Purchasing and Inventory Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the 'danger zone' as it applies to purchasing and inventory decisions?

Answer: The temperature range between 41°F and 135°F (5°C–57°C) where pathogens grow rapidly

The temperature danger zone (41°F–135°F) is the range in which most foodborne pathogens multiply rapidly; inventory must be kept outside this range.

A restaurant uses a perpetual inventory system. What is the primary advantage of this system over a periodic system?

Answer: It provides a real-time running count of inventory levels

A perpetual inventory system continuously updates stock levels with each transaction, giving managers real-time visibility into current inventory.

Which of the following is a key food safety consideration when evaluating a new food supplier?

Answer: Whether the supplier is inspected and approved by a regulatory authority

Supplier approval by a regulatory authority ensures the source meets legal food safety standards required for approved source purchasing.

When storing raw meats in a walk-in cooler, which order from top to bottom is correct based on final cooking temperature?

Answer: RTE foods, fish, whole pork, ground beef, poultry

Foods are stored top to bottom from highest to lowest required cooking temperature: RTE on top, then fish, whole pork, ground beef, and poultry at the bottom.

Which of the following label elements is most critical when date-marking opened TCS foods for inventory control?

Answer: The date the container was opened or prepared

The FDA Food Code requires TCS foods to be marked with the date they were opened or prepared so that the 7-day maximum hold time can be tracked.

A foodservice manager notices that actual food costs consistently exceed theoretical food costs. Which inventory issue most likely explains this discrepancy?

Answer: Theft, over-portioning, or unrecorded waste (shrinkage)

A persistent gap between actual and theoretical food cost typically signals shrinkage — inventory losses from theft, waste, or over-portioning that aren't captured in recipes.

Which of the following is the correct procedure when a delivery arrives and the receiving area thermometer reads significantly different from the driver's temperature log?

Answer: Use the operation's calibrated thermometer to independently verify product temperatures

The receiving operation should use its own calibrated thermometer to independently verify the internal temperature of delivered products, regardless of what the driver's log states.