It is estimated that 328 million gloves are used daily in the United States across food processing, food service, healthcare, law enforcement, and industry. Toxins present on gloves can contribute to various potential health issues, including carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, fertility impairment, metabolic disorders, and skin diseases including dermatitis. The principal cause of microbiological contamination is attributed to polluted water, with cheap and often toxic ingredients weakening gloves, leading to tears.

Genomic testing for pathogens of 2,800 gloves from 26 imported brands revealed that 50% of the examined gloves harbored fecal indicator organisms, along with 260 unique and viable microbes, including E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Anthrax, and various fungi including Aspergillus. Ensuring glove safety is critical in food processing and service to ensure gloves do not contaminate food.

In a recent guideline, FDA confirmed gloves as a Zone 1 Food Contact Surface - in direct contact with food and at the highest risk for product contamination. As of September 2023, 228 medical glove manufacturers were placed on the FDA’s list of disposable medical gloves subject to import alerts. The majority of these listed companies are from China (136), Malaysia (42), and Taiwan (25).