Progress can be difficult to define; take the case of glove use in food preparation. About 20 years ago, the use of gloves to prevent the spread of bacteria became standard for food handlers. Today, however, some question the wisdom of using gloves. Just how safe are gloves, and which kinds are the safest?
Everyone agrees that the typical pair of hands contain millions of bacteria, some of which are harmful. Additionally, the proper use of gloves can prevent those bacteria from contaminating our food and making us sick. The most common types of gloves used to solve the food contamination problem are latex and vinyl, each with its own strengths and drawback.
Latex Solution
Latex gloves are popular because they are easy to use, yet due to the allergic reaction, they cause many food establishments to avoid usage. Latex allergies affect not only those wearing the gloves but also those who eat food touched by someone wearing the gloves. For this reason, three states ban latex glove use in restaurants and nearly a dozen states are poised to follow suit.
According to Sue Lockwood, of the American Latex Allergy Association of Slinger, Wisconsin, latex allergies plague around one percent of the U.S. population. While the obvious answer, for those of us who suffer with this allergy is to avoid restaurants using latex gloves, sadly this is not always possible.
To avoid the problems associated with latex, while still providing the protection that health departments demand and the public expects, many food handlers have switched to vinyl gloves. Vinyl gloves are less expensive but more difficult to work with. Unfortunately, they also present a whole other set of problems and concerns.
Vinyl, classified as a carcinogen in California, contains Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP); DEHP is believed to cause testicular damage to developing males. Japanese authorities banned the use of vinyl gloves by food handlers when large quantities of this chemical were found in food prepared by those wearing vinyl gloves.
Gloves: A Problem or Solution
The reason that gloves became popular, and then mandatory, was to reduce the incidences of foodborne illnesses. Barehanded food handling spread food related illnesses in two ways:
· Cross contamination between raw and ready to serve food
· Germs spread through coming into contact with bodily fluids and touching food
Gloves eliminate these dangers only if used properly. Unfortunately, a survey of U.S. food handlers shows that a third of respondents admitted not always changing gloves between handling raw and cooked food. Moreover, through glove use, workers run the risk of becoming desensitized to proper hygiene. So wearing gloves, in addition to introducing new public health concerns, does not necessarily protect the public from food borne illnesses.
Barehanded Solution
Frequent hand washing, especially when coming into contact with raw foods, and avoiding contact with mucus membranes greatly reduces the incidence of illnesses transmitted through food without adding additional health risks. Moreover, food workers who do not wear gloves are more conscious of touching raw food prompting them to wash their hands. With gloves, and little tactile feedback, they might not be aware they are cross contaminating our food.
Sushi chefs avoid using gloves. They claim that only with their bare fingers can they ascertain when fish is fresh. “We’ve been doing it this way for 250 years,” one chef said. “People who make the regulations just don’t understand.” Unfortunately, making the public understand may be just as difficult.
