When should food handlers change their gloves?

Food handlers should change their gloves after handling raw meat or when the gloves are torn or dirty to prevent cross-contamination and ensure food safety. Raw meat can contain harmful bacteria that could transfer to other food items if the gloves are not changed. When gloves are torn or dirty, they can harbor pathogens that could contaminate the food being prepared or served. This practice is essential to maintaining proper hygiene standards in food handling, thereby reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses.

The other options do not align with best practices for food safety. Changing gloves only after serving food does not account for potential contamination that might occur during food preparation. Changing them once every hour is arbitrary and does not take into account specific scenarios that require a change. Lastly, changing gloves only if requested by a customer is not a safe food handling practice, as the primary responsibility lies with the food handler to maintain hygiene standards regardless of customer requests.