Foodservice Gloves
Food handling gloves provide an extra degree of safety for both the worker preparing the food and the customer who dines on the dish. More
Food Service Gloves: What You Need to Know
Disposable food prep gloves play a vital role in keeping your workspace sanitary and preventing any potential foodborne illness from impacting your customers. Some areas have FDA guidelines mandating disposable food handling gloves to prevent contact between bare hands and ready-to-eat food, so these gloves are necessary in those locations. Those aren't the only style of food prep gloves in this category, though; we also carry dishwashing and cleaning gloves, which help restaurateurs and other commercial operators with maintenance.
Our food service gloves are available in many materials, including clear vinyl and other hypoallergenic constructions, making them safe for employees who may be allergic to latex. They're also available in several sizes. The last glove type you'll find in this category is waiters' gloves, which reassure your customer that every precaution is taken to provide them with clean, sanitary meals.
Common Questions About Food Prep Gloves
What are disposable food prep gloves made of?
Our disposable food gloves are almost exclusively made of some type of plastic or latex. As many people have an allergy to latex, most disposable gloves are now made of other materials that are equally inexpensive and flexible. Latex gloves are elastic and provide a tight seal around the hand, which polyethylene gloves do not. Gloves listed as "non-latex" generally are made to replicate this elasticity with a material that doesn't cause the same allergic reactions that latex does in some people. Dishwashing and cleaning gloves are made of stronger materials than disposable food gloves and shouldn't be thrown out after a single use.
What are the differences between food safety gloves and dishwashing gloves?
Food safety gloves typically are disposable plastic or rubber pieces that provide a barrier between your workers' bare hands and the finished food. These are very thin, lightweight gloves that offer no protection against heat or sharp instruments, though they do prevent the transmission of microbes between a worker's hands and the food.
Dishwashing gloves are built to protect the dishwasher from harsh chemicals and hot water. These are much sturdier gloves that aren't meant to be thrown away regularly. These gloves usually come up past the wrist, as a dishwasher often immerses their forearms, and they're frequently heat resistant, protecting the worker from heat as well as the chemicals used in dishwashing. Ensure you're getting the right glove style for your purposes – if you'll use them to prepare and serve food, get food prep gloves. If you're using them to protect yourself while cleaning or doing the dishes, get sturdier, non-disposable gloves.
What are waiters' gloves?
These unique gloves add to the aesthetic of your establishment, demonstrating to your customer that their food has been handled with the utmost care. They're commonly made of fabric, rather than plastic – either wool or cotton – and are used most often in fine dining establishments. They may be out of place in a casual establishment but can be textured to provide additional grip, which can help prevent dropped trays and spilled plates.