Kitchen Operations Flashcards

A cook is searing raw ground beef patties and then moves to handling a lettuce salad without changing gloves. This is an example of:

Answer: Cross-contamination

Transferring pathogens from raw ground beef to ready-to-eat salad via gloves is a classic example of cross-contamination.

When using a calibrated thermometer to verify cooking temperature of a whole muscle beef steak ordered medium-rare, the internal temperature must reach at least:

Answer: 130°F for 112 minutes or 145°F for 15 seconds

Whole muscle beef may be served at 130°F if held at that temperature for 112 minutes, or at 145°F for 15 seconds per FDA Food Code.

Which food storage practice BEST reduces the risk of cross-contamination in a walk-in cooler?

Answer: Storing ready-to-eat foods on the highest shelves and raw proteins below by cooking temperature

Ready-to-eat foods go on top shelves; raw proteins are stored below in descending order of required cooking temperature to prevent drip contamination.

A cook notices a large pot of chili cooling on the counter after service. How long does the operation have to cool the chili from 135°F to 41°F?

Answer: 6 hours total

The two-stage cooling requirement allows 2 hours to reach 70°F and an additional 4 hours to reach 41°F, for a total of 6 hours.

Which method is the MOST effective for rapidly cooling a large batch of hot soup in a kitchen?

Answer: Dividing into shallow pans and placing in an ice-water bath with stirring

An ice-water bath with stirring in shallow pans maximizes surface area and removes heat rapidly, meeting the two-stage cooling timeline.

A baker is preparing cream-filled pastries the morning before a catered afternoon event. Once assembled, the pastries must be:

Answer: Held at 41°F or below and served within the safe time limit

Cream-filled pastries are TCS foods that must be kept at 41°F or below and consumed within the allowable holding period to prevent pathogen growth.

A kitchen manager suspects that a food handler is ill with Norovirus. What is the REQUIRED immediate action?

Answer: Exclude the employee and notify the regulatory authority

Norovirus is a highly reportable illness; the employee must be excluded from the operation and the regulatory authority must be notified.