ServSafe Manager Practice Questions with Explanations
Questions
When is a foodborne illness considered an outbreak?
- Two or more people get the same illness after eating the same food
- One person reports stomach pain after eating a single meal
- A health inspector writes up a critical violation during a visit
- Three customers complain that their food arrived cold at the table
Which group is at higher risk for foodborne illness?
- Preschool-age children
- Teenagers in high school
- Healthy adults ages 25 to 40
- College athletes in training
Which person is in a high-risk population for foodborne illness?
- A patient receiving chemotherapy
- A healthy 30-year-old line cook
- A 16-year-old soccer player
- A 50-year-old office manager
Why are older adults at higher risk for foodborne illness?
- Their immune systems weaken with age
- They usually eat more raw food
- They eat at restaurants more often
- Their stomachs produce extra acid
Which federal agency writes the FDA Food Code that many states adopt?
- FDA
- USDA
- CDC
- OSHA
Who inspects restaurants and enforces food safety rules at the local level?
- State and local regulatory authorities
- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- The restaurant's own food suppliers
Which agency regulates and inspects meat, poultry, and eggs?
- USDA
- FDA
- CDC
- EPA
Which is one of the five most common risk factors for foodborne illness?
- Holding food at incorrect temperatures
- Serving food on disposable plates
- Offering too many items on the menu
- Storing dry goods in a cool, dry room
Which food is a TCS food (needs time and temperature control)?
- Sliced cantaloupe
- A whole, uncut apple
- Saltine crackers
- Uncooked dry rice
Which food is a TCS food?
- Cooked rice
- Dry pasta
- A loaf of bread
- Granulated sugar
Food has stayed too long at temperatures that let pathogens grow. What has happened?
- Time-temperature abuse
- Cross-contamination
- Allergen cross-contact
- Deliberate contamination
Which is an example of cross-contamination?
- Raw chicken juice drips onto salad greens
- Chili is reheated to only 140°F
- A server forgets to label a container
- Soup takes ten hours to cool down
Which is a real cost of a foodborne illness outbreak for an operation?
- Loss of customers and sales
- Lower insurance premiums
- Better staff morale
- Fewer health inspections
What are the three categories of food safety hazards?
- Biological, chemical, and physical
- Biological, thermal, and electrical
- Chemical, physical, and mechanical
- Microbial, viral, and fungal
Poor personal hygiene is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness.
Which is an example of poor cleaning and sanitizing?
- Wiping a cutting board instead of washing it
- Storing raw beef below ready-to-eat food
- Cooking ground beef to 155°F for 17 seconds
- Labeling leftovers with a discard date
What does FAT TOM stand for?
- Food, acidity, temperature, time, oxygen, moisture
- Food, air, temperature, time, oil, moisture
- Fat, acidity, toxins, time, oxygen, minerals
- Food, acidity, texture, taste, oxygen, moisture
What is the temperature danger zone?
- 41°F to 135°F
- 32°F to 100°F
- 45°F to 165°F
- 50°F to 150°F
In which temperature range do pathogens grow fastest?
- 70°F to 125°F
- 41°F to 70°F
- 125°F to 165°F
- 135°F to 165°F
Pathogens grow best in food with which pH?
- Neutral to slightly acidic (4.6 to 7.5)
- Highly acidic (below 4.0)
- Highly alkaline, with a pH above 9.0 or so
- Exactly neutral (7.0) only
Pathogens grow well in food with a water activity (aw) of...
- 0.85 or higher
- 0.50 or lower
- 0.20 to 0.40
- Exactly 0.60
Which pathogen is most commonly linked to cooked rice that was cooled or held improperly?
- Bacillus cereus
- Vibrio vulnificus
- Hepatitis A
- Anisakis simplex
Which pathogen is most often linked to large batches of meat stews or gravy that were cooled incorrectly?
- Clostridium perfringens
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Norovirus
- Shigella spp.
Garlic-in-oil mixtures and improperly canned food are linked to which pathogen?
- Clostridium botulinum
- Bacillus cereus
- Salmonella Typhi
- Listeria monocytogenes
Staphylococcus aureus is commonly found in the hair, nose, and throat. What is the best way to prevent it?
- Wash hands after touching the face or hair
- Cook all food to at least 135°F
- Freeze fish before serving it raw
- Buy all shellfish from approved, inspected sources
Which bacteria can grow in cool, moist places like refrigerators and are linked to deli meat and unpasteurized dairy?
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Clostridium perfringens
- Bacillus cereus
- Vibrio vulnificus
Raw oysters from contaminated water are most commonly linked to which bacteria?
- Vibrio vulnificus
- Clostridium botulinum
- Bacillus cereus
- Shigella spp.
Which bacteria live only in humans and are linked to ready-to-eat food and beverages?
- Salmonella Typhi
- Nontyphoidal Salmonella
- Campylobacter jejuni
- Vibrio vulnificus
Which bacteria is often spread by flies and by food handlers with feces on their hands?
- Shigella spp.
- Clostridium botulinum
- Bacillus cereus
- Listeria monocytogenes
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is most commonly linked to...
- Undercooked ground beef and contaminated produce
- Improperly canned vegetables and garlic oil
- Cooked rice left at room temperature
- Raw oysters and other shellfish
Which virus is the leading cause of foodborne illness and often spreads through ready-to-eat food and shellfish?
- Norovirus
- Hepatitis A
- Rotavirus
- Influenza A
Which pathogen can cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)?
- Hepatitis A
- Norovirus
- Bacillus cereus
- Clostridium perfringens
Tuna and mackerel that were time-temperature abused can cause which illness?
- Scombroid poisoning
- Ciguatera fish poisoning
- Paralytic shellfish poisoning
- Anisakiasis
Scombroid toxin (histamine) has formed in a tuna steak. What will destroy it?
- Nothing will destroy it
- Cooking it to 145°F for 15 seconds
- Freezing it for 7 days at –4°F
- Soaking it in a vinegar marinade
Ciguatera toxin is most commonly found in which fish?
- Predatory reef fish such as barracuda and grouper
- Farm-raised freshwater fish such as catfish
- Canned salmon from cold northern waters
- Shrimp and other farmed crustaceans
Anisakis simplex is a parasite found in fish. How is it controlled for fish served raw?
- The supplier freezes the fish to destroy the parasite
- The fish is rinsed in cold running water for several minutes
- The fish is held at 41°F for three days
- Lemon juice is added before serving
Tomato sauce stored in a galvanized (zinc-coated) container can cause which hazard?
- Toxic metal poisoning
- Scombroid poisoning
- Allergen cross-contact
- Physical contamination
Which is a physical contaminant?
- A fruit pit left in a smoothie
- Sanitizer residue on a plate
- Mold growing on bread
- Norovirus on a server's hands
Which pathogen forms spores that can survive normal cooking temperatures?
- Bacillus cereus
- Norovirus
- Hepatitis A
- Shigella spp.
Viruses do not grow in food.
What is allergen cross-contact?
- Allergens transfer from one food or surface to another food
- Pathogens move from raw meat onto a ready-to-eat food
- Chemicals splash onto food from a nearby spray bottle
- A customer has a reaction to a food they ordered by mistake
A cook fries shrimp, then fries French fries in the same oil for a guest with a shellfish allergy. What has happened?
- Allergen cross-contact
- Time-temperature abuse
- Toxic metal poisoning
- Biological contamination
Cooking a food destroys its allergens.
Which is a symptom of an allergic reaction?
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes
- Fever that starts a week later
- Hair loss over several days
Which of these are major food allergens in the United States?
- Sesame
- Soy
- Crustacean shellfish
- Corn
- Strawberries
Which food was added as the ninth major food allergen in the United States?
- Sesame
- Mustard
- Corn
- Celery
What is the minimum total time for the handwashing process?
- 20 seconds
- 5 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 60 seconds
How long should hands and arms be scrubbed with soap during handwashing?
- 10 to 15 seconds
- 2 to 5 seconds
- 30 to 45 seconds
- 1 to 2 minutes
What is the minimum water temperature for handwashing?
- 100°F
- 70°F
- 135°F
- 165°F
What is the last step of handwashing?
- Dry with a single-use paper towel or hand dryer
- Rub on hand antiseptic instead of using soap and water
- Dip hands in a bucket of sanitizer
- Wipe hands on a clean apron or towel