CRP Food Safety & Sanitation Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which pest is most commonly associated with spreading Salmonella and E. coli in restaurant kitchens?
- Fruit flies
- Cockroaches (Correct answer)
- Pantry moths
- Silverfish
Correct answer: Cockroaches
Cockroaches travel through sewage and garbage, picking up and transferring pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli to food surfaces.
Question 2: At what maximum temperature must cold TCS foods be held during service?
- 32°F (0°C)
- 38°F (3°C)
- 41°F (5°C) (Correct answer)
- 45°F (7°C)
Correct answer: 41°F (5°C)
The FDA Food Code requires cold TCS foods to be held at 41°F (5°C) or below to prevent bacterial growth.
Question 3: Which handwashing step is most often skipped but critical for removing pathogens effectively?
- Wetting hands under water
- Applying soap
- Scrubbing for at least 20 seconds (Correct answer)
- Rinsing soap off
Correct answer: Scrubbing for at least 20 seconds
Scrubbing hands for a minimum of 20 seconds is the most frequently skipped step and is essential for mechanical removal of pathogens.
Question 4: A manager observes a prep cook placing raw chicken directly above ready-to-eat salad greens in a reach-in cooler. What hazard does this create?
- Physical contamination
- Chemical contamination
- Cross-contamination from drip (Correct answer)
- Time-temperature abuse
Correct answer: Cross-contamination from drip
Raw chicken dripping onto ready-to-eat foods causes cross-contamination, transferring pathogens like Salmonella directly to foods that won't be cooked.
Question 5: Proper calibration of a bimetallic stemmed thermometer involves placing it in:
- Boiling water and adjusting to 212°F
- Ice water slurry and adjusting to 32°F
- Either ice water or boiling water (Correct answer)
- A certified calibration device only
Correct answer: Either ice water or boiling water
A bimetallic stemmed thermometer can be calibrated using the ice-point method (32°F) or the boiling-point method (212°F at sea level).
Question 6: Which cleaning agent is best suited for removing mineral deposits from dishwashing equipment?
- Degreasers
- Acid cleaners (Correct answer)
- Abrasive cleaners
- Detergents
Correct answer: Acid cleaners
Acid cleaners dissolve mineral deposits (scale) from dishwashers and steam equipment, which alkaline detergents cannot remove.
Question 7: A foodborne illness outbreak is defined by public health authorities as how many confirmed cases linked to the same source?
- 1 case
- 2 or more cases (Correct answer)
- 5 or more cases
- 10 or more cases
Correct answer: 2 or more cases
An outbreak is defined as two or more people experiencing the same illness after consuming food from a common source.
CRP Food Safety & Sanitation Standards 3
Which pest is most commonly associated with spreading Salmonella and E. coli in restaurant kitchens?