TigerChef

Nowadays, most restaurants - especially those of the fast-food and assembly-line type - are loaded with workers emblazoned in plastic or latex gloves. Codes in many states require glove usage, but the real question is: do they work?

When asked their thoughts, most cooks and chefs will first comment just how irritating wearing gloves can be, some say it gives them less control over creating quality dishes because they can't properly assess the texture of the food. While most will agree that, when used properly, they promote sanitary conditions, but that frequent hand-washing is a like alternative.

Let's face it - gloved hands, especially in food establishments that pay lower wages and commonly experience higher turnovers, protect us better than bare hands. This is because many workers in these establishments aren't as keen on washing hands when moving from one task to another. They also aren't, however, as interested in changing gloves regularly, which defeats the purpose of glove-wearing altogether.

For example, sandwich shops serving up toppings and dressing galore may get quite busy during lunch hour. It's possible one customer is allergic to a substance just used on another sandwich. Without "changing of the glove" there may be cross-contamination of that particular food. Customers aware of this may ask preparers to change gloves, but many don't think of it at all, despite consistent signage about allergens.

Of course, changing gloves between each sandwich preparation may be extreme, but what about when moving from the prep station to the cleaning station? Or vice versa.

Then there's the issue of handling raw meats, then moving on to other food types - which always requires a change in gloves.

There are efforts being made to make some health codes less strict, using examples (including the one above). Until then, restaurants will need to comply. But things need to be taken a step further. Many restaurants that follow the "gloves" code don't enforce it from the healthiest of standards. That is, promoting frequent changing during tasks, and following the same rules that apply to non-gloved hands.

Frequent Changing is the Key The entire purpose of wearing gloves is to eliminate cross-contamination (with our bodies, outside elements and various food types). It's imperative for any food establishment to keep an ample supply of gloves. During an 8-hour shift, the average fast-food or sandwich preparer should be changing gloves at least a dozen times, and in some establishments (depending on what is being handled), 30-40 changes is not uncommon.

TigerChef carries both polyethylene and powder-free vinyl gloves, in bulk at reduced prices.

Filed under: Resource Central • General

Tags: food handling