Gloves & Protective Equipment

Nitrile gloves are the best overall choice for food handling. They are FDA-compliant for food contact, latex-free (eliminating allergy risks for staff and customers), puncture-resistant, and available in a range of thicknesses for different kitchen tasks.

The FDA regulates food-contact gloves under 21 CFR Part 177, which requires that glove materials be safe for direct contact with food. All three major glove types — nitrile, vinyl, and latex — can meet this standard, but nitrile has become the industry favorite for several reasons. First, nitrile resists punctures from bones, shells, and sharp utensils far better than vinyl. Second, nitrile is latex-free, which matters because the FDA Food Code recommends that food establishments avoid latex gloves to protect customers with latex allergies.

For light-duty tasks like assembling sandwiches, plating food, or working a deli counter, vinyl gloves are a cost-effective alternative at roughly half the price of nitrile. For heavy-duty food prep — butchering, handling raw poultry, or working with hot foods — a 4–6 mil nitrile glove provides the durability and grip you need.

For more on food safety requirements, see our Cleaning & Safety Compliance FAQ. EKKO supplies FDA-compliant food handling gloves in cases of 1,000 at wholesale pricing — contact us for volume quotes.

👉 Shop now: Food Service Gloves | All Food Packaging Supplies

Yes, nitrile gloves are food safe. They are approved by the FDA for direct food contact under 21 CFR Part 177 and are the most widely recommended glove type for food service by health departments across the United States.

Nitrile gloves are made from a synthetic rubber compound that does not contain natural rubber latex proteins, eliminating the risk of triggering latex allergies in food handlers or customers. The material is non-reactive with most foods, including acidic items like citrus and tomatoes, fatty foods, and oily preparations. Unlike vinyl, nitrile does not contain plasticizers (such as DEHP or phthalates) that could potentially migrate into food, making it a safer choice for prolonged food contact.

When purchasing nitrile gloves for food handling, look for gloves that are explicitly labeled “food grade” or “food safe” and comply with FDA 21 CFR 177.2600. All nitrile gloves sold by EKKO for food service meet these requirements. For food prep, a 3–4 mil thickness provides good dexterity, while 5–6 mil offers extra protection for handling raw proteins. Also see our Essential PPE Guide for Food Service Workers for a complete rundown of kitchen safety gear.

👉 Shop now: Nitrile Gloves | Browse All Products

Yes, in most U.S. states and jurisdictions, food workers are required by law to wear single-use gloves or use utensils to prevent bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods. This requirement comes from the FDA Food Code, which most state and local health departments adopt.

The FDA Food Code (Section 3-301.11) states that food employees may not contact exposed, ready-to-eat food with their bare hands. “Ready-to-eat” means food that will be served without further cooking — salads, sliced fruits, bread, cooked meats, and plated dishes. Workers can comply by wearing single-use gloves, using tongs, deli tissue, spatulas, or other utensils. Some jurisdictions, such as California and New York, have adopted this standard directly into state law, while others may allow brief bare-hand contact with written hygiene protocols and health department approval.

Gloves must be changed frequently — between tasks, after touching non-food surfaces, after handling raw meat before touching ready-to-eat food, and at least every 4 hours during continuous use. Workers must also wash their hands before putting on a new pair. Failure to comply can result in health code violations, fines ranging from $100 to $1,000+ per incident, and even temporary closure. To learn more about compliance requirements, visit our Cleaning & Safety Compliance FAQ and our Restaurant Business Operations FAQ.

EKKO makes it easy to stay compliant — stock up on bulk disposable gloves so your team never runs short.

👉 Shop now: Food Service Gloves | Contact EKKO for Bulk Orders

Order a mix of sizes — most food service operations need primarily medium and large gloves, with smaller quantities of small and extra-large. A good starting ratio is 20% small, 35% medium, 35% large, and 10% extra-large.

Disposable gloves come in sizes small (S), medium (M), large (L), and extra-large (XL). Proper fit is critical: gloves that are too tight tear easily and cause hand fatigue, while gloves that are too loose reduce grip and dexterity, increasing the risk of contamination. To find the correct size, measure across the widest part of the palm (excluding the thumb):

1. Small: Palm width of 2.75–3.25 inches (7–8 cm)
2. Medium: Palm width of 3.25–3.75 inches (8–9.5 cm)
3. Large: Palm width of 3.75–4.25 inches (9.5–11 cm)
4. Extra-Large: Palm width of 4.25+ inches (11+ cm)

In practice, the quickest approach for a new operation is to order a sample case with all four sizes and let your staff self-select over the first week. Track which sizes run out fastest, then adjust your next bulk order from EKKO accordingly. Industry data shows that medium and large together account for about 70% of glove usage in most kitchens. For guidance on calculating order quantities, see our Restaurant Business Operations FAQ.

👉 Shop now: Disposable Gloves — All Sizes | Full Product Catalog

A typical full-service restaurant uses 15 to 30 boxes of gloves per month (1,500–3,000 individual gloves), depending on the number of staff, service volume, and how often gloves are changed throughout the day.

Here’s a practical formula: count the number of food handlers per shift, multiply by the average number of glove changes per shift (typically 15–25 changes for a busy cook, 8–12 for a prep worker), then multiply by the number of shifts per month. For example, a restaurant with 4 kitchen staff working 6 days a week, each changing gloves 20 times per shift, uses roughly 4 × 20 × 26 = 2,080 gloves per month, or about 21 boxes (at 100 gloves per box).

Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and fast-casual concepts often use even more — 30 to 50+ boxes per month — because every employee on the line wears gloves and change frequency is high. Catering operations tend to spike during events. The most cost-effective approach is buying in bulk cases (typically 10 boxes per case). EKKO offers case pricing on all glove types with delivery to the Queens, NY area and beyond. For help estimating your specific needs, contact EKKO’s team or see our Restaurant Business Operations FAQ for more supply planning tips.

👉 Shop now: Bulk Gloves | All Food Service Supplies

Yes, both nitrile and vinyl gloves are completely latex-free and safe for people with latex allergies. Nitrile is the most popular latex-free alternative because it matches or exceeds latex in strength, fit, and chemical resistance.

Latex allergy affects an estimated 4.3% of the general population and up to 9.7% of healthcare workers who have repeated exposure, according to the American Latex Allergy Association. Reactions range from mild contact dermatitis (redness, itching) to severe Type I hypersensitivity (hives, respiratory distress, anaphylaxis). In a food service setting, latex proteins can also transfer to food and trigger reactions in allergic customers — which is why the FDA Food Code and many state health codes recommend or require latex-free gloves in food establishments.

Nitrile gloves are the go-to latex-free choice because they are made from synthetic rubber with zero natural rubber proteins. They offer excellent puncture resistance (3–4× greater than vinyl), strong chemical resistance, and a comfortable fit that molds to the hand during use. Vinyl gloves are another latex-free option and are more affordable, though they offer less durability and protection. For eco-conscious operations looking for latex-free alternatives, some manufacturers now offer accelerated-biodegradable nitrile gloves — check our Eco-Friendly Packaging FAQ for sustainable options.

EKKO carries a full range of latex-free nitrile and vinyl gloves in bulk at wholesale prices.

👉 Shop now: Latex-Free Gloves | Janitorial Gloves

Use nitrile gloves with a thickness of at least 4 mil for handling raw meat. Nitrile’s superior puncture resistance protects against bone fragments and sharp edges, and its tight fit gives you the grip and dexterity needed for butchering, portioning, and trimming.

When handling raw poultry, beef, pork, or seafood, your gloves are the primary barrier between harmful pathogens — including Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, and Listeria monocytogenes — and ready-to-eat foods. The FDA Food Code requires that food workers change gloves immediately after handling raw animal proteins and before touching any other food, surfaces, or equipment. This single step is one of the most critical controls for preventing cross-contamination.

Vinyl gloves are not recommended for raw meat handling because they have a higher failure rate (micro-tears and punctures) under the stress of cutting, deboning, and gripping wet proteins. Latex gloves work but carry allergy risks. For best results, pair your nitrile gloves from EKKO with color-coded options (blue gloves for raw protein stations make it easy to spot cross-contamination visually). For comprehensive food safety practices, see our Cleaning & Safety Compliance FAQ and read our Essential PPE Guide for Food Service Workers.

👉 Shop now: Nitrile Gloves | Protective Apparel

No, disposable gloves should never be reused. Single-use gloves are designed for one-time use only and must be discarded after each task, according to the FDA Food Code and OSHA workplace safety guidelines.

Reusing disposable gloves poses multiple risks. First, the act of removing and re-donning gloves creates micro-tears in the material that are invisible to the naked eye but allow bacteria and contaminants to pass through. Studies published in the American Journal of Infection Control have shown that up to 30% of used disposable gloves develop micro-perforations after a single use. Second, washing or sanitizing disposable gloves degrades the material — hand sanitizer breaks down nitrile and vinyl polymers, and soap and water cause latex to lose elasticity. Third, the exterior of a used glove is contaminated and can transfer pathogens to hands during removal and re-donning.

The correct practice is: 1. Wash hands thoroughly before putting on new gloves 2. Perform the task 3. Remove gloves carefully (peel from wrist, avoid touching the exterior) 4. Dispose of gloves immediately 5. Wash hands again before donning a fresh pair

Buying in bulk makes single-use compliance affordable. EKKO’s wholesale glove cases bring the per-glove cost down to just pennies, so there’s never a reason to cut corners. For more on glove compliance, see our Cleaning & Safety Compliance FAQ.

👉 Shop now: Disposable Gloves in Bulk | Contact Us for Volume Pricing

Blue and black nitrile gloves are the most recommended colors for food handling because they are easy to spot if a piece of glove tears off and falls into food. Blue is the most common choice because it does not naturally occur in most foods.

Color-coded gloves serve a food safety function, not just an aesthetic one. If a fragment of a clear or white glove breaks off during food prep, it’s nearly invisible against chicken, dough, cheese, or rice. A bright blue glove fragment, by contrast, is immediately visible during quality checks. This is the same reason blue adhesive bandages are used in food manufacturing — visibility equals safety. Some operations use black gloves for front-of-house food preparation (sushi bars, BBQ restaurants, catering stations) because they look more professional and are still easily visible against most light-colored foods.

Many facilities also use a color-coding system to separate tasks and prevent cross-contamination: – Blue gloves → Ready-to-eat food prep – Black gloves → Raw meat handling or front-of-house plating – Clear/white gloves → Non-food tasks only (cleaning, stocking)

This system makes it easy for managers to spot when a worker is at the wrong station. EKKO carries food service gloves in multiple colors to support your color-coding system. For more food safety tips, visit our Food Packaging FAQ.

👉 Shop now: Colored Food Service Gloves | All Janitorial & Safety Products

Powdered gloves have a light cornstarch coating on the inside to make them easier to put on and take off. Powder-free gloves are treated with a chlorination or polymer coating process instead and are now the industry standard for food service and healthcare.

Powdered gloves were once the default because the cornstarch coating absorbs moisture and allows the glove to slide onto sweaty or damp hands quickly — useful during fast-paced kitchen shifts. However, the powder can contaminate food, trigger respiratory sensitivities when airborne, and interfere with wound healing in healthcare settings. In 2017, the FDA banned powdered surgeon’s gloves and powdered patient examination gloves entirely (21 CFR Part 878). While powdered food service gloves are technically still legal, most health departments and food safety programs now require or strongly recommend powder-free gloves.

Powder-free gloves are manufactured with a chlorination wash or polymer-coating process that makes the interior surface smooth and non-sticky without the need for cornstarch. Modern powder-free nitrile gloves are just as easy to don as powdered versions. For food service operations, powder-free is the clear choice — no risk of powder contamination in food, no white residue on surfaces, and compliance with the strictest health codes. EKKO stocks powder-free gloves in nitrile, vinyl, and latex at competitive wholesale prices.

👉 Shop now: Powder-Free Gloves | Browse All Supplies

For food prep, use 3–4 mil gloves for maximum dexterity. For general cleaning, use 5–6 mil gloves. For heavy-duty cleaning with harsh chemicals, use 6–8 mil gloves or reusable industrial gloves.

“Mil” is a unit of measurement equal to one-thousandth of an inch (0.001”). Here’s a quick guide by task:

Thinner gloves (3 mil) are more comfortable and allow you to feel textures, grip small items, and work faster — but they tear more easily. Thicker gloves (6+ mil) last longer and protect against sharp objects and chemicals, but they reduce tactile sensitivity and can cause hand fatigue during extended wear. For most restaurant kitchens, keeping two types on hand — a 3–4 mil nitrile glove for food prep and a 6+ mil heavy-duty glove for cleaning — covers all your bases.

For more on choosing the right protective equipment for cleaning tasks, see our Janitorial & Cleaning FAQ and our guide: Essential PPE Guide for Food Service Workers.

👉 Shop now: Food Prep Gloves | Heavy-Duty Cleaning Gloves | Protective Apparel