ServSafe Food Handler Practice Test 3 Answers

A food handler who has just bused tables must do what before handling food?

Change apron
Wash hands
Put disposable gloves back on
Wipe hands on a cloth towel

Answer : Wash hands

What should a manager of a quick-service operation do if a food handler reports having a sore throat and a fever?

Exclude the food handler from the operation.
Report the illness to the local regulatory authority
Speak with the food handler’s medical practitioner
Restrict the food handler from working with food.

Answer : Restrict the food handler from working with food.

Three components of active managerial control include

identifying risks, creating specifications, and training.
identifying risks, corrective action, and training.
identifying risks, creating purchase orders, and training.
identifying risks, record keeping, and training

Answer : identifying risks, corrective action, and training.

Outdoor garbage containers must be

washed frequently.
kept covered with tight-fitting lids.
kept away from customer parking areas.
lined with plastic or wet-strength paper.

Answer : kept covered with tight-fitting lids.

A handwashing station should have a garbage container, hot and cold water, signage, a way to dry hands, and

soap.
a timer.
a clock.
gloves.

Answer : soap.

What is the best way to eliminate pests that have entered the operation?

Raise the heat in the operation after-hours.
Lower the heat in the operation after-hours.
Work with a licensed pest control operator (PCO)
Apply over-the-counter pesticides around the operation.

Answer : Raise the heat in the operation after-hours.

What is the definition of sanitizing?

Washing a surface to a clean level
Using a cloth on a surface until it is clean
Removing the amount of dirt on a surface to safe levels
Reducing the pathogens on a surface to safe levels

Answer : Reducing the pathogens on a surface to safe levels

How often must you check the temperature of hot food that is being held with temperature control?

At least every 2 hours
At least every 4 hours
At least every 6 hours
At least every 8 hours

Answer : t least every 4 hours

What is the maximum amount of time that ready-to-eat TCS food can be stored in a cooler at 41°F (5°C) before it must be sold, served, or thrown out?

2 days
5 days
7 days
9 days

Answer : 7 days

How long must shellstock tags be kept on file?

30 days after the day the shellfish were received
90 days after the day the shellfish were received
30 days after the last shellfish was sold or served from the container
90 days after the last shellfish was sold or served from the container

Answer : 90 days after the last shellfish was sold or served from the container

When receiving a delivery of food for an operation, it is important to

inspect only the TCS food
inspect all food immediately before storing it.
stack the delivery neatly and inspect it within 12 hours.
store it immediately and inspect it later

Answer : inspect all food immediately before storing it.

Ready-to-eat TCS food must be date marked if it will be stored for longer than

12 hours
24 hours.
36 hours.
48 hours.

Answer : 24 hours.

Cut melons should be stored at what internal temperature?

41°F (5°C) or lower
45°F (7°C) or lower
51°F (11°C) or lower
55°F (13°C) or lower

Answer : 41°F (5°C) or lower

What action should a manager take when a food handler reports having diarrhea and being diagnosed with a foodborne

illness caused by Shigella spp.?

Keep the food handler away from duties that involve food.
Exclude the food handler from the operation.
Make sure the food handler is supplied with disposable gloves.
Make sure the food handler washes hands often

Answer : Exclude the food handler from the operation.

What is one factor that affects the growth of bacteria in food?

Leanness
Density
Ripeness
Acidity

Answer : Acidity

Which item is stored correctly in the cooler?

Macaroni salad stored above raw salmon
Raw ground pork stored below raw poultry
Raw poultry stored above raw pork roast
Sliced pineapple stored below raw steaks

Answer : Macaroni salad stored above raw salmon

What step must managers take after creating a master cleaning schedule and training staff to use it?

Monitor the cleaning program
Determine what should be cleaned
Determine who should do each task
Time staff on how long they take to clean

Answer : Monitor the cleaning program

Why are preschool-age children at a higher risk for getting a foodborne illness?

They do not have strong appetites
They do not receive enough nutrition.
They are more likely to suffer allergic reactions
They have not yet built up their immune systems

Answer : They have not yet built up their immune systems

Which does not require sanitizing?

Plates
Knives
Walls
Tongs

Answer : Walls

To work with food, a food handler with an infected hand wound must

cover the wound with an impermeable cover and wear a single-use glove
cover the wound with an impermeable cover and limit contact with food.
wash hands and bandage the wound with an impermeable cover.
apply ointment and bandage the wound with an impermeable cover

Answer : cover the wound with an impermeable cover and wear a single-use glove

To make sure that the chemical sanitizer being used on a food-prep surface is at the correct strength,

rinse it from the surface and then apply it a second time
test the surface first to confirm that there are no pathogens.
heat it to the temperature recommended by the manufacturer
use a test kit to check the sanitizer’s concentration when mixing it.

Answer : use a test kit to check the sanitizer’s concentration when mixing it.

Where should staff members eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum?

Where customers cannot see them
Outside the kitchen door
Dishwashing areas
Designated areas

Answer : Designated areas

Which action could contaminate food at a self-service area?

Keeping hot TCS food at 135°F (57°C)
Allowing customers to reuse plates
Labeling all containers and handles
Taking food temperatures every hour

Answer : Allowing customers to reuse plates

How high should floor-mounted equipment be from the floor?

At least 1 inch (3 centimeters)
At least 2 inches (5 centimeters)
At least 4 inches (10 centimeters)
At least 6 inches (15 centimeters)

Answer : At least 6 inches (15 centimeters)

Using one set of cutting boards for raw poultry and another set of cutting boards for ready-to-eat food reduces the risk of

cross-contamination.
time-temperature abuse.
physical contamination.
toxic-metal poisoning.

Answer : cross-contamination.

How should food handlers keep their fingernails?

Short and unpolished
Long and unpolished
Long and painted with nail polish
Short and painted with nail polish

Answer : Short and unpolished

A broken water main has caused the water in an operation to appear brown. What should the manager do?

Contact the local regulatory authority before use.
Use the water for everything except dishwashing
Boil the water for 1 minute before use.
Use the water for everything except handwashing.

Answer : Contact the local regulatory authority before use.

When preparing to wash dishes in a three-compartment sink, what is the first task?

Remove leftover food from the dishes.
Fill the first sink with detergent and water.
Clean and sanitize the sinks and drain boards.
Make sure there is a working clock with a second hand.

Answer : Clean and sanitize the sinks and drain boards.

Which food item may be handled with bare hands?

Cooked pasta for salad
Chopped potatoes for soup
Canned tuna for sandwiches
Pickled watermelon for garnish

Answer : Chopped potatoes for soup

Peanuts and soy products are two possible food items that can be dangerous for people with

FAT TOM.
food allergies.
chemical sensitivity.
poor personal hygiene.

Answer : food allergies.

Which agency enforces food safety in a restaurant or foodservice operation?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
State or local regulatory authority
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Answer : State or local regulatory authority

As part of handwashing, food handlers must scrub their hands and arms for at least

3 seconds.
5 seconds
10 seconds
20 seconds.

Answer : 10 seconds

Wheezing and hives are symptoms of

food allergies.
Norovirus
botulism.
hepatitis A.

Answer : food allergies.

What is a cross-connection?

Threaded faucet
Device that prevents a vacuum
Brass valve that mixes hot and cold water
Physical link between sources of safe and dirty water

Answer : Physical link between sources of safe and dirty water

Pathogens are likely to grow well in a meat stew that is

below freezing temperature
at refrigeration temperatures
between 41°F and 135°F (5°C and 57°C).
cooked to the correct internal temperature.

Answer : between 41°F and 135°F (5°C and 57°C).

When pouring sanitizer from its original container into a spray bottle, the spray bottle must be labeled with the

common name of the chemical.
expiration date of the chemical.
date the chemical was transferred.
name of the person who transferred the chemical.

Answer : common name of the chemical.

A catering employee removed a tray of lasagna from hot-holding for service in a hotel conference room at 11:00 am. By what time must the lasagna be thrown out?

12:00 p.m
2:00 p.m
3:00 p.m
4:00 p.m.

Answer : 3:00 p.m

Which is a TCS food?

Bananas
Coffee
Crackers
Sprouts

Answer : Sprouts

A recall has been issued for a specific brand of orange juice. The store manager has matched the information from the recall notice to the item, removed the item from inventory, and stored it in a secure location. What should the manager do next?

Refer to the vendor notification for next steps
Contact the supplier and arrange for the product to be picked up
Label the item to prevent it from accidently being placed back in inventory
Inform the local media, customers, and employees of the reason for the recall

Answer : Label the item to prevent it from accidently being placed back in inventory

To prevent the deliberate contamination of food, a manager should know who is in the facility, monitor the security of products, keep information related to food security on file, and know

when to register with the EPA.
how to fill out an incident report.
where to find Safety Data Sheets in the operation.
whom to contact about suspicious activity.

Answer : whom to contact about suspicious activity.