Selecting protective hand-wear for food applications can be a daunting task, with hundreds of different options to choose from. We are here to help save you time and simplify the process by narrowing the list down to the best disposable glove contenders. Though reusable gloves have their place in food processing, we have found that disposable gloves are a universal solution for most direct food handling tasks. Disposable gloves are a low-maintenance and cost-effective form of PPE that make it easy to comply with hygienic standards. See below for the best disposable glove materials for food handling, and a couple of honorable mentions for elevated hand protection.

Nitrile Gloves

Nitrile gloves are widely considered to be one of the safest and most functional options when compared against gloves of a different material. Nitrile is durable and resistant to a variety of substances including animal fats, petroleum, oil-based solvents and caustics, and maintains chemical resistance better than their latex and vinyl counterparts. Nitrile gloves offer puncture-resistant strength – 3-5 times more than latex, helping to reduce breakage and potential contamination hazards. These disposable gloves offer the user a superior grip that doesn’t compromise dexterity and are lightweight and comfortable for extended wear.

Nitrile gloves are often available in a blue color for increased food safety and easy detection in a contamination situation. They can also be found in additional food-safe colors as seen in our 650 Series Premium Nitrile Gloves.

Click here to view our Nitrile Disposable Glove options.

Vinyl Gloves

Vinyl gloves are one of the most cost-effective disposable gloves available, helping you to save money while enhancing your hygienic practices. Because of their low cost, users can change to a fresh pair of gloves at a higher frequency to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, while keeping cost of materials low. Vinyl gloves are super lightweight for comfortable wear, making them an ideal solution for general purpose food handling applications.

Click here to view our Vinyl Disposable Glove options.

Latex Gloves

Latex gloves are a great single use solution for food processing, as they maintain their excellent grip in both wet and dry conditions. Latex is proven to be a durable material that is less susceptible to tearing, acting as an efficient barrier to guard against contamination hazards. Latex users should note that this material may cause allergic reactions in some individuals, so should be used with caution to avoid potential health risks. 

Click here to view our Latex Disposable Glove options.

Poly Gloves

Poly disposable gloves are a lost cost PPE solution for food handling. They offer a loose fit, which is convenient as they require frequent changing for optimal protection. These gloves are extremely thin so should not be used near high heat as they are easily susceptible to melting. 

Click here to view our Poly Disposable Glove options.

Additional Options

Though they are not disposable, we highly recommend the following gloves that offer cut protection when working closely with knives, blades or other sharp cutlery tools.

Cut-Resistant Gloves

Cut-resistant gloves are constructed of high-performance fibers and stainless steel, woven together to provide resistance against incidental cuts, lacerations and other blade-related injuries. Cut-resistant gloves can be worn on either a user’s non-knife holding hand for protection against direct exposure, or on the knife-holding hand should it slip toward the blade. Please note that these gloves are cut-resistant, but are not cut proof or puncture proof. Do not subject to moving or highly serrated blades. Click here to learn more about our Bunzl Exclusive line of WorkHorse® Cut-Resistant Gloves.

Metal Mesh Gloves

Metal mesh gloves are made up of heavy gauge stainless steel rings for the highest level of protection against knife related injuries. These gloves should be worn on a user’s non-knife wielding hand for a durable level of defense should the knife directly slice or nick part of the hand. Check out our Bunzl Exclusive WorkHorse® Metal Mesh Gloves for the longest lasting, safest and most comfortable metal mesh protection available.

We are proud to offer a wide selection of protective gloves beyond the disposable and cut-resistant options listed above. Shop our selection online or call us at 800-456-5624 for help in finding the best protective clothing and safety solutions for your specific environment.