CAB Risk Management & Mitigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which HACCP principle involves establishing procedures to verify that the system is working correctly?
- Hazard analysis
- Corrective actions
- Verification procedures (Correct answer)
- Monitoring procedures
Correct answer: Verification procedures
Verification is HACCP Principle 6, confirming that the plan is effective through testing, audits, and review of records.
Question 2: A baker notices flour bags from a new supplier have an unusual odor. What is the FIRST risk mitigation step?
- Use the flour immediately before it spoils further
- Quarantine the lot and notify the supplier (Correct answer)
- Blend it with good flour to dilute the odor
- Bake a small test batch to assess flavor impact
Correct answer: Quarantine the lot and notify the supplier
Quarantining suspect ingredients and notifying the supplier prevents contaminated product from entering production and triggers supplier corrective action.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of maintaining allergen separation logs in a bakery?
- To reduce ingredient costs by tracking usage
- To provide documentation of allergen control for regulatory compliance and liability (Correct answer)
- To track employee training completion
- To schedule equipment cleaning cycles
Correct answer: To provide documentation of allergen control for regulatory compliance and liability
Allergen separation logs create a documented trail proving that control measures were followed, which is critical for regulatory compliance and defending against liability claims.
Question 4: During a bake, a proofer thermostat malfunctions and dough over-proofs by 45 minutes. What is the best risk mitigation response?
- Bake the product as-is to avoid waste
- Evaluate the dough quality and document the deviation before deciding to bake or discard (Correct answer)
- Immediately discard all dough without assessment
- Lower the oven temperature to compensate
Correct answer: Evaluate the dough quality and document the deviation before deciding to bake or discard
Evaluating the deviation and documenting it allows an informed quality decision while creating a record that supports process improvement.
Question 5: Which type of hazard does a metal shard from a broken dough hook represent?
- Biological hazard
- Chemical hazard
- Physical hazard (Correct answer)
- Radiological hazard
Correct answer: Physical hazard
A metal fragment is a physical hazard — a foreign object that can cause injury when present in food.
Question 6: A bakery's water supply tests positive for elevated lead levels. Which risk mitigation strategy is most appropriate?
- Boil all water before use to remove lead
- Immediately halt production using tap water and source an alternative supply (Correct answer)
- Dilute tap water with bottled water in a 50/50 ratio
- Filter water with a standard carbon filter and continue operations
Correct answer: Immediately halt production using tap water and source an alternative supply
Lead is not removed by boiling or standard carbon filters; halting production with tap water and sourcing safe water is the only effective immediate mitigation.
Question 7: What does a 'Critical Control Point' (CCP) in a bakery HACCP plan primarily identify?
- A step where a hazard can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels (Correct answer)
- The most expensive stage of the production process
- A point where quality grading takes place
- A checkpoint requiring management sign-off
Correct answer: A step where a hazard can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels
A CCP is a specific production step at which control can be applied to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level.
CAB Risk Management & Mitigation 2
Which HACCP principle involves establishing procedures to verify that the system is working correctly?