Food Safety Certification Practice Test

What is an effective way to prevent contamination after handwashing?

1. Using a towel to dry hands

2. Applying hand sanitizer

3. Wearing single-use gloves

4. Rinsing hands with water

The correct answer is: Wearing single-use gloves

Wearing single-use gloves after handwashing is an effective way to prevent contamination because gloves provide a barrier between your hands and any surfaces or food you may come into contact with. This barrier is especially vital in food preparation environments, where hands can easily transfer pathogens or contaminants to food items. Even after washing, hands can still become contaminated if they touch surfaces, utensils, or food products that are not sanitized. Using gloves also helps prevent the spread of bacteria that might exist on your hands, especially if you cannot wash your hands frequently enough during food preparation or handling. It is important to ensure that the gloves used are clean, intact, and appropriate for the specific tasks being performed. While drying hands with a towel, applying hand sanitizer, or rinsing with water may assist in maintaining cleanliness, without the physical barrier that gloves provide, there is still a risk of recontaminating hands while handling food or other items. Thus, wearing single-use gloves is a proactive measure to ensure food safety after handwashing.