CAB CAB Artisan Baker Business Operations & Customer Service 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which US federal agency sets labeling requirements that artisan bakeries must follow for packaged goods sold retail?
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
- FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (Correct answer)
- EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
- OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
Correct answer: FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
The FDA regulates labeling of most packaged bakery products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, requiring ingredient lists, nutrition facts, and allergen declarations.
Question 2: Under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which rule most directly applies to a small artisan bakery?
- Foreign Supplier Verification Program
- Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) (Correct answer)
- Produce Safety Rule
- Intentional Adulteration Rule
Correct answer: Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF)
The FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food rule requires bakeries to implement a food safety plan that identifies hazards and establishes preventive controls.
Question 3: What is the 'big nine' allergens that US law requires to be declared on packaged bakery products as of 2023?
- Milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame (Correct answer)
- Milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, corn, sesame
- Milk, eggs, gluten, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, sesame, mustard
- Milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame, sulfites, lupin
Correct answer: Milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame
The FASTER Act of 2021 added sesame as the ninth major allergen effective January 1, 2023, joining milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.
Question 4: A customer requests a custom wedding cake with a two-week lead time. What is the first step an artisan baker should take?
- Begin ordering specialty ingredients immediately
- Create a written order confirmation detailing design, flavors, price, deposit, and delivery date (Correct answer)
- Start baking trial layers to test the recipe
- Source fresh flowers directly from a florist
Correct answer: Create a written order confirmation detailing design, flavors, price, deposit, and delivery date
A written order confirmation protects both parties by documenting all specifications, pricing, deposit amount, and the delivery timeline before any materials are purchased.
Question 5: Which costing method ensures an artisan bakery correctly prices its products for profitability?
- Charge what competitors charge without calculating costs
- Calculate total cost of goods (ingredients + labor + overhead) then apply a target margin (Correct answer)
- Price based only on ingredient costs and ignore overhead
- Set price by perceived value alone without tracking costs
Correct answer: Calculate total cost of goods (ingredients + labor + overhead) then apply a target margin
Accurate pricing requires calculating total COGS including ingredients, direct labor, and allocated overhead, then adding the desired profit margin to each product.
Question 6: What is a par level in a bakery production context?
- The optimal oven temperature for a given product
- The minimum inventory quantity that triggers a reorder to prevent running out (Correct answer)
- The standard batch weight used for scaling recipes
- The passing score threshold on the CAB exam
Correct answer: The minimum inventory quantity that triggers a reorder to prevent running out
Par level is the minimum stock quantity at which an ingredient or supply must be reordered to ensure continuous production without stockouts.
CAB CAB Artisan Baker Business Operations & Customer Service 1
Which US federal agency sets labeling requirements that artisan bakeries must follow for packaged goods sold retail?