ACBN Quality Control & Assurance 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the MOST reliable method for verifying that a dishwasher is sanitizing effectively?
- Checking that dishes appear visually clean after washing
- Using test strips or thermometers to confirm proper sanitizer concentration or water temperature (Correct answer)
- Asking kitchen staff if the dishwasher 'feels hot' during operation
- Relying on the manufacturer's stated capacity settings
Correct answer: Using test strips or thermometers to confirm proper sanitizer concentration or water temperature
Test strips verify chemical sanitizer concentration, and thermometers confirm high-temperature sanitization, providing objective evidence of effective sanitizing.
Question 2: A clinical nutritionist notices that a hospital's enteral formula preparation room lacks a dedicated handwashing sink. This is a violation of:
- Food labeling regulations
- Prerequisite programs related to facility design and hygiene (Correct answer)
- HACCP Principle 7
- Dietary reference intake guidelines
Correct answer: Prerequisite programs related to facility design and hygiene
Adequate handwashing facilities are a fundamental prerequisite program requirement, and their absence represents a structural deficiency in the facility's food safety foundation.
Question 3: When a food product is voluntarily recalled, the company must notify:
- Only their direct customers
- The FDA and take steps to remove the product from commerce (Correct answer)
- The USDA and wait for federal inspectors to assess the situation
- Only the retailers who received the product
Correct answer: The FDA and take steps to remove the product from commerce
For FDA-regulated foods, companies conducting voluntary recalls must notify the FDA and take appropriate actions to remove the product from commerce to protect public health.
Question 4: The purpose of a corrective action log in a HACCP system is to:
- Calculate the total number of menu items offered
- Document deviations from critical limits and the actions taken to address them (Correct answer)
- Record employee vacation and sick day usage
- Track the daily cost of food production
Correct answer: Document deviations from critical limits and the actions taken to address them
Corrective action logs document what went wrong, why, the corrective steps taken, and how recurrence will be prevented, providing an essential record for HACCP compliance.
Question 5: A nutritionist recommending quality metrics for a school food program should prioritize which of the following as a key performance indicator (KPI)?
- Percentage of students who prefer the taste of the meals
- Meal participation rate and nutrient analysis compliance with USDA standards (Correct answer)
- Number of new menu items introduced per semester
- Total advertising budget allocated to the program
Correct answer: Meal participation rate and nutrient analysis compliance with USDA standards
Meal participation rate and nutrient compliance with USDA standards directly measure whether the program is achieving its core mission of providing nutritious meals to students.
Question 6: Which pest control practice is MOST critical in preventing food contamination in a food service operation?
- Placing decorative plants around the facility entrance
- Sealing all gaps and cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings to prevent pest entry (Correct answer)
- Using scented cleaning products to deter insects
- Installing bright lighting throughout the storage areas
Correct answer: Sealing all gaps and cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings to prevent pest entry
Exclusion—sealing entry points—is the most effective pest control strategy because it prevents pests from entering the facility in the first place.
Question 7: Under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 'preventive controls' for human food must address which categories of hazards?
- Only biological hazards such as bacteria and viruses
- Biological, chemical, physical, and radiological hazards, as well as allergens (Correct answer)
- Only hazards identified in prior foodborne illness outbreaks
- Physical and chemical hazards, but not allergens
Correct answer: Biological, chemical, physical, and radiological hazards, as well as allergens
FSMA's Preventive Controls for Human Food rule requires facilities to address biological, chemical (including radiological), physical hazards, and allergens in their food safety plans.
ACBN Quality Control & Assurance 5
Which of the following is the MOST reliable method for verifying that a dishwasher is sanitizing effectively?