When should single-use gloves be worn in food handling?

Wearing single-use gloves before beginning food handling is crucial to maintaining food safety. The primary purpose of using gloves is to create a barrier between your hands and the food, which helps prevent cross-contamination. When food handlers put on gloves before coming into contact with food, they minimize the risk of transferring harmful bacteria or allergens that may be present on their hands to the food products.

While washing hands is essential for maintaining hygiene, gloves should be donned after hand washing but before starting food preparation tasks. This practice ensures both the cleanliness of the hands and the protection provided by the gloves from potential contaminants in the work environment. Additionally, restricting glove use to only specific tasks, like preparing raw meat, overlooks the broader need for consistent safety practices throughout all aspects of food handling. Gloves should be used any time there is a reasonable risk of contamination, which can occur from touching cooked foods, ready-to-eat items, and even during simple tasks like assembling sandwiches or serving food.