Prep Gloves

[thillin]

Originally Posted by early mornin' smokin'

General cleanliness is a bigger factor, are all your rub containers sanitized, handles of cookers, knives, tongs. Gloved hand or not, you can contaminate any of these items.

I put rubber gloves on the rub bottles and wear gloves. If I'm alone, my right gloved hand does not touch raw meat when seasoning. Only the gloved rub bottles. Slows me down, but I'd rather be safe. When done all gloves removed and Clorox wipe all rub containers.

Everything gets rewashed at home and then loaded back in the trailer. We wash well at comps, but the dishwasher gives me a little more confidence that everything is cleaned well.

[smoke-n-my-i's]

Yes, I use gloves from start to finish. Working in health care (hospital) is almost demanding to wash and wear gloves. I am so use to it, that it comes second nature.

I agree, the problem is that some people just don't understand that clean hands to start with before putting on gloves is #1. Why put gloves on with dirty hands?

When you touch or move something other than the meat/food, change gloves. It only takes a few seconds.

When you change from one meat to another, clean the work area, and utensils, wash hands, and new gloves.

I guess I am more into it than most, as I am allergic to pork, and if I get the "juice" on my finger/fingers and get it to my mouth.... it is all over. So, yes, I USE gloves, soap, and water.

It is mostly common sense. Wash, dry, glove up, and change as needed.

It is a misconception that if you have gloves on you are sanitary. Well, it is not so. You have to be clean to start with. So, use common sense, and you will be fine. If in doubt, wash again, and put on new gloves.

And now for my next question. Just how clean are those gloves you pull out of that box. It has been open to the open air, in the trailer, with doors open to the free air, dust and dirt in the air.... think again. They are most likely just as dirty..... why not take a second and "wash" them off after putting them on. It only takes a few seconds to just rinse them off if nothing else.

Ok, I am going to my corner now.... GLOVE UP

[smoke it if ya got it]

We always use gloves cuts down on the hand washing. I noticed that too and was a bit put off especially the finger licking!

[River City Smokehouse]

We always gloves up when we bbq. Gloves are cheap compared to a dr.

[Smoke'n Ice]

Wash, use a hand sanitizer (hugh bottles available from Sams), glove up and change ofter using the above procedure.

HD requires any handling of ready to eat product must follow the above procedure.

Gloves by the case are availble at Restaurant Deport and by the two box at Sams in small, medium, large and extra large.

Cheap insurance.

[beardjp]

I to have worked in the medical field for 25+ years. Gloves do not mean clean. Clean is a proces and system. You start with a clean area, if you wear gloves a hand wash is still needed when you change gloves. With all the flu information out lately I would have thought everyone would pick-up a little more on the hand washing routine. The number one thing to do to stop any transmission of anything is to WASH YOUR HANDS!!!

[watertowerbbq]

Originally Posted by BigBarry

As for comps, I think the organizers/staff should review basic guidelines at inspection (extra 2 mins), maybe pass out a sheet of basics and explain that it's a warning and possible DQ (??) if gloves are not used and changed often and hand washing is not done right and often during the comp.

This sounds good, but to enforce would take a lot of people and be difficult. You would need as many TRAINED volunteers as you have teams. I hear what you are saying but it doesn't sound realistic given how most comps operate.

[thenewguy]

So should a guy say something when they see a "competitor" use the restroom and not wash their hands too? Where does the madness stop?

[lunchlady]

my .02...
I don't think it's madness... it's up to you whether or not you want to say something... either to that person or to a rep.
FACT : Every competitor is going to have to use the facilities at some point during a competition. Real bathroom or porta-pottie.
Personally, I make it a point to BRING sanitizer with me, whenever I head that way.
Policing these rules may border on the impossible, but at least it is in there.

Personally, I would rather say something than see anyone get sick, even at the risk of being told to shut up or mind my own business or hear later that I am a raving bitch. Too many of us actually know of teams that do not have the cleanest/safest practices. Maybe if they realize that others are paying attention, they would change.
Judges need to feel confident that they aren't going to get sick, otherwise, as others have said, they just won't judge anymore. If that happens, there goes our favorite pasttime.

[DCFIREMANN]

We always wear them. I guess it is a habit from work. It is very rare to see any one on the team near any meat with out them on.

Be Safe

THE DAWG