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Oregon food safety officials have nixed a rule that would have required the white (rubber) glove treatment at restaurants in the state.
The Oregon Public Health Division Foodborne Illness Prevention Program issued a notice last week saying it will begin adopting food code guidelines issued in 2009 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, the agency said it will not enforce sections of the guidelines that prevent workers from using their bare hands to prepare some dishes.
The policy would require preparers to use "deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing equipment" to touch ready-to-eat foods.
According to a report from CNN, restaurant industry experts argued that the "no-bare-hand-contact" rule would discourage some restaurant workers from using clean food preparation techniques, because rubber gloves would provide them with a false sense of security.
The Oregon agency said it is creating a workgroup of restaurant owners, restaurant inspectors and consumers "to review and provide recommendations on addressing norovirus and fecal contamination of food, and to identify the best options to reduce illness."
A Northern California woman seen trading her crutches for high-heeled shoes before running into a public park for a sexual romp has pleaded not guilty to workers compensation insurance fraud.