CSA Health & Safety Regulations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sugar art material is classified as a potential respiratory irritant and requires ventilation when heated?
- Gum paste
- Isomalt (Correct answer)
- Royal icing
- Fondant
Correct answer: Isomalt
Heating isomalt can release vapor and fine particulates that irritate the respiratory tract, so adequate ventilation is essential.
Question 2: When labeling packaged sugar art for sale, which allergen must ALWAYS be declared under FALCPA if present?
- Corn syrup
- Tartrazine (Yellow 5)
- Tree nuts (Correct answer)
- Carmine (Red 40)
Correct answer: Tree nuts
Tree nuts are one of the nine major allergens mandated for declaration under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA).
Question 3: A sugar artist accidentally spills molten sugar on a concrete floor. What is the safest immediate action?
- Pour cold water on it immediately
- Leave it to cool and then chip it up (Correct answer)
- Cover with sand and sweep
- Apply a wet cloth to speed cooling
Correct answer: Leave it to cool and then chip it up
Letting molten sugar cool undisturbed on a hard floor is safest; adding water can cause dangerous steam and spattering.
Question 4: Which cleaning practice is required for sugar-working tools that will contact food, per FDA food code?
- Rinse with hot water only
- Sanitize after cleaning with an approved sanitizing solution (Correct answer)
- Wipe with a dry cloth between uses
- Soak in bleach for 1 hour
Correct answer: Sanitize after cleaning with an approved sanitizing solution
FDA food code requires food-contact surfaces to be cleaned and then sanitized with an approved solution at the correct concentration.
Question 5: Food handlers, including sugar artists, must report which condition to their supervisor before working with food?
- Mild seasonal allergies
- Jaundice or hepatitis A symptoms (Correct answer)
- Minor sunburn
- Insomnia
Correct answer: Jaundice or hepatitis A symptoms
Jaundice can indicate hepatitis A or other illnesses that are transmissible through food and must be reported immediately.
Question 6: What is the primary risk of using non-food-grade silicone molds for sugar work?
- Mold will absorb sugar color
- Chemical migration into the food product (Correct answer)
- Sugar will not release cleanly
- Mold will melt at high temperatures
Correct answer: Chemical migration into the food product
Non-food-grade silicone may leach harmful chemicals into the sugar when exposed to high temperatures.
Question 7: OSHA's General Duty Clause requires employers in commercial sugar art studios to:
- Provide only PPE for burns
- Maintain a workplace free from recognized hazards (Correct answer)
- Post caloric information for all products
- Register all equipment with the state
Correct answer: Maintain a workplace free from recognized hazards
OSHA's General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a work environment free of known hazards that could cause serious harm.
CSA Health & Safety Regulations 3
Which sugar art material is classified as a potential respiratory irritant and requires ventilation when heated?