# medical gloves ok for food handling?



## mrob22 (Jun 14, 2017)

This is something I have wondered for awhile.  I have researched it with no good results.  I can get medical gloves for little to nothing through a friend and was just curious if they were safe for handling food. 
They are nitrile latex gloves and obviously powder free.

Any help would be appreciated


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## noboundaries (Jun 14, 2017)

Nitrile latex gloves, powder free, is what I use.  I don't get them for free, but a box of 100 isn't expensive.  I figured if they are approved for a medical environment, food is a no-brainer.  If I'm wrong, we should hear shortly from the experts.


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 14, 2017)

Medical Gloves are taken to a higher standard of being bacteria and chemical free than general purpose gloves. They are more than fine for food handling...JJ


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## mrob22 (Jun 14, 2017)

Awesome,  thanks for the info.  Looks like I will be set on gloves then


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## SmokinAl (Jun 14, 2017)

Yea & for you guys who can't get them cheap. Sam's has them in a 2 pack, 200 in each box!

Al


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## ristau5741 (Jun 14, 2017)

They should be fine for handling food other than hot peppers, for hot peppers use rubber gloves.  I've burned my hand several times using latex gloves while handling hot peppers. not fun.


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## jimmyinsd (Jun 14, 2017)

if you have large hands...you wont find gloves that fit at Sams.  I wear a XL exam glove (2XL work gloves) and they are harder to find.  1 Tip to offer is if you have several sizes of gloves in your kitchen (my wife has pretty small hands) make sure you get the different sizes in different colors,  saves time and gloves to know that you just need to grab a certain color.

also dont confuse these types of gloves with the cheap food service gloves,  those things are crap to work with and will shrink wrap to your hand with heat exposure... (dont ask me how I know that 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






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## SmokinAl (Jun 14, 2017)

JimmyinSD said:


> if you have large hands...you wont find gloves that fit at Sams.  I wear a XL exam glove (2XL work gloves) and they are harder to find.  1 Tip to offer is if you have several sizes of gloves in your kitchen (my wife has pretty small hands) make sure you get the different sizes in different colors,  saves time and gloves to know that you just need to grab a certain color.
> 
> also dont confuse these types of gloves with the cheap food service gloves,  those things are crap to work with and will shrink wrap to your hand with heat exposure... (dont ask me how I know that
> 
> ...


Have you tried the gloves from Sam's?

I was buying mine from Harbor Freight, there store is just down the street from my house.

I was using the XL size & the gloves from Sam's fit just fine.

They always have a box open to try on for fit.

Al


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## noboundaries (Jun 14, 2017)

We gave up our Sam's membership a long time ago.  Not happy with Costco, so may have to give Sam's another look. 

I buy my XL Nitriles from Amazon.  $10 for 100 (20 cents/pair), or $13.50 for 200 (14 cents/pair).    XL fits me a little tight, which I like.  My wife uses them and her hands are practically swimming in them, but she doesn't mind.


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## jimmyinsd (Jun 14, 2017)

SmokinAl said:


> Have you tried the gloves from Sam's?
> 
> I was buying mine from Harbor Freight, there store is just down the street from my house.
> 
> ...


Yes, If I remember correctly I have tried them on and it was an OJ moment..  The ones I get from the fire house are XL and they will occasionally blow out when putting them one, but overall are decent quality and the price was right.   Like I said, my hands are quite long, so I have a hell of a time finding any kind of gloves off the shelf that fit very well.


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## jokensmoken (Jun 14, 2017)

I use them all the time...the powder free ones...I can not attest to FDA approval however.
Walt.


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## dward51 (Jun 14, 2017)

Well if they are "medical gloves" are they not approved for medical procedures by some authority?  Since doctors wear them whilst digging round inside a person during surgery, it would be logical to believe they are safe to handle food with.  Hell, if the kid at the burger-a-rama can wear some loose fitting clear el-cheapo thin "glove" (you know the type, one size fit's left or right and they are way oversized), then surely medical quality gloves, and especially nitrile which is what the better ones are made from, must be safe for food.

So, yep, I think you are good


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