What must food handlers do before putting on a new pair of gloves?

Food handlers are required to wash their hands before putting on a new pair of gloves to ensure that any contaminants are removed. Handwashing is a critical step in food safety and hygiene practices because it helps prevent the transfer of harmful bacteria and viruses from the hands to food or food-contact surfaces.

Using hand sanitizer, while beneficial in certain situations, does not replace washing hands, especially when hands are visibly soiled or after handling raw foods. Showering is not a practical or necessary requirement for changing gloves in food handling scenarios. Therefore, washing hands is the essential action that establishes a baseline level of hygiene before donning gloves, thereby promoting food safety in the kitchen.