CFPM Preventing Food Contamination 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A food handler notices a pest dropping near a dry storage shelf. What is the FIRST action they should take?
- Remove all food items from the shelf and notify the manager (Correct answer)
- Sweep the droppings and continue working
- Place traps near the shelf and monitor
- Spray pesticide on the shelf
Correct answer: Remove all food items from the shelf and notify the manager
Food near evidence of pest activity must be removed immediately and the manager notified so a licensed pest control operator can be called.
Question 2: Which practice BEST prevents chemical contamination of food during storage?
- Store chemicals in a separate, locked area below or away from food (Correct answer)
- Keep chemicals in clearly labeled food containers for easy access
- Store chemicals on the top shelf of the food storage area
- Allow chemicals near food as long as they are sealed
Correct answer: Store chemicals in a separate, locked area below or away from food
Chemicals must be stored in a dedicated area separate from and never above food to eliminate any risk of drips or spills contaminating food.
Question 3: A delivery of canned goods arrives and several cans are swollen. What should the manager do?
- Reject the entire lot of swollen cans (Correct answer)
- Accept the cans but use them first
- Open the cans to inspect the contents before deciding
- Store the cans and monitor them for further swelling
Correct answer: Reject the entire lot of swollen cans
Swollen cans indicate possible Clostridium botulinum toxin production and must be rejected to prevent foodborne illness.
Question 4: Cross-contamination is MOST likely to occur when:
- Raw chicken juices drip onto ready-to-eat vegetables in the refrigerator (Correct answer)
- Cooked beef is stored above raw pork in the refrigerator
- Fruits and vegetables are stored in separate containers
- Leftovers are reheated to 165°F
Correct answer: Raw chicken juices drip onto ready-to-eat vegetables in the refrigerator
Raw animal juices dripping onto ready-to-eat foods directly transfer pathogens, making this the classic cross-contamination scenario.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of physical contamination of food?
- A piece of metal shaving found in ground beef (Correct answer)
- Salmonella bacteria present in raw poultry
- Aflatoxin found in peanut butter
- Pesticide residue on lettuce
Correct answer: A piece of metal shaving found in ground beef
Physical contaminants are foreign objects such as metal, bone fragments, glass, or plastic that are not naturally part of the food.
Question 6: When setting up a buffet, which action helps prevent contamination of serving utensils?
- Provide a separate utensil for each food item and keep handles out of the food (Correct answer)
- Use one shared ladle for all hot dishes to reduce clutter
- Allow guests to use their personal utensils on the buffet
- Place serving spoons inside the food between uses
Correct answer: Provide a separate utensil for each food item and keep handles out of the food
Dedicated utensils per dish with handles above the food prevent utensils from touching the food surface and cross-contaminating other items.
Question 7: A food manager suspects that a batch of rice was held at room temperature for 6 hours. The BEST decision is to:
- Discard the rice because it has been in the temperature danger zone too long (Correct answer)
- Reheat the rice to 165°F and serve it immediately
- Refrigerate the rice and use it within 24 hours
- Taste the rice; if it seems fine, serve it
Correct answer: Discard the rice because it has been in the temperature danger zone too long
Time-temperature abused food must be discarded; reheating does not eliminate toxins produced by pathogens like Bacillus cereus during extended holding.
CFPM Preventing Food Contamination 2
A food handler notices a pest dropping near a dry storage shelf.
What is the FIRST action they should take?