It is important to wear gloves, but it’s crucial to wear the right ones. When used correctly, they protect against skin absorption of various chemicals and reduce the risk of cross-contamination, especially when working with foods.

The suitable gloves offer you not only protection but also comfort. Our guide outlines the common types of gloves, offers insights on their sensitivity and durability, and when and where to use each one of them.

Powdered vs powder-free gloves

Powdered gloves contain cornstarch powder, which is added to prevent the gloves from sticking to each other, allowing for easy use.

However, in powdered latex gloves, the cornstarch powder absorbs the latex particles and then behaves as a carrier, potentially spreading in the air when the gloves are worn or removed. Since this poses a health risk to those allergic to latex, FDA banned most powdered gloves in 2016.

Even in the food industry, it’s impossible for food manufacturers to predict which of their consumers have allergies, so the use of powdered gloves has declined.

On the other hand, powder-free gloves undergo chlorination or polymer coatings so that cornstarch powder is not required for easy use.

Different glove materials

How to choose the right glove?

Choose the right material according to the task at hand

While handling poultry or seafood, it’s useful to opt for nitrile gloves rather than latex because the proteins in meats will react with latex in a few hours and cause potential allergic reactions.

Nitrile gloves are allergy-safe and durable and are often considered the safest option for the food and beverage industry.

Polyethylene gloves are very thin and are designed for light-duty tasks such as prepping, transferring food, assembling, etc. They are also ideal in cases where a worker needs to change gloves frequently.

Look for specific guidelines in your industry

For those in the food industry, the FDA Food Code 2017 outlines detailed guidelines about when to use (and not to use) cloth, single-use, and slash-resistant gloves among others while working with ready-to-eat or raw animal foods.

Get high-quality gloves at Weber Scientific

Whether you need gloves for food processing or lab use, it’s important to have a reputable and reliable provider.

At Weber Scientific, we are a diversified distributor of laboratory supplies. Shop powder-free nitrile, exam grade, and heavy-duty gloves on our website.