CAB Risk Management & Mitigation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A customer reports an allergic reaction after purchasing gluten-free bread from your bakery. What is the FIRST action you should take?
- Deny liability until the claim is investigated
- Pull the product from sale, preserve batch records, and report internally (Correct answer)
- Issue a refund and consider the matter closed
- Immediately post a social media statement apologizing
Correct answer: Pull the product from sale, preserve batch records, and report internally
Removing the product from sale and preserving records protects consumers and provides the documentation needed for an investigation and potential recall.
Question 2: Which document should a bakery maintain to demonstrate supplier risk management for key ingredients?
- Employee time sheets
- Approved supplier list with certificates of analysis (Correct answer)
- Marketing campaign records
- Customer satisfaction surveys
Correct answer: Approved supplier list with certificates of analysis
An approved supplier list paired with certificates of analysis verifies that ingredients meet safety and quality specifications before they enter production.
Question 3: What is the most effective way to mitigate the risk of Staphylococcus aureus contamination in hand-shaped breads?
- Using higher baking temperatures only
- Enforcing strict hand hygiene and excluding ill employees from production (Correct answer)
- Chilling dough to below 60°F during shaping
- Adding vinegar to dough formulas
Correct answer: Enforcing strict hand hygiene and excluding ill employees from production
S. aureus is primarily transferred by human handlers, so rigorous hand hygiene and sick-employee exclusion policies are the most direct mitigation.
Question 4: A bakery operates in a flood-prone area. Which business continuity measure is MOST critical?
- Purchasing flood insurance only
- Developing a documented flood response plan with off-site data backup and alternative supplier contacts (Correct answer)
- Stocking extra raw materials on-site
- Installing floor drains in the production area
Correct answer: Developing a documented flood response plan with off-site data backup and alternative supplier contacts
A documented continuity plan with off-site backups and alternate supplier contacts enables faster recovery than insurance or reactive measures alone.
Question 5: When receiving butter, the internal temperature reads 58°F. What is the correct risk response?
- Accept the delivery and refrigerate immediately
- Reject the delivery as it exceeded the safe cold chain temperature of 41°F (Correct answer)
- Accept if it smells and looks normal
- Use it the same day since it was only slightly warm
Correct answer: Reject the delivery as it exceeded the safe cold chain temperature of 41°F
Butter received above 41°F has broken the cold chain and should be rejected, regardless of sensory appearance, to prevent pathogen growth risk.
Question 6: Which pest control practice poses the GREATEST chemical contamination risk in a bakery?
- Using snap traps near perimeter walls
- Applying pesticide sprays inside production areas without covering equipment and ingredients (Correct answer)
- Hiring a licensed pest control operator
- Sealing cracks and entry points in walls
Correct answer: Applying pesticide sprays inside production areas without covering equipment and ingredients
Spraying pesticides inside production areas without protecting food-contact surfaces and ingredients risks direct chemical contamination of the food supply.
Question 7: What is the purpose of establishing Critical Limits within a HACCP plan?
- To set sales targets for each product line
- To define the maximum or minimum values that control a hazard at a CCP (Correct answer)
- To specify employee overtime thresholds
- To outline acceptable profit margins per product
Correct answer: To define the maximum or minimum values that control a hazard at a CCP
Critical limits are measurable boundaries (e.g., minimum internal temperature) that must be met at each CCP to ensure a hazard is adequately controlled.
CAB Risk Management & Mitigation 3
A customer reports an allergic reaction after purchasing gluten-free bread from your bakery.
What is the FIRST action you should take?