CPFS Food Safety & Sanitation Practices 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A foodservice operation serves a customer who experiences anaphylaxis after eating a shrimp dish that was labeled as fish-only. Which food safety failure does this represent?
- A physical hazard from bone fragments
- An allergen cross-contact incident (Correct answer)
- A biological contamination event
- A labeling fraud violation only
Correct answer: An allergen cross-contact incident
Allergen cross-contact occurs when an allergen is inadvertently transferred to a food not intended to contain it, causing potentially life-threatening reactions in sensitive individuals.
Question 2: Which HACCP principle involves establishing the procedures used to confirm that the HACCP system is working effectively?
- Hazard analysis
- Establishing monitoring procedures
- Verification (Correct answer)
- Record keeping and documentation
Correct answer: Verification
Verification (Principle 6) confirms through activities such as calibration, review of records, and additional testing that the HACCP system is functioning as intended.
Question 3: What is the correct action when a can of tomato sauce arrives with a swollen lid at the receiving dock?
- Open the can and inspect the contents before deciding
- Accept the delivery but refrigerate immediately
- Reject the shipment and return the cans to the supplier (Correct answer)
- Use the contents within 24 hours to avoid waste
Correct answer: Reject the shipment and return the cans to the supplier
A swollen can indicates possible Clostridium botulinum toxin production; the shipment must be rejected because botulism toxin is extremely dangerous and cannot be detected by sight or smell.
Question 4: Which foodborne illness is most likely caused by consuming raw honey given to an infant under 12 months old?
- Salmonellosis
- Listeriosis
- Infant botulism (Correct answer)
- Campylobacteriosis
Correct answer: Infant botulism
Raw honey can contain Clostridium botulinum spores; infants lack the intestinal flora to prevent germination, leading to infant botulism.
Question 5: A food thermometer is checked in an ice slurry and reads 34°F. What corrective action is required?
- The thermometer is accurate enough; proceed with use
- Calibrate the thermometer to read 32°F using the ice-point method (Correct answer)
- Replace the thermometer immediately with a digital model
- Boiling water calibration must be performed before the ice-point method
Correct answer: Calibrate the thermometer to read 32°F using the ice-point method
A properly calibrated thermometer should read 32°F in an ice slurry; a 2°F deviation requires recalibration to the ice-point standard before use.
Question 6: Which practice best controls the risk of Bacillus cereus in cooked rice held at a cafeteria serving line?
- Rinsing cooked rice with cold water before holding
- Maintaining rice above 135°F and discarding after 4 hours (Correct answer)
- Covering the rice pan with plastic wrap during service
- Adding salt to the rice to inhibit bacterial sporulation
Correct answer: Maintaining rice above 135°F and discarding after 4 hours
Bacillus cereus thrives in cooked starchy foods like rice; holding above 135°F and enforcing time limits prevents toxin production.
Question 7: A foodservice facility's integrated pest management (IPM) program should prioritize which control strategy first?
- Applying broad-spectrum pesticides throughout the facility weekly
- Eliminating entry points, food sources, and harborage areas through structural controls (Correct answer)
- Setting rodent snap traps near all food preparation surfaces
- Contracting a pest control company to spray monthly regardless of activity
Correct answer: Eliminating entry points, food sources, and harborage areas through structural controls
IPM prioritizes prevention through structural and sanitation controls (exclusion, eliminating food and water sources) before considering chemical treatments.
CPFS Food Safety & Sanitation Practices 5
A foodservice operation serves a customer who experiences anaphylaxis after eating a shrimp dish that was labeled as fish-only.
Which food safety failure does this represent?