Wood is naturally porous, which allows bacteria and microorganisms places to live and grow. It's extremely difficult to clean out porous surfaces which is why coating is preferred.

I'll be upfront and say I'm no scientist, but working with food for a large portion of my life has shown me that wood utensils and unfinished wood products are less safe due to the bacterial growth issues. The alternative is using plastic... Pick your poison?

I have used bamboo for a cutting board and although it is neat, I am hesitant to use it due to the bamboo splitting (probably my bad).

Edit: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/cutting-boards

Bamboo boards are best according to usda, followed by SOLID wood boards.