When customers see vinyl gloves in use in a foodservice establishment they have a favorable perception:

• 85% of customers think the restaurant is trying very hard to be sanitary and cares about the customers;
• 67% of customers believe the foodservice establishment cares a lot about the food they serve;
• 63% of customers feel the restaurant is trying very hard to make a positive impression.

These facts are from an independent study, entitled “Consumer Perceptions of Foodservice Protective Gloves” conducted for FoodHandler Inc. by NPD Foodworld.

Latex gloves worn by workers in the foodservice industry have been known to leave behind traces of latex protein on food. Some customers have claimed to have experienced allergic reactions from eating food at restaurants that have used latex gloves. As a result, some states such as Oregon, Arizona, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have banned latex gloves from food service processing.

Oregon has completely banned the use of latex gloves in all food service facilities within the state. The move was prompted in part by an increase in workers’ compensation claims stemming from latex-related allergies and by consumers’ complaints.

The Arizona Department of Health Services has updated its requirements for food safety. It requires the use of latex-free gloves by workers handling all ready-to-eat foods. Likewise, Rhode Island prohibits the use of latex gloves in establishments and stores licensed by the Office of Food Protection.

Similarly, the State Assembly of New York passed a bill that requires any food service establishment using gloves to warn consumers in writing that latex gloves are used by staff in the preparation of food and those allergic to latex should take appropriate precautions.

Other states that have undertaken initiates to ban latex gloves from food preparation include California, Texas, Iowa and Nebraska.

Step 1: Peel one exam glove off by grasping under the the cuff and rolling the glove off your hand — so it comes off inside-out. This keeps most of the contamination inside.

Step 2: Hold the used glove in your opposite gloved hand. Carefully slip your exposed fingers under the cuff of your gloved hand, being careful not to touch the contaminated glove surface. Peel the exam glove off, inside-out, rolling it over the other used glove to form a “baggie” of used gloves — with contamination inside!

Step 3: Dispose the exam gloves properly and safely.

Images courtesy of CDC

In some cases, it makes sense to rinse the exam gloves under running water before you remove them. Although, remember, that water does not fully cleanse the gloves as contamination may be in the glove thickness or material. The health hazard of rinsing exam gloves before removal is actually unknown.

The William W. Backus Hospital in Connecticut has made great strides in reducing patient and staff exposure to latex. Over the years, the hospital has methodically evaluated all medical products and supplies and, whenever possible, latex items have been replaced with non-latex alternatives. For example, the hospital has declared nitrile gloves as their preferred medical gloves. Physicians, nurses and other staff make every effort to use nitrile gloves during most procedures — except in some surgical cases where sterile latex gloves are still the better option. As a result of these efforts, Backus Hospital is considered a national leader in latex allergy awareness.

Oregon’s deer rifle season opened this past weekend (September 30th 2006), and state wildlife officials are urging hunters to take precautions in order to limit exposure to wildlife diseases. Here are some suggestions:

• Do not harvest meat from animals that are obviously sick (i.e., they look emaciated, are sluggish to react, or exhibit erratic behavior);
• Don disposable or latex gloves when field-dressing a catch. Wearing latex gloves is a generally good practice;
• Trim all meat to remove fat, spinal cord and any lymph gland tissue;
• Wash knives, saws, and other instruments thoroughly;
• Cook meat thoroughly (to at least 165 degrees) before eating.