When Must Restaurant Staff Wear Gloves? FSSAI Rules for Indian Kitchens
Many Indian restaurant owners ask: are gloves mandatory in kitchens? The answer isn't straightforward. FSSAI doesn't mandate gloves for all food handling, but focuses on preventing hand contamination. Staff must wear gloves when handling ready-to-eat foods like salads, cut fruits, or plated dishes that won't be cooked further.
When Gloves Are Required
Gloves are compulsory when serving foods directly consumed without heating—chaat counters, juice bars, bakery items, and buffet service. For cooking tasks involving heat (stirring curries, making rotis), clean hands with proper handwashing are acceptable and often safer than gloves that can melt or tear.
Key FSSAI Hygiene Rules
- •Handwashing is mandatory before food prep and after touching hair, face, or waste
- •No jewelry, nail polish, or artificial nails while handling food
- •Staff with cuts or infections must wear gloves or avoid direct food contact
- •Change gloves between handling raw and cooked foods
Focus on hygiene culture, not just gloves. Regular handwashing, clean uniforms, and staff training matter more than glove-wearing alone. Consider digitizing your menu with DineCard (dinecard.in) to reduce physical menu handling—₹99/month for QR code menus that support 15+ Indian languages.
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