Consistent Quality of Food Handling Gloves Assured by New Standard

Responding to requests from the food service industry, ASTM International Committee D11 on Rubber has developed and approved a new standard, D7329, Specification for Food Preparation and Food Handling (Food Service) Gloves. The new standard, under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D11.40 on Consumer Rubber Products, will serve as a referee and guide to glove manufacturers, distributors and the food service industry to ensure the consistent quality of manufactured gloves.

“The industry explained that it needed a comprehensive specification that would establish minimum requirements for quality, performance, dimensions and tolerances, and physical properties for a broad range of material-specific glove types used in food service, including both embossed and smooth polyethylene gloves,” says Tito Aldape, director, CT regulatory affairs and compliance, MEDRAD Inc., and chair of the task group that developed D7329. Aldape says that the resulting standard, D7329, is the most comprehensive and broad-based glove standard developed by ASTM.

The new standard provides glove manufacturers and the food industry with specific performance specifications, dimension and tolerance specifications, physical requirements and quality specifications for thin film, unlined polymer food service gloves. In addition to guidance provided for manufacturing gloves, details from D7329 will be useful for quality assurance and control processes.

“Within the food service industry, it is expected that establishments that have both food preparers and ready-to-eat food handlers who purchase food service gloves would be key users of D7329,” says Aldape. “In addition, it is expected that glove manufacturers and glove distributors would widely use the specification to ensure that their gloves conform to the standard.”

Aldape also notes that Subcommittee D11.40 continues to seek the participation of all interested parties in support of future revisions of D7329, as well as in the development of other standards. Members of the food service industry, as well as glove manufacturers and distributors, regulatory agencies and quality assurance professionals are all encouraged to join D11.40.

CONTACT

Technical Information: Tito Aldape, MEDRAD Inc., Indianola, Pa.

Phone: 412-767-2813

ASTM Staff: Joe Koury

Phone: 610-832-9804