Photo: JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP / Getty Images
The Douglas County Health Department is reminding food service operators and workers that bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods is now prohibited, following Nebraska’s adoption of updated federal food safety regulations.
In April, Nebraska adopted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 2022 Food Code Rule 3-301.11(B), which formally prohibits food workers from directly touching ready-to-eat foods with their bare hands.
Adopting this part of the rule aims to reduce the risk of spreading foodborne illnesses, particularly Norovirus, which the CDC says is the leading cause of foodborne disease outbreaks in the U. S.
DCHD says "Key Guidance for Food Establishments:"
a. Ready-to-eat foods are foods that are in a form that is edible without additional preparation to achieve food safety.
b. Prohibiting bare hand contact with ready to eat foods is not a glove mandate. While the use of single-use gloves is an effective way to comply, there are other methods including tongs, spatulas, deli tissue, or other dispensing utensils and equipment.
c. Hands must still be properly washed before donning gloves. Wearing gloves does not replace the need for proper hand washing. If the hands are not washed, the exterior of the glove may be contaminated by the hands while donning.
(Picture from Getty Images)