Epicurean board peeling off...

I have been using Epicurean cutting boards for quite some time. I just noticed that one of them, probably two to three years old, is beginning to peel off. When I scrape a knife over it, there is brownish residue (photo attached). Has anyone experienced this?

QueenSashy
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9 Comments

KellyO
KellyO November 17, 2022
Came across these comments because I’ve had my boards for almost one year and last night I noticed black particles on my knife and food. Got the same response from customer service to use sandpaper and it’s ok if the particles are ingested LOL. It’s a shame because I was really happy with them and that they were made in the USA but they are garbage.
 
Nanda S.
Nanda S. March 5, 2017
I'm having the exact same issue and my boards are about 2-3 years old. Did you get anywhere with this?

 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy March 5, 2017
I called Epicurean customer service and emailed them the photos of the board. This is what they wrote back "Over time, you may find that tiny particles from your cutting surface are appearing on food being prepared and sometimes can come off on something you use to wipe the product as it will look like it’s loosing it’s color. This can occur due to the nature of the product and is more noticeable with our slate surface color. Your Epicurean® cutting surface is certified by the NSF (National Sanitary Foundation) to be non-toxic. You may use a fine grit (220 grit) sandpaper to smooth and resurface your board. This will decrease the likelihood of particles appearing in your food and give you a fresh, smooth surface for food preparation." Since then I switched to Shun Hinoki boards: a) because of the issue, and b) because (as pierino wisely pointed out) Epicurean boards are very hard and pretty tough on the knifes. I am now using Shun Hinoki, which are made of soft cypress wood and my knives like them way better :)
 
Monica
Monica September 27, 2013
Next! Things don't last like they used to. If you loved it get another one. The only right thing to do is toss the disintegrating one. :)
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx
sexyLAMBCHOPx September 27, 2013
I own two epicurean boards (hmm, for over 6 years) and LOVE them. Haven't had the problem you have shown however I have average knife skills. Call customer service and explain the problem and email the pic. Bet they send you a new one!
 
smslaw
smslaw September 27, 2013
The boards are made from wood fibers glued together under pressure with some sort of resin. I'd toss it and get a real wooden one.
 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy September 27, 2013
I should have mentioned that scraping with a blade is a little nasty habit of mine that’s impossible to get rid of :)
littleman, do you know what is the lifespan of Epicurean boards?
 
littleman
littleman September 26, 2013
Well, first of all, everything has a life span. As for running it through the dishwasher, I've not found that to cause it to break down. As concerns your knife, using its spine (the back side) to scrape anything is always a good thought.
 
pierino
pierino September 26, 2013
First, I'm not a big fan of Epicurean boards. I do own one but it was a gift. Probably you should not be "scraping" with the blade (it's bad for your knife). Use the back of the knife for removing debris. As far as what is coming off the surface, I have no idea.
 
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