What is the purpose of wearing gloves while handling food?

Wearing gloves while handling food primarily serves to prevent contamination of ready-to-eat foods. This practice is crucial in food safety as it helps to create a barrier between the food and potential contaminants such as bacteria, allergens, and viruses that may be present on the skin or hands of food handlers. By using gloves, food handlers can significantly reduce the risk of transferring harmful pathogens to the food that will be consumed without any further cooking, thereby protecting public health.

The other options do not appropriately address the core reason for using gloves. Saving time during food preparation may be an indirect benefit, but it is not the main purpose. Avoiding pest attraction does not directly relate to glove usage; pests can still be attracted to food regardless of the presence of gloves. Reducing food waste is also unrelated to the practice of wearing gloves, as glove usage focuses more on the safety and hygiene standards necessary to prevent foodborne illnesses.