CPFS Purchasing and Inventory 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of setting par levels in a foodservice inventory system?
- To track employee meal consumption
- To establish minimum stock quantities that trigger reordering (Correct answer)
- To schedule delivery driver routes
- To calculate monthly food cost percentages
Correct answer: To establish minimum stock quantities that trigger reordering
Par levels define the minimum quantity of an item that should be on hand; when stock falls to par, a reorder is triggered to prevent stockouts.
Question 2: Raw fish received for sushi service must be previously frozen to kill parasites. According to FDA guidelines, which freezing protocol is sufficient?
- -4°F (-20°C) for 7 days
- -31°F (-35°C) for 15 hours or -4°F (-20°C) for 7 days (Correct answer)
- -10°F (-23°C) for 24 hours
- 0°F (-18°C) for 48 hours
Correct answer: -31°F (-35°C) for 15 hours or -4°F (-20°C) for 7 days
FDA requires fish for raw consumption to be frozen at -31°F (-35°C) for 15 hours or at -4°F (-20°C) for 7 days to destroy parasites.
Question 3: Which storage practice poses the greatest risk of cross-contamination in a dry storeroom?
- Storing items on shelves 6 inches off the floor
- Placing ready-to-eat crackers below raw flour on the same shelf (Correct answer)
- Keeping chemicals in a locked cabinet in the storeroom
- Rotating stock using FIFO
Correct answer: Placing ready-to-eat crackers below raw flour on the same shelf
Ready-to-eat foods stored below ingredients like raw flour risk contamination from spills or dust falling from above.
Question 4: A foodservice manager discovers that a supplier has been delivering produce without the required certificates of analysis. The manager should:
- Continue purchasing until a replacement is found
- Immediately cease purchases and notify the regulatory authority (Correct answer)
- Request certificates retroactively and continue ordering
- Switch suppliers only after current stock is depleted
Correct answer: Immediately cease purchases and notify the regulatory authority
Using a supplier that cannot provide required documentation violates food safety regulations and purchases should cease immediately.
Question 5: When receiving shellfish, which document must accompany the delivery and be retained for 90 days?
- Shellfish shippers tag (Correct answer)
- Temperature deviation report
- Bill of lading only
- Pest control log
Correct answer: Shellfish shippers tag
FDA requires shellfish shippers tags to be retained for 90 days from the date the last shellfish from that container was sold or served.
Question 6: Which inventory valuation method assigns the cost of the most recently purchased items to the cost of goods sold first?
- FIFO (First In, First Out)
- LIFO (Last In, First Out) (Correct answer)
- Weighted average cost
- Specific identification
Correct answer: LIFO (Last In, First Out)
LIFO assumes the last items purchased are the first sold, which affects cost reporting especially during periods of rising food prices.
Question 7: A temperature log shows that a walk-in cooler holding TCS foods reached 55°F for an unknown duration overnight. The manager should:
- Lower the thermostat and continue service
- Discard all TCS foods that cannot be verified as safe (Correct answer)
- Use the foods immediately before they warm further
- Test each item's internal temperature before deciding
Correct answer: Discard all TCS foods that cannot be verified as safe
When TCS foods have been held at an unsafe temperature for an unknown duration, they must be discarded because the risk of pathogen growth cannot be assessed.
CPFS Purchasing and Inventory 3
What is the primary purpose of setting par levels in a foodservice inventory system?