Woods that should not be used for food are softwood which are trees that have needles or scale like leaves which typically stay on the tree year round.
Wood that should not be used for food are woods such as cedar, spruce, cypress, pine or fir.
The most food safe wood is Maple.
Other food safe wood types are beech, birch and linden wood which all make ideal cutting board or other wooden items for food such as wooden spoons, wood bowls etc.
These woods inhibit bacterial growth and maple trees are the best choice for food safe wood.
For food contact it's generally, it is best to avoid wood species that are soft, highly porous, and those that have toxic properties, such as: Softwood: Balsa, cedar, douglas fir, redwood spruce, and juniper pine.
Porous wood: Ash wood, oak, mahogany, black walnut, and butternut wood.
There isn't any strong evidence that one type of chopping board is more or less hygienic than another, whether plastic, wooden, glass or even marble.
What is important is that the board gets cleaned properly after every use and is replaced if it gets damaged, for example from deep cuts or scoring.
Look for hardwood cutting boards made from a solid block of wood that does not use glues or resins to attach any pieces together.
Wood has antibacterial properties, and if bacteria is trapped in the grains, it cannot survive and replicate.