In food safety, when should gloves be changed?

Gloves should be changed after a specific period of use or when switching tasks, which is why the selected answer is accurate. In food safety, it is essential to minimize the risk of cross-contamination, and changing gloves at appropriate times is part of maintaining hygiene standards in food handling.

Changing gloves after four hours, after taking a break, or when switching tasks helps ensure that harmful bacteria or allergens are not transferred between different types of foods or surfaces. For example, if an employee moves from handling raw meat to preparing ready-to-eat foods, changing gloves is critical to prevent any contamination.

While gloves may be changed when they become torn, relying solely on that criteria places food safety at risk. Tattered gloves can harbor pathogens, and waiting until they rip may not be sufficient to ensure contamination control. Similarly, while it is important to change gloves when switching between food types, doing so exclusively ignores the need to swap gloves after extended use or when taking breaks, which could lead to a buildup of microorganisms on the gloves.

Thus, the practice of regularly changing gloves as outlined in the correct choice is vital for maintaining safe food handling practices.