How should food handlers handle ready-to-eat foods?

Food handlers should handle ready-to-eat foods with utensils or gloves to prevent contamination and ensure food safety. Ready-to-eat foods, as the name suggests, do not require any further cooking or preparation steps that would eliminate pathogens or contaminants. Therefore, it is vital to protect these foods from microbes and dirt, which can be transferred from bare hands.

Using gloves or utensils creates a barrier between the food and potential contaminants, effectively minimizing the risk of foodborne illness. This practice is aligned with safe food handling guidelines that prioritize hygiene and food safety standards, ensuring that food is safe for consumption. Additionally, gloves must be changed frequently and properly, especially after handling raw foods or any other potential contaminants, to maintain high hygiene levels.

In contrast, utilizing bare hands, disposable cutlery, or clothing would not sufficiently protect ready-to-eat foods from contamination, making them unsuitable choices for handling such items safely.