Final answer:
Servers should indeed use gloves or tongs when handling ready-to-eat food to prevent direct hand-to-food contact and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether servers should use gloves or tongs when handling any ready-to-eat food. The answer is true. This practice helps prevent the contamination of food with pathogens that could cause foodborne illnesses. When servers handle ready-to-eat foods, they must employ methods to avoid direct contact with the food. This can include the use of gloves or tongs, which provide a barrier to prevent transmission of germs from hands to the food. It's an important food safety measure that aligns with regular handwashing as a defense against the spread of foodborne diseases. Furthermore, hands can transfer unseen bacteria and contaminants to the food which might not be removed even with thorough cooking, since some foods are consumed raw or without further heating to an internal temperature of at least 74 degrees C (165 degrees F), as recommended for safety.