CDM Food Safety and HACCP 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the seven HACCP principles involves establishing procedures to verify that the HACCP system is working correctly?
- Principle 4: Monitoring procedures
- Principle 5: Corrective actions
- Principle 6: Verification procedures (Correct answer)
- Principle 7: Record-keeping
Correct answer: Principle 6: Verification procedures
Principle 6 (Verification) establishes activities to confirm that the HACCP plan is being followed and is effective in controlling identified hazards.
HACCP Principle 6 (Verification) goes beyond daily monitoring of individual CCPs. Verification includes activities such as reviewing CCP records, calibrating monitoring equipment, conducting end-product testing, reviewing the overall HACCP plan for adequacy, and auditing the system periodically. Verification answers the question 'Is our HACCP plan actually working?' Examples in dietary departments include periodic third-party food safety audits, microbiological sampling, reviewing temperature logs for patterns, and observing staff practices.
Question 2: At what minimum internal temperature must poultry be cooked to ensure food safety?
- 145 degrees F (63 degrees C)
- 155 degrees F (68 degrees C)
- 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) (Correct answer)
- 180 degrees F (82 degrees C)
Correct answer: 165 degrees F (74 degrees C)
Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) for at least 15 seconds to destroy Salmonella and other pathogens.
The FDA Food Code requires poultry to reach 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) for 15 seconds because poultry commonly carries Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria throughout the meat (not just on surfaces). This temperature also applies to stuffing, stuffed meats, reheated leftovers, and foods cooked in a microwave. For comparison, whole cuts of beef/pork require 145 degrees F with a 3-minute rest, and ground meats require 155 degrees F for 15 seconds.
Question 3: Which type of food safety hazard includes glass fragments, metal shavings, and bone chips?
- Biological hazard
- Chemical hazard
- Physical hazard (Correct answer)
- Allergenic hazard
Correct answer: Physical hazard
Physical hazards are foreign objects that can cause injury or choking, including glass, metal, bone fragments, plastic pieces, and other tangible contaminants.
Physical hazards are foreign materials in food that can cause injury, choking, or dental damage. Common sources in dietary departments include: glass (broken light covers, container chips), metal (equipment fragments, staples, wire), bone (improper deboning), plastic (packaging remnants, broken utensil pieces), wood (toothpick fragments, splinters from pallets), and personal items (jewelry, hair, bandages). Prevention strategies include equipment maintenance programs, proper food handling procedures, hair restraint policies, and thorough inspection of raw ingredients.
Question 4: What is the temperature danger zone for potentially hazardous foods?
- 32 degrees F to 100 degrees F
- 41 degrees F to 135 degrees F (Correct answer)
- 50 degrees F to 150 degrees F
- 40 degrees F to 140 degrees F
Correct answer: 41 degrees F to 135 degrees F
The temperature danger zone, per the FDA Food Code, is 41 degrees F to 135 degrees F (5 degrees C to 57 degrees C), where bacteria can grow rapidly in potentially hazardous foods.
The temperature danger zone (41-135 degrees F / 5-57 degrees C) represents the temperature range where pathogenic bacteria can multiply rapidly in time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods. Bacteria can double every 20 minutes under optimal conditions in this range. Dietary managers must ensure foods pass through this zone as quickly as possible during cooking, cooling, and reheating. Cold foods must be held at 41 degrees F or below, and hot foods at 135 degrees F or above.
Question 5: Which cleaning method is MOST appropriate for food contact surfaces after washing and rinsing?
- Air drying only
- Sanitizing with approved chemical solution or hot water (Correct answer)
- Wiping with a dry cloth
- Applying cooking oil
Correct answer: Sanitizing with approved chemical solution or hot water
After washing and rinsing, food contact surfaces must be sanitized using either an approved chemical sanitizer or hot water immersion at 171 degrees F (77 degrees C) for 30 seconds.
The three-compartment sink method (wash, rinse, sanitize) or equivalent mechanical process is required for all food contact surfaces. Sanitizing is the critical third step that reduces pathogenic microorganisms to safe levels. Chemical sanitizers must be mixed to proper concentrations: chlorine (50-100 ppm), quaternary ammonium (200 ppm per manufacturer), or iodine (12.5-25 ppm). Hot water sanitizing requires immersion at 171 degrees F (77 degrees C) for at least 30 seconds.
Question 6: A foodservice employee reports having been diagnosed with Hepatitis A. What is the correct action?
- Allow them to work with gloves only
- Restrict them to non-food-handling duties
- Exclude them from the foodservice operation entirely (Correct answer)
- Have them wash hands more frequently and continue working
Correct answer: Exclude them from the foodservice operation entirely
Employees diagnosed with Hepatitis A must be excluded (completely removed) from the foodservice operation, not just restricted, because Hepatitis A is highly contagious and transmitted through the fecal-oral route.
The FDA Food Code identifies six highly infectious pathogens (the 'Big 6') that require employee exclusion from foodservice operations: Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Hepatitis A, and Norovirus. Exclusion means the employee cannot work in the food establishment in any capacity until cleared by a health practitioner and regulatory authority. This is stricter than restriction (which limits employees to non-food-handling duties).
CDM Food Safety and HACCP 2
Which of the seven HACCP principles involves establishing procedures to verify that the HACCP system is working correctly?