ServSafe Practice Test 3 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following food items does NOT require temperature control for safety (is not a TCS food)?
- Cooked beans
- Sliced melons
- Whole uncut tomatoes (Correct answer)
- Pasteurized dairy products
Correct answer: Whole uncut tomatoes
Whole, uncut tomatoes are not TCS foods because their intact skin provides a barrier; once sliced, they become TCS foods.
A whole, uncut tomato is not classified as a TCS food because the intact skin provides a barrier against microbial contamination and the interior remains protected. However, once a tomato is cut or sliced, it becomes a TCS food because the flesh has a pH in the range of 4.6–4.7 (borderline), has available moisture, and nutrients — and the protective skin barrier is broken. Cooked beans (high moisture, neutral pH after cooking), sliced melons (high moisture, neutral pH), and pasteurized dairy products (high moisture, near-neutral pH) are all TCS foods that require temperature control.
Question 2: A walk-in cooler is at 50°F (10°C). How long can TCS food safely remain in it before it must be discarded or the cooler repaired?
- The food is already unsafe and must be discarded immediately
- Up to 2 hours, then discard
- Up to 4 hours cumulative in the danger zone before discarding (Correct answer)
- Up to 6 hours if the temperature rises no further
Correct answer: Up to 4 hours cumulative in the danger zone before discarding
TCS food can be held in the temperature danger zone for a cumulative maximum of 4 hours before it must be discarded.
ServSafe's time-temperature principle states that TCS food held in the temperature danger zone (41°F–135°F) for a cumulative total exceeding 4 hours must be discarded. When the walk-in cooler is at 50°F, TCS food is in the danger zone. Managers must track how long the food has been at this unsafe temperature. If the total time in the danger zone is already 4 hours or will reach 4 hours before the cooler can be repaired, the food must be discarded. If under 4 hours, food may be moved to a working cooler. Managers should have temperature logs to determine when the temperature deviation began.
Question 3: What is the minimum internal temperature for cooking pork ribs?
- 135°F (57°C)
- 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
Pork ribs are a whole cut of pork and must be cooked to 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds (or time-temperature equivalents).
Pork ribs are a whole, intact cut of pork. ServSafe requires whole cuts of pork to be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds. This temperature is sufficient to destroy Trichinella spiralis and Salmonella, the primary concerns in pork. However, for roasts (which are denser and require the heat to penetrate further), a 4-minute hold time at 145°F is required as an alternative. Many chefs cook pork ribs to 190°F–205°F for culinary quality (fall-off-the-bone texture), but from a food safety standpoint, 145°F for 15 seconds is the minimum.
Question 4: What must a food manager do if they discover that frozen food was received thawed and re-frozen?
- Accept the food if it is still cold to the touch
- Accept if the food shows no signs of spoilage
- Reject the food because the temperature history is unknown (Correct answer)
- Accept only if the supplier provides documentation of safe handling
Correct answer: Reject the food because the temperature history is unknown
Food that has been thawed and re-frozen must be rejected because it is impossible to verify that safe temperature controls were maintained during thawing.
When receiving deliveries, food managers must reject products that show evidence of thawing and refreezing. Signs of thaw-refreeze include: large ice crystals throughout the package, discoloration, liquid pooling at the bottom, or deformed packaging. The reason for rejection is that it is impossible to determine whether safe time-temperature controls were maintained during the thaw cycle — the food may have spent time in the temperature danger zone. Refreezing does not eliminate pathogens or toxins that may have formed during thawing. Managers should document and return rejected products.
Question 5: At what point in the flow of food does HACCP identify a 'critical control point' (CCP)?
- Any point where contamination could theoretically occur
- A step at which control can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard (Correct answer)
- The final step before food is served to customers
- Any step that is monitored with a thermometer
Correct answer: A step at which control can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard
A CCP is a specific step in the flow of food where control measures can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a hazard to an acceptable level.
In HACCP, a Critical Control Point (CCP) is a step in the food production or service process at which a control measure can be applied to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. Common CCPs include: the cooking step (where heat destroys pathogens), the cooling step (where temperature control prevents growth), and receiving (where contaminated food can be rejected). Not every step where a hazard could exist is a CCP — a CCP must be a point where a specific, measurable control can be applied. This is determined during the CCP decision tree analysis in HACCP planning.
Question 6: Food service employees must wash their hands BEFORE which of the following activities?
- After using the restroom only
- Before putting on a fresh apron
- Before putting on single-use gloves to handle food (Correct answer)
- Before taking out the trash
Correct answer: Before putting on single-use gloves to handle food
Hands must be washed before putting on gloves to prevent transferring pathogens from hands to gloves and then to food.
ServSafe requires food handlers to wash their hands before putting on single-use gloves. Gloves create a physical barrier between hands and food, but they do not compensate for contaminated hands. If pathogens are present on hands when gloves are put on, those pathogens may transfer to the outside of the gloves during the donning process. Hands must also be washed: before working with food, before working with clean equipment, after using the restroom, after handling raw meat/poultry/fish, after touching hair or face, after coughing or sneezing, and after taking out trash or handling garbage.
ServSafe Practice Test 3 2
Which of the following food items does NOT require temperature control for safety (is not a TCS food)?