I've been using one for 15+ years and it's not contaminated me yet. Touch wood.

everyone needs a professional block of wood.

I was always told that wooden boards are actually better for cutting meat on. It obviously needs washing as the plastic one, but that wood has natural anti-bacterial properties which kill off harmful bugs, whilst plastic boards embed the germs in their scratched surfaces.
Saying that, a separate board for meat and get/bread etc is a must whatever material is chosen.

This looks similar to the Butcher's Block that I bought the other day from Argos for £9 (http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2685739.htm). Bought because I'm hammering out cut-out shapes from Hollow Punches where the end-grain wood allows for much better cuts with less damage on the tool than long-grain boards - the wood fibres spread than cutting through them. I was stamping out shapes with just one whack of the hammer compared to 3-4 hits on long-grain boards with a poor 50/50 success rate of the shape being cut. End-grain boards are great for cutting and suited my needs. Voted hot and will be giving my local HB a visit in the morning. Great find!

Depends entirely on what it is made of!

looks decent will have a look tomorrow.... heat

We bought one. The husband is quite fussy and he loves it!

good find op, heat added

​It looks a nice, solid, close grained timber. Great price if it lasts well, looks like it will. :smiley:

everyone needs a professional block of wood.

With boards like this I worry about contamination from all the glue holding it together, for that reason I wonder whether this is better than a plastic board.