A cook wore single-use gloves while forming raw ground beef into patties. What mistake was made?

Wearing single-use gloves is intended to prevent cross-contamination and maintain food safety. When the cook formed raw ground beef into patties while using the gloves, they committed the mistake of not adhering to proper glove usage protocols by potentially using the same gloves for multiple tasks. In food safety practices, single-use gloves should be changed frequently, especially if switching from handling raw foods to ready-to-eat foods or between different types of food preparation.

Using the same gloves for multiple tasks can lead to the transfer of pathogens or allergens that may be present on a raw product to other foods or surfaces, which can compromise food safety. The main takeaway is that gloves are to be treated as just one layer of hygiene; proper handwashing is also critical before putting on new gloves to ensure that hands are clean. Therefore, changing gloves regularly and not using them for multiple tasks is a vital food safety practice.