Food Safety & Sanitation Practices Flashcards

A foodservice worker notices a large pot of soup has been sitting in the temperature danger zone for 3 hours. What is the correct action?

Answer: Discard the soup without tasting it

Food held in the temperature danger zone (41°F–135°F) for more than 2 hours must be discarded to prevent foodborne illness.

Which sanitizing method is most effective for removing biofilm from food-contact surfaces in a foodservice operation?

Answer: Mechanical scrubbing followed by an approved chemical sanitizer

Biofilm requires physical removal through scrubbing (cleaning) before sanitizing can be effective on food-contact surfaces.

A CPFS inspector finds that a facility's chlorine sanitizer solution tests at 10 ppm. What should be done?

Answer: Increase concentration to the effective range of 50–100 ppm

Chlorine sanitizer must be maintained at 50–100 ppm to effectively sanitize food-contact surfaces; 10 ppm is insufficient.

Which practice best prevents cross-contamination when preparing raw chicken and fresh salad greens in the same kitchen?

Answer: Using separate, color-coded cutting boards and utensils for each food

Color-coded cutting boards and dedicated utensils physically prevent pathogen transfer between raw proteins and ready-to-eat foods.

What is the minimum internal cooking temperature required for stuffed pasta filled with meat?

Answer: 165°F for less than 1 second

Stuffed pasta with meat filling must reach 165°F because the stuffing can harbor pathogens that require the higher kill temperature.

A foodservice manager discovers that shellfish tags have not been retained after the shellstock container was emptied. Which regulation has been violated?

Answer: Shellstock identification tag retention requirement (90 days)

Shellstock identification tags must be kept on file for 90 days after the container is emptied to enable traceback in case of a foodborne illness outbreak.

Which personal hygiene behavior poses the highest risk of contaminating ready-to-eat foods?

Answer: Touching bare hands to a sliced deli meat before placing it on a sandwich

Bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods transfers pathogens directly and is prohibited by most food codes.