Perhaps the most versatile gloves, nitrile gloves come in a variety of thicknesses and types from 3 mil thick foodservice gloves to 6 mil thick industrial gloves. They can be used for nearly any task, and are also available in a low dermatitis style.
Made for food service, vinyl gloves are comfortable, safe, and latex-free. They can be used for general tasks, food prep, cooking, serving, or even non-high-risk janitorial work.
Flexible, heat-resistant, and sometimes available with a flock lining, neoprene gloves are thick and reusable. They are perfect for high risk applications, dishwashing, wet handling, and more.
If you are looking for an incredibly versatile type of gloves, latex is a great choice. While it does contain a protein that can cause allergic reactions in some people, this material is useful for nearly any application other than high risk uses.
Poly gloves are very thin and made for light-duty tasks. They are also very economical and great for food use when workers are constantly changing gloves between prep tasks.
Food grade gloves contain materials that are generally considered safe for use with food and food packaging. Many types of gloves fit this description, but nitrile is a great material choice because it is strong and free of contaminants and additives.
Powder helps to reduce friction and sticking in gloves, making them easy to put on and take off when workers need to quickly change gloves. Plus, they are more resistant to tears and rips due to the reduced friction. Even though the powder itself is simply cornstarch, you will probably not want to choose powdered gloves for food applications due to the high potential for contamination.
The main benefit of powder-free gloves is that they will not leave a messy residue on workers' hands or on equipment - a necessity in most medical and foodservice settings. When determining what kind of gloves are food safe, you will typically want to go with powder-free varieties due to reduced risk of contamination. Many new types of powder-free gloves are becoming just as easy to slip on and off as their powdered counterparts, so the trade-off is minimal.