ServSafe Manager Exam 7 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is FAT TOM?
- A list of the six conditions that allow pathogens to grow (Correct answer)
- A cooling method for large batches of hot food
- A personal hygiene checklist for food handlers
- A type of foodborne toxin produced by mold
Correct answer: A list of the six conditions that allow pathogens to grow
FAT TOM stands for Food, Acidity, Temperature, Time, Oxygen, and Moisture — the six conditions that favor the growth of foodborne pathogens.
FAT TOM is an acronym representing the six environmental factors that support pathogen growth: Food (nutrients), Acidity (pH 4.6–7.5 is ideal), Temperature (41°F–135°F danger zone), Time (pathogens need time to multiply), Oxygen (most pathogens require oxygen, though some anaerobes do not), and Moisture (measured as water activity, Aw ≥ 0.85). Understanding FAT TOM allows food managers to design controls — such as refrigeration, pH adjustment, and rapid cooking — that prevent pathogen proliferation.
Question 2: Which type of hazard is represented by a bone fragment found in a fish fillet?
- Biological hazard
- Chemical hazard
- Physical hazard (Correct answer)
- Allergen hazard
Correct answer: Physical hazard
Bone fragments are physical hazards — foreign objects that can cause injury when consumed.
ServSafe categorizes food safety hazards into three types: biological (pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi), chemical (cleaning agents, pesticides, heavy metals), and physical (foreign objects like glass shards, metal fragments, bone pieces, or stones). A bone fragment in a fish fillet is a physical hazard. Physical hazards can cause choking, cuts to the mouth or throat, or broken teeth. HACCP plans must address all three types of hazards during the hazard analysis step.
Question 3: A food handler has a cut on their hand with a bandage. What additional step must they take before handling ready-to-eat food?
- Apply antiseptic to the cut before starting work
- Cover the bandage with a single-use glove (Correct answer)
- Notify their manager and take the rest of the day off
- Wash the bandaged hand twice before each task
Correct answer: Cover the bandage with a single-use glove
A bandage must be covered with a single-use glove to prevent the bandage itself from becoming a physical or biological contaminant in food.
ServSafe requires that bandages on hands must be covered with a single-use glove when an employee is handling food, especially ready-to-eat (RTE) food. Bandages can harbor blood-borne pathogens and can also fall off into food, creating a physical hazard. For wounds on other body parts, a waterproof bandage or covering is required. Managers must monitor employees for compliance, particularly when handling exposed RTE foods that will not undergo further cooking.
Question 4: Ready-to-eat foods prepared in-house must be date-marked if they will be held for more than how many hours?
- 12 hours
- 24 hours
- 36 hours
- 48 hours (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 48 hours
Ready-to-eat foods prepared in the operation must be date-marked if they will be held for more than 24 hours.
ServSafe and FDA Food Code require that ready-to-eat (RTE) foods prepared on-site must be date-marked if they will be held for longer than 24 hours. The date mark must indicate the use-by date, which cannot exceed 7 days from the date of preparation when held at 41°F (5°C) or below. This rule prevents the accumulation of time-temperature abuses and helps identify potentially hazardous food that may have entered the danger zone for excessive periods. Commercially prepared RTE foods must be date-marked when their original container is opened.
Question 5: Which of the following describes cross-contamination?
- A food handler not washing hands between tasks
- Raw chicken juices dripping onto ready-to-eat lettuce in the refrigerator (Correct answer)
- Storing cleaning chemicals next to food products
- A patron complaining about a foreign object in their food
Correct answer: Raw chicken juices dripping onto ready-to-eat lettuce in the refrigerator
Cross-contamination occurs when pathogens are transferred from one food to another, such as raw chicken juices dripping onto RTE lettuce.
Cross-contamination is the transfer of pathogens from one surface or food to another. A classic example is raw chicken juices dripping onto ready-to-eat (RTE) foods like lettuce in a refrigerator. To prevent cross-contamination, food must be stored in the correct order in refrigerators: ready-to-eat food on top, seafood below, whole cuts of beef and pork below that, ground meats below that, and whole poultry on the bottom. This order is based on increasing required cooking temperatures.
Question 6: What minimum internal temperature must shell eggs be cooked to when prepared for immediate service?
- 135°F (57°C) for 15 seconds
- 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds (Correct answer)
- 155°F (68°C) for 15 seconds
- 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds
Correct answer: 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds
Shell eggs cooked for immediate service must reach 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds.
ServSafe requires shell eggs cooked for immediate service to reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds. This temperature is sufficient to kill Salmonella Enteritidis, which can be present inside intact eggs. However, for eggs cooked for a highly susceptible population (HSP) — such as the elderly, immunocompromised, or young children — eggs must be fully cooked with no runny yolk to 155°F to ensure safety. Eggs that are pooled or combined must reach 155°F (68°C).
ServSafe Manager Exam 7 2
What is FAT TOM?