When must food handlers wear gloves?

Food handlers must wear gloves primarily when handling ready-to-eat foods and when there is a risk of contamination. This practice is essential to prevent the transfer of harmful pathogens from hands to food. Ready-to-eat foods are those that will not undergo further cooking or food processing, meaning they are consumed in their prepared state. Without gloves, food handlers may inadvertently introduce bacteria or viruses from their hands, which could lead to foodborne illnesses.

Using gloves is particularly important when food handlers are in situations where their hands may come into contact with contaminants, such as after using the restroom, handling raw ingredients, or touching potentially unsanitary surfaces. Wearing gloves helps to maintain a higher level of hygiene and ensures that food remains safe for consumption.

In situations such as cooking meat, gloves are not always necessary because the cooking process itself will kill any pathogens present. Additionally, gloves are not needed while washing dishes as this does not directly involve handling food meant for consumption. Thus, the requirement to wear gloves is specifically connected to situations where there is a risk of contamination of ready-to-eat foods.