ServSafe Practice Test 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: When can glass thermometers be used?

when candy is being made
when checking liquids
when enclosed in a shatterproof casing (Correct answer)
when hanging in a cooler

Correct answer: when enclosed in a shatterproof casing

Glass thermometers are generally discouraged in food service due to the risk of breakage and potential glass contamination in food. If they must be used, they are only permitted when enclosed in a shatterproof casing. This casing provides a protective barrier, minimizing the hazard of glass fragments entering food if the thermometer breaks.

Question 2: Why should food temperatures be taken in two different locations?

to ensure the thermometer is calibrated correctly
it is required by the manufacturer
to ensure the thermometer is accurate to +/-2 degrees
temperature may vary in the food (Correct answer)

Correct answer: temperature may vary in the food

Food temperatures should be taken in two different locations, specifically in the thickest parts of the food, because temperature can vary throughout a dish. This practice ensures that the coldest part of the food has reached the minimum safe internal temperature, confirming that all potential pathogens have been destroyed and the food is safe to eat.

Question 3: A food handler is prepping a seafood dish on April 4, using shrimp and scallops. The shrimp has a use-by date of April 8, and the scallops have a use-by date of April 10. What is the use-by date for the seafood dish?

April 4
April 8 (Correct answer)
April 10
April 12

Correct answer: April 8

When preparing a dish with multiple ingredients, the use-by date for the entire dish must be the earliest use-by date of any single ingredient. This rule ensures that the food is consumed before any component has a chance to spoil or become unsafe. In this case, the shrimp's use-by date of April 8 dictates the dish's use-by date.

Question 4: What information must be included on the label of food packaged on-site for retail sale?

pack date
list of ingredients (Correct answer)
storage guidelines
serving size

Correct answer: list of ingredients

Food packaged on-site for retail sale must include a clear label with essential information for the consumer. This includes the common name of the food, a list of ingredients in descending order by weight, and any major allergens. This information helps consumers make informed choices and ensures food safety, especially for those with allergies.

Question 5: How should an item that has been recalled by its manufacturer be stored in an operation?

together with food that will be served
separately from food that will be served (Correct answer)
in vacuum-packed bags
in self-draining containers

Correct answer: separately from food that will be served

Recalled food items pose a significant risk of contamination or illness. To prevent them from being accidentally used or contaminating other safe food, they must be clearly labeled and stored physically separate from all other food, equipment, utensils, and linens. This segregation ensures they are not served to customers and can be properly handled according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Question 6: A food handler has just finished storing a dry food delivery. Which step was done correctly?

stored food away from the wall (Correct answer)
stored food 4 inches off the floor
stored food underneath a stairwell
stored food in an empty chemical container

Correct answer: stored food away from the wall

Storing food away from the wall, typically at least six inches, is a crucial ServSafe guideline for dry storage. This practice allows for proper air circulation, helps prevent moisture buildup, and makes it easier to clean the area and inspect for pests. Options B, C, and D describe incorrect or unsafe storage practices.

Question 7: Which item should be rejected?

bags of organic cookies in torn packaging (Correct answer)
bottled mild at 41 degrees
shell eggs at an air temperature of 45 degrees
live oysters at 50 degrees

Correct answer: bags of organic cookies in torn packaging

Food with torn packaging should always be rejected because it compromises the product's safety and quality. Torn packaging can expose the food to physical contaminants, pests, and moisture, making it unsafe for consumption. The other options describe acceptable receiving temperatures for bottled milk, shell eggs, and live oysters, respectively.

Question 8: Ready-to-eat TCS food prepped in-house must be date marked if it is held for more than how many hours?

12 hours
24 hours (Correct answer)
48 hours
72 hours

Correct answer: 24 hours

Ready-to-eat TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) food prepared in-house must be date marked if it will be held for more than 24 hours. This date marking indicates when the food must be sold, eaten, or thrown out, which is typically within seven days from the date it was prepared, provided it has been held at 41°F (5°C) or lower. This practice helps prevent the growth of spoilage microorganisms and pathogens.

Question 9: A local nursing home has a yearly barbecue for its residents. Which food item should not be served?

deviled eggs
potato salad
raw carrots
rare hamburgers (Correct answer)

Correct answer: rare hamburgers

Rare hamburgers should not be served to high-risk populations, such as residents in a nursing home. High-risk individuals, including the elderly, young children, and immunocompromised people, are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses from undercooked foods, especially ground beef which can harbor E. coli throughout. Foods like rare meat, raw sprouts, and unpasteurized juice should be avoided for these groups.

Question 10: When transporting food off-site, how should information such as a use-by date and time be communicated to the off-site staff?

telephone
text or email message
labels on food (Correct answer)
verbal instructions

Correct answer: labels on food

When transporting food off-site, critical information like use-by dates and times must be clearly communicated to the off-site staff. The most effective and reliable method is to use labels directly on the food packaging. This ensures the information is consistently available, reduces the risk of miscommunication, and helps maintain food safety and proper rotation at the receiving location.

Question 11: What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for a veal chop?

135 degrees
145 degrees (Correct answer)
155 degrees
165 degrees

Correct answer: 145 degrees

A veal chop is considered a cut of meat, similar to beef or pork roasts and steaks. According to ServSafe guidelines, these types of whole cuts of meat, including veal, must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds. This temperature ensures that harmful bacteria are destroyed, making the food safe for consumption.

Question 12: How many hours can cold food be held without refrigeration before it must be sold, served, or thrown out?

2 hours
4 hours
6 hours (Correct answer)
8 hours

Correct answer: 6 hours

Cold food can be held without temperature control for a maximum of six hours, provided certain conditions are met. The food must not exceed 70°F (21°C) during this time, it must be held at 41°F (5°C) or lower before removal from refrigeration, and it must be clearly labeled with the time it was removed and the discard time. After six hours, the food must be discarded.

Question 13: Lasagna was removed from hot holding for service at 11:00 AM. By what time must it be served or thrown out?

12:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM (Correct answer)
4:00 PM

Correct answer: 3:00 PM

Hot food can be held without temperature control for a maximum of four hours, provided it was held at 135°F (57°C) or higher before removal. In this scenario, if the lasagna was removed at 11:00 AM, it must be served or discarded by 3:00 PM (11:00 AM + 4 hours). This rule helps prevent the rapid growth of pathogens in the temperature danger zone.

Question 14: What should be dome with preset, unwrapped utensils that appear to be unused after guests have left the table?

wrap the utensils with a clean napkin
leave the utensils for the next guest
clean and sanitize the utensils (Correct answer)
wipe off the utensils and reuse

Correct answer: clean and sanitize the utensils

Preset, unwrapped utensils, even if they appear unused, must be cleaned and sanitized after guests have left the table. This is because they could have been contaminated by airborne pathogens, sneezes, coughs, or touched by guests. Re-serving them without proper cleaning and sanitizing poses a significant food safety risk.

Question 15: What rule for serving bread should food handlers practice?

do no re-serve uneaten bread (Correct answer)
reheat uneaten bread before serving to other customers
recycle unused, uncovered butter for use in other food items
clean and sanitize bread baskets between each customer

Correct answer: do no re-serve uneaten bread

ServSafe guidelines strictly prohibit re-serving uneaten bread or rolls to other customers. Once bread has been served to a customer, it is considered potentially contaminated and must be discarded, even if it appears untouched. This rule prevents the spread of pathogens and ensures customer safety.

Question 16: In a self-service area, bulk unpackaged food does not need a label if the product...

makes a claim about health or nutrient content
does not make a claim about health or nutrient content (Correct answer)
had been prepared at an unregulated processing plant
has been prepared at a vendor's processing plant

Correct answer: does not make a claim about health or nutrient content

In a self-service area, bulk unpackaged food generally requires a label with the common name of the food. However, an exception exists if the food does not make a claim regarding health or nutrient content, and there are no laws requiring a label, and the food is prepared on-site or at another operation owned by the same person. This exception simplifies labeling for basic, common items.

Question 17: The temperature of duck breast is checked during cooking. According to the operation's policy, the duck breast must be cooked for 16 minutes to allow the internal temperature to reach 165 degrees. What HACCP principle is addressed by cooking the duck breast to 165 degrees?

hazard analysis
verification
monitoring
critical limit (Correct answer)

Correct answer: critical limit

A critical limit is a maximum or minimum value to which a biological, chemical, or physical parameter must be controlled at a critical control point to prevent, eliminate, or reduce to an acceptable level the occurrence of a food safety hazard. Cooking the duck breast to 165°F (74°C) is a specific temperature requirement designed to eliminate pathogens, thus establishing a critical limit for that cooking step.

Question 18: What must a food handler with an infected hand wound do to work safely with food?

cover the wound with an impermeable cover and wear a single-use glove (Correct answer)
avoid working with raw food until the wound is completely dry
place a bandage on the wound
apply hand sanitizer to the wound

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

An infected hand wound can harbor pathogens and contaminate food. To work safely, a food handler must cover the wound with an impermeable cover, such as a finger cot or bandage, and then wear a single-use glove over it. This two-layer protection prevents pathogens from the wound from reaching food and ensures proper hygiene.

Question 19: Which of these food processes does not require a variance from a regulatory authority?

smoking food as a method to preserve it
buying bean sprouts from a reputable supplier (Correct answer)
curing food
pasteurizing juice on-site

Correct answer: buying bean sprouts from a reputable supplier

A variance is a document issued by a regulatory authority that allows a food establishment to deviate from certain code requirements. Processes like smoking food for preservation, curing food, or pasteurizing juice on-site are considered specialized processes that carry higher risks and typically require a variance. Simply buying food from an approved, reputable supplier is a standard practice and does not require a variance.

Question 20: What is a cross-connection?

backflow of clean water into dirty water
physical link between safe water and dirty water (Correct answer)
water transport vehicle
approved public water main

Correct answer: physical link between safe water and dirty water

A cross-connection is a dangerous physical link between safe (potable) water and dirty (non-potable) water. This link can allow backflow, where contaminated water flows backward into the safe water supply, posing a severe health hazard. Preventing cross-connections is crucial for maintaining a safe water supply in a food establishment.

Question 21: What information must be posted on a dishwasher?

manufacturer phone number
correct settings (Correct answer)
recommended sanitizing amounts
schedule for cleaning

Correct answer: correct settings

Dishwashers, especially high-temperature machines, must have information about their correct operating settings posted nearby. This includes water temperature, conveyor speed, and chemical concentration (if applicable). This ensures that staff operate the machine correctly to achieve proper cleaning and sanitization, preventing foodborne illness.

Question 22: What scenario can lead to pest infestation?

storing recyclables in paper bags (Correct answer)
cleaning up spills around garbage containers
rotating products using the FIFO method
Installing air curtains above doors

Correct answer: storing recyclables in paper bags

Storing recyclables in paper bags, especially if they contain food residue, provides an attractive food source and harborage for pests like rodents and insects. Paper bags are easily chewed through, and the contents can draw pests into the operation. Proper pest management requires storing recyclables in clean, pest-proof containers away from the building.

Question 23: What is the first step in developing a HACCP plan?

identify corrective actions
conduct a hazard analysis (Correct answer)
establish monitoring procedures
determine critical control points

Correct answer: conduct a hazard analysis

The first and foundational step in developing a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan is to conduct a hazard analysis. This involves identifying potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards that could occur at each step of the food preparation process and determining which hazards are significant and must be controlled.

Question 24: What factors influence the effectiveness of a chemical sanitizer?

conccentration, temperature, contact time, pH, and water hardness (Correct answer)
concentration, absorbncy, moisture, alkalinity, salinity
concentration, protein, acidity, air temperature, strength
concentration, water activity, reactivity, pressure, density

Correct answer: conccentration, temperature, contact time, pH, and water hardness

The effectiveness of a chemical sanitizer is influenced by several critical factors. These include the correct concentration of the sanitizer, the water temperature, the contact time the sanitizer has with the surface, the pH of the water, and the water hardness. Deviations from recommended levels for any of these factors can render the sanitizer ineffective.

Question 25: What is the first step of cleaning and sanitizing stationary equipment?

take off removable parts
unplug the unit (Correct answer)
spray the surface with cleanser
wash the equipment surface using hot water

Correct answer: unplug the unit

Before cleaning and sanitizing any stationary equipment, the absolute first step is to unplug the unit. This is a crucial safety measure that prevents accidental startup, electrical shock, or injury to the person cleaning the equipment. Safety always comes first when dealing with machinery.

Question 26: What temperature should the water be for manual dishwashing?

70 degrees
90 degrees
100 degrees
110 degrees (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 110 degrees

For manual dishwashing, the wash water in the first sink compartment should be at least 110°F (43°C). This hot water helps to effectively loosen food particles and grease from dishes before they are rinsed and then sanitized. Maintaining this temperature is essential for proper cleaning.

ServSafe Practice Test 2

When can glass thermometers be used?