Are Powdered Gloves Food Safe?

No, powdered gloves are not food safe. This is because there is a risk that the powder can transfer to hands, clothes and surfaces after removal, which can cause contamination. Powdered gloves are more suitable for healthcare workers as they are designed to reduce sweat, improve your grip, and reduce the risk of contamination between healthcare worker and patients.

Powder-free gloves, on the other hand, are food safe. It is important to use these gloves if you work with food as it creates a barrier between dangerous pathogens and the food, without the risk of powder contamination. These gloves also provide you with additional protection against cuts and sensitive skin. Blue powder-free vinyl gloves are a great choice for food preparation tasks as they are food-safe, highly detectable and cost-effective. The one downside is that you cannot use these with fatty foods.

To further reduce the risk of cross-contamination, you can colour code your gloves. Pearl offer food-safe gloves in red, green, white, black, pink, violet and orange that you can designate to different food preparation tasks. All Pearl Gloves are powder-free and suitable for use with all food types, including fatty foods.

Are Nitrile Gloves Food Safe?

Yes – nitrile gloves are food safe. They are manufactured using a synthetic rubber compound which is free from protein, does not contain latex, and is resistant to a range of chemicals and abrasive materials. Nitrile gloves also have less risk of an allergic reaction when compared to other materials, like latex.

Alongside standard powder-free gloves, nitrile gloves make a great alternative to powdered gloves for safe food preparation.

Are Latex Gloves Food Safe?

Yes – latex gloves are food safe as long as they are powder-free. Although it is a dependable, comfortable and versatile type of glove, it does have a higher risk of allergic reactions than nitrile gloves.

When choosing any type of glove, you should ensure it is manufactured in accordance with the relevant European Personal Protective Equipment Directive. This will likely be EN 1186: the European standard that needs to be passed for a glove, or any other piece of equipment, to be able to safely come into contact with food.

At morSafe, we stock food-safe gloves, hair nets, mob caps and all other food safe kitchen essential, with free next day delivery available. If you need more guidance, please contact us on 01686 611 377 or sales@morsafesupplies.com.