When we go into fast food establishments (for the purposes of this column any place where our food is prepared fresh for us to eat right away) we often notice the employees wearing gloves as they fix our food.

Is this a good thing, or merely a visual gimmick to make us feel better about the restaurant's sanitation?

The answer depends upon the actual way in which the gloves are used. Maryland State Regulations (COMAR 10.15.09 and 14) states the following:

I. An employee does not use bare hands for handling ready-to-eat foods, as set forth in Regulation .09F of this chapter;

J. An employee using gloves to protect...