CPFS Food Safety & Sanitation Practices 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: 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?
- Reheat the soup to 165°F and serve immediately
- Discard the soup without tasting it (Correct answer)
- Refrigerate the soup and use it within 24 hours
- Add ice to rapidly cool the soup and then serve
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which sanitizing method is most effective for removing biofilm from food-contact surfaces in a foodservice operation?
- Rinsing with hot water above 100°F
- Mechanical scrubbing followed by an approved chemical sanitizer (Correct answer)
- Applying a bleach solution without prior cleaning
- Wiping with a dry cloth after rinsing
Correct 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.
Question 3: A CPFS inspector finds that a facility's chlorine sanitizer solution tests at 10 ppm. What should be done?
- Continue using it since chlorine is present
- Increase concentration to the effective range of 50–100 ppm (Correct answer)
- Switch immediately to a quaternary ammonium sanitizer
- Add hot water to activate the chlorine
Correct 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.
Question 4: Which practice best prevents cross-contamination when preparing raw chicken and fresh salad greens in the same kitchen?
- Washing the cutting board with soap between uses
- Using separate, color-coded cutting boards and utensils for each food (Correct answer)
- Preparing chicken after the salad is complete
- Rinsing raw chicken before cutting to reduce bacteria
Correct 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.
Question 5: What is the minimum internal cooking temperature required for stuffed pasta filled with meat?
- 145°F for 15 seconds
- 155°F for 17 seconds
- 165°F for less than 1 second (Correct answer)
- 135°F for 15 seconds
Correct 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.
Question 6: A foodservice manager discovers that shellfish tags have not been retained after the shellstock container was emptied. Which regulation has been violated?
- FDA Food Safety Modernization Act labeling rule
- Shellstock identification tag retention requirement (90 days) (Correct answer)
- HACCP prerequisite program for temperature control
- State health code for invoice documentation
Correct 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.
Question 7: Which personal hygiene behavior poses the highest risk of contaminating ready-to-eat foods?
- Wearing a hair restraint while working the grill
- Tasting food with a single-use spoon that is then discarded
- Touching bare hands to a sliced deli meat before placing it on a sandwich (Correct answer)
- Using gloves when handling raw produce at the salad station
Correct 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.
CPFS Food Safety & Sanitation Practices 2
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?