Cooking Lessons Food Safety and Sanitation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the temperature danger zone where bacteria multiply most rapidly in food?
- 50°F to 160°F (10°C to 71°C)
- 32°F to 100°F (0°C to 38°C)
- 60°F to 180°F (16°C to 82°C)
- 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C)
Bacteria grow fastest between 41°F and 135°F, so food should pass through this range as quickly as possible.
Question 2: To what minimum internal temperature should ground beef be cooked to be safe?
- 125°F (52°C)
- 135°F (57°C)
- 160°F (71°C) (Correct answer)
- 145°F (63°C)
Correct answer: 160°F (71°C)
Grinding spreads surface bacteria throughout the meat, so ground beef must reach 160°F internally.
Question 3: Which is the safest method for thawing a frozen chicken?
- On the kitchen counter overnight
- Near a warm oven
- In a bowl of warm water
- In the refrigerator at 40°F or below (Correct answer)
Correct answer: In the refrigerator at 40°F or below
Refrigerator thawing keeps the chicken out of the temperature danger zone the entire time.
Question 4: A cook slices raw chicken and then uses the same unwashed cutting board for salad vegetables. What hazard has occurred?
- Time-temperature abuse
- Chemical contamination
- Cross-contamination (Correct answer)
- Physical contamination
Correct answer: Cross-contamination
Transferring pathogens from raw meat to ready-to-eat food via shared surfaces is cross-contamination.
Question 5: How long should you scrub your hands with soap when washing them before food preparation?
- 5 seconds
- At least 2 minutes
- 10 seconds with cold water only
- At least 20 seconds (Correct answer)
Correct answer: At least 20 seconds
A minimum 20-second scrub with soap and warm water effectively removes pathogens from hands.
Question 6: Cooked rice left out at room temperature can cause food poisoning primarily due to which bacterium?
- Vibrio vulnificus
- Legionella
- Brucella
- Bacillus cereus (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Bacillus cereus
Bacillus cereus spores survive cooking and produce toxins in rice held at room temperature.
Question 7: What is the maximum amount of time perishable food can safely sit at room temperature before it should be discarded?
- 6 hours if covered
- 4 hours in all conditions
- 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F) (Correct answer)
- 8 hours if in a sealed container
Correct answer: 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F)
Perishables should be refrigerated within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the ambient temperature exceeds 90°F.
Cooking Lessons Food Safety and Sanitation 2
What is the temperature danger zone where bacteria multiply most rapidly in food?