Workers in the food processing industry should be required to wear disposable food gloves to protect consumers who eat the foods they handle.

Workers come in contact with a variety of foods, which can carry bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses such as listeria and salmonella. There are also bacteria that are transferred from humans to food as a result of poor hygiene, such as E.coli, hepatitis A and staphylococcus. Disposable gloves can serve as a barrier between workers hands and these bacteria to lessen the chance of transmission to consumers.

select mListea, for example, is found in soil and water and can be present in uncooked meats and vegetables. Food processing plant workers who do not wear disposable gloves can contaminate their hands if they come into contact with a Listeria-infected food product, thereby leading to cross contamination of other foods they handle. This can result in widespread transmission of Listeria throughout the facility.

It is not easy for employers to help monitor how well employees wash their hands. However, they can implement a glove program to prevent contamination and employee illnesses from being transmitted to food products. Not only does donning gloves aid in preventing the spread of foodborne illnesses, but it is also mandated by certain government regulations.

FDA food contact rules regarding disposable gloves are in place to protect workers in the food processing industry and consumers.

The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has several rules regarding the necessity of gloves for food contact. These rules are in place to protect workers in the food processing industry and consumers.

Here are some the FDA’s Food Code provisions regarding glove usage:

1.Workers must minimize bare hand and arm contact with exposed food that is not ready to eat.

2.Gloves or utensils such as tongs and spatulas must be used for contact with exposed, ready-to-eat foods except when washing fruits and vegetables.

3.Gloves can be used for a single task and must be discarded when workers switch to a new task, the gloves become soiled or the task is interrupted.

The FDA also requires all food processing employees wash their hands. This step can reduce the chance of contamination because it prevents pathogens and other hazardous materials from touching the inside of the glove–one of many best practices for donning gloves.