New food safety law means California bartenders have to wear gloves, too

[yuiyoshida]

Last week, Scoop brought news of a new amendment to California food safety law that bans bare-handed food contact in restaurants. It’s a regulation that has received the scorn — not to mention eye-rolling — of chefs and diners alike, even though the state has agreed for a soft enforcement period in the first half of the year.

This week, the Los Angeles Times smartly points to another area affected by the new law: bars.

Since “food employees shall not contact exposed, ready-to-eat food with their bare hands,” bartenders must wear gloves or use tweezers or other utensils when touching ice, garnishes or similar ingredients that go directly in the drink. The Times reports:

“Technically speaking, these rules do apply to bars,” says Angelica Pappas, a spokeswoman for the California Restaurant Assn. “It’s been a common question we’ve heard … so there may be more information to come on this in guidance documents from the health inspectors.”

Well, that will certainly take some of the romanticism out of twists or a toothpick-spiked martini olive. Also, California cocktail photography will never be the same.

Bartender people: Your thoughts?

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2014/01/15/new-food-safety-law-means-california-bartenders-have-to-wear-gloves-too/

[left on green only]

1. Unnessary As Far As I Am Concerned, As Long As.....

......We can be sure that they are not picking their noses while they are behind the bar.

[underpants]

2. Whew! I thought it said "bras"

[pinto]

3. Overblown assumption. The regulation has reasonable exclusions. Specifics are here -

Subdivisions (e) and (f)

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2014/01/08/california-bans-bare-handed-food-contact-in-restaurants/

[thelordofhell]

4. Sushi Bar..........

Technically a bar.......so should be exempt

[BarbaRosa]

5. I really don't understand this.

In a previous life I was an OR Tech. We had a reason for wearing gloves, a sterile environment. We were not to touch ANYTHING that was not sterile, so the only germs we carried were the patients own.

In my experience in fast food I noticed those wearing gloves would pick dropped things up off the floor, scratch their heads, handle every thing in the shop. So to me, the only protection was keeping the wearers hands clean, that is until the gloves ripped.

Other than looking the part I don't see where gloves in this situation are as beneficial as good hand washing practices.



YMMV

[Cleita]

7. I agree. I have witnessed the same things you have in restaurants.

What's important is getting the food handlers to wash their hands frequently especially after visiting the bathroom. I think sinks should be provided in kitchens and server stations for the servers to use in front of a manager who can check that they are washing their hands. Also the person who handles the money should not be anywhere near the food other than presenting a to go order that is already wrapped in the kitchen.

[Cleita]

6. My hands were very sterile when I bar tended because I was also washing glasses in between drinks in

a very anaseptic solution no bug would dare live in. Of course that was back in the seventies when you never knew when a health dept. inspector would arrive to check your sink, what you were using and how hot the water was. I would be more concerned with the bar tender handling money. A lot of places just ring up the sale and a cashier collects the money for both the servers and bartenders. That's what that little folder is all about that your server takes to the cashier with your money and/or credit card. I don't find plastic gloves are any good if the food and drink handlers are also handling money and other items directly from customers.

[larkrake]

8. alcohol kills germs, people dont eat the garnish

[Mr.Bill]

9. Garnishes in drinks do get eaten.

Maybe not lemon peels, but cherries and olives do get eaten.