Sample Certification Exam - ANSWER KEY
A manager receives a shipment of fruit for the new breakfast menu. When
should this fruit be washed?
Immediately after signing for the delivery
Immediately prior to squeezing or preparing (correct answer)
At least once per day
None of the above
When storing chemicals used in a foodservice establishment, which of the
statements below is true?
Chemicals that are not in their original container should be labeled
with their common name
Chemicals should be stored away from any food products or food
storage areas
Chemicals should be stored beneath non-chemical items in the
storage area
All of the above (correct answer)
Powdered bug repellent has accidentally contaminated an establishment's
supply of flour. What could the manager have done to avoid this?
Place the flour container below the bug repellent container in the
dry storage area
Keep the powdered bug repellent in a non-food storage area
(correct answer)
Place a more responsible employee in charge of bug repellent
storage procedures
All of the above
Ground turkey meat used for turkey burgers should be cooked to a
minimum internal temperature of _____ for 15 seconds.
135°F (57°C)
145°F (62°C)
155°F (68°C)
165°F (74°C) (correct answer)
In which of the following situations is bare-hand contact with food
acceptable?
Preparing salads with washed hands
Chopping onions for use in the hamburger toppings bar
Slicing cheese for cold deli sandwiches
All of the above
None of the above (correct answer)
From the list below, select the food item that is NOT one of the "Big 8"
food allergens.
Sausage patties (correct answer)
Tofu slices
Shelled peanuts
Raspberry yogurt
Three-egg omelette with cheese
A chef uses the ice-point method to calibrate her thermometer. A few
minutes later she re-tests the thermometer and the temperature now
reads 36°F (2°C) on the same thermometer. One more test of the
thermometer gives a reading of 33°F(1°C). What should the chef do now?
Since each reading was within a 4°F range, the chef can now use
the thermometer.
Discard the thermometer since it is not working properly (correct
answer)
Use this thermometer, but adjust her cooking temperatures
appropriately
None of the above
Which of the following is the most appropriate air temperature for the
inside of a cold storage refrigeration unit?
32°F (0°C)
27°F (-2°C)
39°F (3.5°C) (correct answer)
44°F (6°C)
If an emergency arises in your establishment, such as a flood or loss of
electricity, what should you do?
Immediately cease all operations
Continue your normal operations as much as possible
Locate and follow the steps outlined in your emergency
management plan (correct answer)
Have a full staff meeting to discuss different ways to deal with the
emergency
Which of the following types of jewelry are allowed while working in a food
preparation area?
Diamond pendant
Plain wedding band (correct answer)
Emerald-cut sapphire ring
Large silver hoop earrings
A manager wants to maintain a set of records that document his
establishment's efforts to maintain food safety. Which of the following
records should she keep?
Activities related to food safety operations
Corrective actions taken when critical limits were not met
Employee training procedures
All of the above (correct answer)
Which of the following groups is NOT considered a highly susceptible
population (HSP)?
Children
Elderly people
Hospital employees (correct answer)
Pregnant women
People with weak immune systems
The acronym FAT TOM stands for what?
The six primary causes of contamination
The six primary causes of pathogen growth in food (correct
answer)
The six primary causes of salmonella poisoning
The six ways you can maintain a safe food establishment
Kathy knows that she must store chicken salad safely. What is the highest
temperature that she should store the chicken salad?
41°F (5°C) (correct answer)
43°F (6°C)
45°F (7°C)
49°F (9°C)
The temperature danger zone is between ____ and ____.
43°F (6°C) and 130°F (54°C)
70°F (21°C) and 125°F (52°C)
41°F (5°C) and 120°F (49°C)
41°F (5°C) and 135°F (57°C) (correct answer)
If you decide to manually clean and sanitize equipment or utensils, which
of the steps below is in the correct order?
Wash, disassemble (if necessary), rinse, sanitize, rinse again, air
dry
Disassemble (if necessary), rinse, wash, air dry, rinse again,
sanitize
Disassemble (if necessary), rinse, wash, rinse again, sanitize, air
dry (correct answer)
None of the above
Outdoor waste storage containers should be placed:
right outside the back doors so that employees can access them
quickly.
on a concrete or other hard, non-porous surface away from the
back entrance to the establishment. (correct answer)
in a grassy area near the back entrance so that water can drain
from underneath the containers.
None of the above
The definition of a foodborne illness outbreak is:
when 5 or more people contract an illness from eating the same
food.
when 10 or more people contract an illness from eating the same
food.
when 2 or more people contract an illness from eating the same
food. (correct answer)
when 1 or more people contract an illness from eating the same
food.
If done properly, how many days can you store ready-to-eat food in a cold
storage unit?
2 days
3 days
7 days (correct answer)
9 days
Employee training should occur:
weekly.
monthly.
quarterly.
continually during the term of employment. (correct answer)
In order for heat sanitation to work effectively, the temperature of the
water must be _____.
101°F (38°C) or higher
135°F (57°C) or higher
165°F (74°C) or higher
171°F (77°C) or higher (correct answer)
When asked a question about recipe ingredients due to a food allergy,
you should:
check the menu to see if the ingredients of the dish are listed.
allow the designated food allergy expert or food safety manager
(person-in-charge) to answer any customer questions. (correct
answer)
assure the customer that the dish does not contain any food
allergens.
All of the above
If you are providing catering service to an event outside of your
establishment, prepared hot-foods must be maintained at _____ or higher
during the delivery process.
125°F (52°C)
135°F (57°C) (correct answer)
145°F (63°C)
165°F (74°C)
Which of the situations below does NOT require the employee to wash
her hands?
When putting on a new pair of single-use gloves
After using the bathroom
Before washing silverware (correct answer)
After smoking a cigarette
If a recipe calls for ground turkey and ground beef, what is the minimum
safe internal cooked temperature for the recipe?
145°F (63°C)
150°F (66°C)
155°F (68°C)
160°F (71°C)
165°F (74°C) (correct answer)
What is the best way to prevent flies in a food establishment?
Use a high quality fly repellent daily
Practice effective sanitation and cleaning techniques (correct
answer)
Leave trash cans open so the flies will stay near them
None of the above
You have received a shipment of frozen meats. You notice water damage
and large ice crystals in the packaging. This may be a sign that:
the meats are safe because the ice has not melted.
the meats are safe because they are currently frozen.
the meats may be unsafe because of temperature abuse during
delivery. (correct answer)
None of the above
There are certain employee illnesses that you MUST report to the local
regulatory authority. Which of the illnesses listed below is NOT a
reportable illness?
Flu (correct answer)
Jaundice
Salmonella poisoning
Shigella, spp
Hepatitis A
Which of the following is NOT a safe way to serve ready-to-eat foods?
Using tongs
Using deli paper
Using properly washed hands (correct answer)
These are all safe methods.
The serving utensils in a self-service buffet should be stored__________.
in pales of clean water next to the station.
in each of the food items with the handles safely out of the food.
(correct answer)
however you prefer, as long as the food is kept at the proper
holding temperature.
None of the above.
Which of the following items is NOT required at a hand washing sink?
Automatic hand sanitizer dispenser (correct answer)
liquid, bar or powdered hand soap
Waste receptacle
"Hand Washing Only" sign
After removing an egg from cold storage, you break the shell to measure
the temperature of the egg inside. The temperature is 43°F (6°C). Is this
acceptable?
Yes. Eggs are safe at an internal temperature of 45°F or lower.
(correct answer)
No. Eggs must be kept at 41°F or lower.
There is not enough information to answer this question.
The best way to cool hot foods is to:
place the whole uncovered container of food in a freezer so the
cold air can get to it more easily.
place the whole covered container of food in a freezer.
let the food cool slowly over several hours to protect the taste of
the food.
divide the food into small portions and place in shallow pans before
cooling. (correct answer)
What is the best way to prevent cross-contamination of food?
Cut raw meats on a cutting board before cutting cooked meats.
Use the same tongs for both the blueberry and banana nut muffins.
Use separate cutting boards for raw chicken and bread. (correct
answer)
Make sure to cook all fried foods in the same oil so they don't
contaminate other foods.
Which of the following foods is allowed to be prepared at a private home
then sold in your establishment?
Canned fruit preserves
Marinated chicken breasts
Bread pudding
Steamed broccoli
None of the above (correct answer)
Aflatoxin poisoning is most closely associated with the consumption of:
field-grown corn or fungi. (correct answer)
undercooked pork.
undercooked ground beef.
undercooked poultry.
Which of the following pathogens can potentially be killed with long-term,
very cold storage?
Bacteria
Parasites (correct answer)
Viruses
Plant toxins
To safely cool hot foods, the food must cool to 70°F (21°C) in ____ , and
to 41°F (5°C) within ____ .
1 hour, 4 hours
2 hours, 4 hours
3 hours, 5 hours
2 hours, 6 hours (correct answer)
Which of these are NOT considered time and temperature control for
safety food.
Pork chops
Oysters
Un-cut watermelon (correct answer)
Cooked black beans
Baked potatoes
The sensing area of the bi-metal stemmed thermometer is located at the
end of the probe.
TRUE (correct answer)
FALSE
_____ sheets are required for all hazardous chemicals used in your
establishment.
CDC
MSDS (correct answer)
DDS
OSHA
Shellfish tags must be kept on file for ____ days after all the shellfish in
the lot has been used or discarded.
20
50
75
90 (correct answer)
120
What is the minimum required internal temperature for cold foods that are
re-heated using a microwave oven?
135°F (57°C)
145°F (63°C)
155°F (68°C)
165°F (74°C) (correct answer)
Select the three most common chemical sanitizers are Quaternary
ammonium (quats), Iodine, and Chlorine
TRUE (correct answer)
FALSE
What is the most common source of physical contamination of food?
Cleaning chemicals mistakenly included in food.
Loose hair falling into food during preparation. (correct answer)
Broken glass falling into food from faulty light bulbs.
None of the above
Food service employees are prohibited from handling or touching any
service animals while on duty.
true (correct answer)
FALSE
Raw poultry should be stored above raw ground beef because the
minimum required cooking temperature for ground beef is higher than it is
for poultry.
TRUE
Single use gloves can be re-used, as long as they are washed and
sanitized properly.
TRUE
false (correct answer)
false (correct answer)
Cooking a turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) or higher is a
___________.
core item.
priority foundation item.
priority item. (correct answer)
good idea.
A container of vegetable soup is held at 140°F (60°C). After two hours a
temperature reading shows that the soup temperature is now 127°F
(53°C). In order to serve the soup safely, what temperature should the
soup be re-heated to before serving?
140°F (60°C) for 30 seconds
145°F (63°C) for 30 seconds
155°F (68°C) for 15 seconds
165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds (correct answer)