In recent years, food safety accidents have occurred frequently, and with the development of the new crown epidemic, people have paid more and more attention to food safety issues, and paid special attention to food raw materials, production environment and operation processes in the food processing process. In addition, there is an increasing concern about the protection of workers when processing food. Many businesses require employees to wear protective gloves to provide adequate protection for workers while avoiding food contamination and the spread of foodborne pathogens. So, for food processing enterprises, how to choose a suitable food processing gloves is a question worth considering.
Why do you need gloves for food processing?
Food handlers come into contact with a wide variety of foods and carry bacteria on their hands, such as listeria and salmonella, that can cause foodborne illness when consumed. Disposable gloves reduce the risk of infection by providing a protective barrier between workers' hands and these bacteria.
FDA's food contact regulations state that food handlers should wear disposable gloves to protect food handlers and customers. Although the food service industry involves different businesses and institutions, they all have one thing in common: to be alert to possible pathogens and to protect employees and consumers from the dangers of disease. Disposable gloves have become the first line of defense against foodborne illness.
Types of disposable gloves
Latex gloves fit very well and keep your hands very sensitive, which is why latex gloves are suitable for long wear. However, latex gloves contain natural latex, which may cause allergic reactions. Secondly, latex gloves are milky white or white, and it is not easy to distinguish between them in food, so latex gloves are not the best choice for the food industry.
The main ingredient of nitrile gloves is nitrile latex. In addition to the advantages of latex gloves, nitrile gloves also have good chemical protection properties, resistance to acids, alkalis and greases, and most importantly, nitrile gloves do not contain latex and will not cause users to develop allergies.
More and more people are using PVC gloves in food service and food preparation, and its use is growing rapidly. It is latex-free, has a smooth surface, is easy to put on and take off, and fits snugly on both hands. The gloves can also be used in other industries, including medical and cleaning.
How to wear gloves to be formal
Food and Drug Administration's regulations on hand hygiene and the use of gloves:
1. When handling food that is not ready to eat, the staff should expose their hands and arms to as little as possible.
2. Gloves or utensils such as tongs and spatulas must be worn when handling food, except for washing fruits and vegetables.
3. Gloves should be disposable. Disposable gloves must be discarded when a worker is working on a new task, when the gloves get dirty, or when the task is interrupted.
Now that we know the types of disposable gloves and the specifications for the use of gloves in food processing, what gloves should be used in food processing?
The use of gloves in food processing should pay attention to the following three points:
1. The food processing industry involves a variety of different equipment and kitchen equipment, so many positions require many types of gloves. But no matter what type of gloves, they must comply with the principle of food grade.
2. The main ingredient of latex gloves is natural latex, which contains latex protein. In order to avoid allergic reactions caused by protein entering food, the food industry should try to avoid the use of latex gloves.
3. The food industry usually uses colored gloves and should be distinguished from the color of the food. Avoid gloves from breaking and falling into food that cannot be detected in time.
For this reason, the following two types of gloves are commonly used in food processing:
PVC gloves
PVC gloves are commonly used in the restaurant industry due to their low cost, loose size, and ease of putting on and taking off. This is important in the food industry, where workers need to change gloves frequently.
In the food industry, nitrile gloves provide excellent hand sensitivity and improved puncture resistance. At the same time, nitrile gloves are more durable. On the job, staff change gloves less frequently and spend less money using nitrile gloves.
