New health dept rule

New health code states anyone in contact with food must use single use gloves.
While I appreciate the germaphobe aspect, how does one actually create food w/out touching it? This also encroaches upon the bartender as well.
My question is does this law (which I was never invited to vote on) impair an otherwise hygenic kitchen by forcing people to lose "touch" w the product.

That's a bunch of bull! Do you know how easy it is to cut a finger wearing those gloves while using a knife!
I can see a lot of dudes running around our kitchens bleeding already!!

There is an "exemption" of sorts. You can double wash your hands or wash once and then use hand sanitizer. When decorating cakes, I am often working with tiny pearls and things that I simply lose a grip on while wearing gloves.

I also think that wearing gloves gives a completely false sense of protection. I mostly work alone, but even I have seen people doing stupid things with gloves on, since the food is "protected" from their hands (not.) Whatever would have been on your hands is now simply on the gloves.

I have seen people doing stupid things with gloves on, since the food is "protected" from their hands (not.) Whatever would have been on your hands is now simply on the gloves.

Yeap, I love it when someone is using gloves, then takes money, then goes right back to making food.

I so totally agree with you all. I saw on Man Vs Food a guy taken change and then go right back and prepare a hot dog.. I firmly believe that it is more hygenic to wash your hands, sanitize them and then prepare the food.

On a totally different note, looking for some sympathy I was broken into on Weds night and my cash box taken with $1,900. All of June's sales tax and the winter money I put by for when I am closed. Totally gutted. Have my suspicions and the police are investigating. I usually take it home, but didn't because I wasn't opening on Thursday. What a deterrent the ADT stickers were..... NOT. System isn't working because the back door sensor is out and they want me to pay to have it fixed. WHy should I pay to have equipment fixed that doesn't belong to me. In an ongoing dispute with ADT. I guess I will have to stay open later this year to try and cover the winter months.

Just reading what i got from the Health Dept. It says gloves should be used when handling "ready to eat foods". Foods not in the RTE form shall have "minimized contact" with employees hands.

The health department will accept a written handwashing procedure coupled with employee training in lieu of gloves/no bare hand contact. KRA did a series of trainings for members - I have lots of info and would welcome any questions or requests for further details.

stacy@kyra.org
502-931-5420

Alison, sorry about your loss. Hope the police find something.

Thanks Ginger, waiting to hear after they have interviewed the suspect.

Alison, sorry about your loss. Hope the police find something.

Pretty soon you won't be allowed in the same room as the food while you prepare it...

Seriously, gloves are such a false sense of protection. We are USDA and FDA approved and inspected and we are very, very meticulous hand washers (I fear I'm developing an OCD). I far better trust my well washed hands than I do a glove from a box, particularly when using a blade.

But at the same time, I understand the cause for the ruling (lazym careless, or inattentive employees who are not carefully monitored) and the perceived benefit.

Handling money then handling food is a BIG no-no! Trust me, I'll wait the 120 seconds for you to give those hands a good scrub!

Operators can thank KRA that there are exceptions to this rule - we were at the table for over 6 years of state level Food Safety Task Force meetings. Tongs (vs. gloves) are also acceptable. We presented all the non-glove arguments in this thread and more during those meetings. Get a good handwashing policy, train on it and you can use bare hands to handle ready-to-eat (RTE) foods.

We just got inspected today. That was at the top of the list of new rules. I think gloves are a bad idea, they just get used over and over again. My hands sweat REALLY bad in them. I think they are generally unclean.

Wow! I'm really happy about the info Stacy! As it was presented to us by our inspector their seemed no middle ground. I'll call you tomorrow re: what you have accomplished. I truly believe that gloves are a poor and dangerous sub for handwashing/ sanitizing. You have given me more info than the health dept.

Plastic Gloves, Plastic Cutting Boards, Plastic Handled Lightweight Knives...instead of trimming the tenderloin, you'll be trimming fingers..Humming the golden oldey "Slip Sliding Away...".but it will be sanitary until you bleed all over the place! I wish those who are in the health dept, and who make up these rules would spend time working as a Chef! That would teach em a thing or two! This has been one of my rants for years!!