Handling & Preparing Food Safely while having Acrylic Nails?

Acrylic nails are a big food-borne illness problem. All it takes is 1)Warmth 2) Moisture and 3) Food source and they'll grow a culture like crazy. All three of those items exists under your acrylic nails. The problem with nail overlays is the space between your real nail and the acrylic. You might think there's a continuous glue surface and no voids, but that's far from the truth. We're talking about microscopic bacteria here - spaces that are invisible to the naked eye can harbor millions of bacteria - which can then be transferred to all kinds of other surfaces, and in-turn contaminate the food, ESPECIALLY if that food is not handled perfectly after you're done with it. Tiny amounts of e-Coli from your nails might not be enough to cause illness.. UNTIL somebody leaves the food out on the counter an hour longer than they should have. At that point that small amount of bacteria will start to replicate and within 24 hrs you can have a colony that is pathogenic, meaning it will cause serious illness. I worked in a biology lab in college as part of a student work-study program, and you cannot believe what can grow overnight in the right conditions. Changed how I think of food safety forever.

Ditto for rings and other jewelry you don't want to remove for whatever reason. Tiny tiny spaces in the settings can harbor millions of bacteria - easily enough to contaminate food. While it may be true "nobody has gotten sick yet" - why take the chance? You don't want to be known as the "typhoid Mary" who sent a whole bunch of people to the hospital.

Your sister is doing exactly the right thing - why take chances? You really should wear food-safe disposable kitchen gloves - like latex or poly (if you have latex allergies) disposable gloves. Good brands will not flavor the food - they're made out of the basically the same stuff as your rubber spatulas, Tupperware containers, etc. Every food service worker in every factory making processed food wears food gloves - do you taste those? It's true that there are some really cheap brands that will leave plasticizers some people CAN taste. I'm one of those people - I can taste minute amounts of certain plastics in food. In fact one of the big cereal companies stopped using a certain type of plastic inner-bag because of a petition I started 20 yrs or so ago. If you're one of those people too - you'll know what gloves will impart flavor and which ones wont- but there are plenty of choices so you'll be able to find one you like and that does not flavor the food. Good luck.

your sister doesn't wash her hands with hot water and soap? and use a nail brush to get all the crud out from under her nails?

NO! the food will not get any sort of taste or flavor from the plastic or rubber gloves, especially the disposable ones. Food Service people must wear these if they touch any food so they are deemed safer than surgical scrubbed hands and nails.

I have the problem of jabbing holes in the plastic gloves and that does what?? gets my nails nasty!! I am not worried about the germs, pathogens, and bacteria that might get in the meatloaf or meatballs before they are cooked because I cook them well done and that kills anything!!

Though it is a common misconception that it is OK for a person to have acrylic nails put on during their period i would, in fact, advise against such actions. The reasons people would confuse this action is acceptable is obvious, why would the small inconsequential acrylic nails hinder or hurt the human body? Well in truth when a woman is on her period their body is more reactive to outside influences such as acrylic nails. These nails can in fact bring forth an unforeseen boost in bacterial population on the human hands. Should this bacterial population boom to a level which could be dangerous to you and those around you the situation will become dire. The acrylic nails which for an unknown reason is said to draw the bacteria will cause the buildup to be quite dangerous. A small cut on a finger will produce an infection which is 23% more likely to be considered serious. Also eating food with ones hands, even after washing, is much like eating a bacteria covered rock. Also those around you, be they significant others, friends, or family could suffer from your carelessness. Should you decided to have acrylic nails placed upon yourself during your period please understand the risksand that your body is in an extremely violent and unpredictable phase. Good Night & Good Luck Mr. Yarbles