Food Safety & Quality Control Flashcards
7 cards from real CCS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Food Safety & Quality Control flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) in food quality control?
Answer: Altering gas composition to slow spoilage and extend shelf life
MAP modifies the atmosphere inside packaging—typically reducing O2 and increasing CO2 and/or N2—to slow microbial growth and oxidation without sterilization.
During a HACCP audit, a Critical Control Point (CCP) is best described as:
Answer: A step where control can be applied to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard
A CCP is a specific process step where control measures can be applied and are essential to prevent or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.
Which mycotoxin is commonly associated with aflatoxin contamination in peanuts and corn, and is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen?
Answer: Aflatoxin B1
Aflatoxin B1, produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, is the most potent naturally occurring carcinogen classified as Group 1 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
In food quality control, what does a Shewhart control chart primarily monitor?
Answer: Process variation over time to detect out-of-control conditions
Shewhart (X-bar/R) control charts plot process measurements over time with control limits to distinguish normal variation from special cause variation requiring intervention.
The 'danger zone' for bacterial growth in foods is defined as temperatures between:
Answer: 40°F and 140°F (4°C–60°C)
The FDA and USDA define the temperature danger zone as 40°F–140°F (4°C–60°C), where most foodborne pathogens multiply rapidly.
Which sanitizer is most effective against norovirus on food contact surfaces and requires no rinsing at low concentrations?
Answer: Chlorine-based sanitizers (sodium hypochlorite)
Chlorine-based sanitizers are the most effective and widely approved agents against norovirus on food contact surfaces, with EPA-registered solutions used at 50–200 ppm.
What is the role of a 'kill step' in food processing from a HACCP perspective?
Answer: A validated process step that reduces a target pathogen by a specified log reduction
A kill step is a validated intervention (e.g., heat, irradiation, HPP) that achieves a defined log reduction of a target pathogen, such as a 5-log reduction of Salmonella.