What is the first action to take before putting on kitchen gloves?

Washing your hands is the first action to take before putting on kitchen gloves because it ensures that your hands are free from dirt, grime, and harmful pathogens. Proper handwashing involves using soap and water for at least 20 seconds to effectively eliminate bacteria and viruses from your hands. This step is crucial in food safety, as gloves are intended to provide a barrier between your hands and the food you are handling, but they are not a substitute for clean hands. Starting with clean hands minimizes the risk of contaminating the gloves, which could then contaminate food and surfaces throughout the food preparation process.

While drying hands, applying hand sanitizer, or wiping hands on a towel are actions that could follow after washing, they do not replace the essential step of washing your hands first to maintain proper hygiene standards.