplest changes you can make in the kitchen.
In this context, VU Amsterdam professor of toxicology Majorie van Duursen stated that endocrine disruptors are measurable in the bodies of adults and in umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid. She sees an increase in hormone-related problems. That cannot be attributed to a single source, but every source you can switch off counts.
Frequently asked questions about endocrine disruptors from plastic cutting boards
Which chemicals from a plastic cutting board can disrupt my hormones?
The main substances are bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol substitutes such as BPS and BPF, and phthalates. BPA mimics the hormone oestrogen and can disrupt hormone balance. Phthalates are added to plastic as plasticisers and have been linked in research to reproductive and developmental effects. Modern PE and PP cutting boards are usually BPA-free, but the microplastics they release can contain other additives with endocrine-disrupting effects.
How many microplastics are released if I cut on a plastic cutting board every day?
Research by North Dakota State University, published in Environmental Science & Technology (2023), shows that a polyethylene cutting board can release up to 50 grams of microplastics per year into food with daily use. For polypropylene, this comes to around 49.5 grams. In terms of particles, that means 14.5 to 79 million microplastic particles per year, depending on the type of plastic and how intensively you cut.
Is an old or scratched plastic cutting board more dangerous than a new one?
Yes, a scratched or ageing cutting board releases more microplastics than a new one. Researcher Himani Yadav of North Dakota State University states that the number of particles coming loose depends on both the material and the age of the board. Every cut enlarges the grooves, and more and more plastic breaks off in those grooves. A board with deep scratches is therefore a more active source of microplastics than an unused board.
Can microplastics from a cutting board end up in my blood or organs?
Research has now detected microplastics in human blood, lung tissue and the placenta. A clinical study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Marfella et al., 2024) found microplastics in patients' artery walls and linked this to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Whether those particles come specifically from cutting boards has not been proven, but the cutting board is one of the direct routes by which microplastics end up in food and are then ingested.
Are the health risks of a plastic cutting board proven, or is it scaremongering?
That plastic cutting boards release microplastics into food has been scientifically established (Yadav et al., 2023). The precise long-term consequences for human health are still the subject of ongoing research. Scientists at Leiden University, among others, say the concerns are real, but that more research is needed. The Dutch RIVM advises reducing exposure to microplastics where possible, even though the full picture is not yet clear.
Which cutting board is safest if I am pregnant or cook for young children?
A stainless steel cutting board is a sensible choice if you are pregnant or cook for young children. Stainless steel is non-porous and does not release microplastics or endocrine-disrupting substances into food. Endocrine disruptors such as BPA and phthalates are of particular concern for pregnant women and young children, because their hormone system is still developing and reacts more sensitively to external disruptors. A cutting board that releases nothing removes that concern.
Does it matter what plastic my cutting board is made of: polypropylene, polyethylene or something else?
Yes, the type of plastic makes some difference. In research, polypropylene (PP) cutting boards release more microplastics than polyethylene (PE) boards. Older polycarbonate (PC) boards may also contain BPA, an endocrine disruptor that is generally no longer found in modern PE and PP boards. However, no common plastic cutting board material is completely free of microplastic release with daily cutting.
Conclusion
A plastic cutting board is an underestimated source of microplastics in food and of chemicals with endocrine-disrupting properties. The science is clear about what is released when cutting: microplastic particles, and more of them with older or scratched boards than with new ones. Research into the precise long-term health effects is still in full swing, but the direction studies point in is consistent enough to be cautious. BPA, phthalates and microplastics all behave in a way that can affect the hormone system, especially with repeated exposure over a long period.
A stainless steel cutting board, such as the TitanChef, does not release particles and contains no endocrine-disrupting additives. That is no guarantee of health, but it does remove a source that is in your own hands. If you also want to know more about what stays behind in the scratches of a plastic board after years of use, you will find more information in our blog about plastic cutting board scratches, bacteria and microplastics: what is in those grooves after a year.
Take a look at the TitanChef stainless steel cutting boards below. You will also find more blogs to read there.
