Food Safety HACCP & Food Safety Regulations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a critical limit in a HACCP plan?
- To set the minimum wage required for certified food safety managers
- To define the measurable maximum or minimum value that must be met at a CCP to control a hazard (Correct answer)
- To list all chemicals approved for use in sanitizing food contact surfaces
- To determine the maximum number of CCPs allowed in a single HACCP plan
Correct answer: To define the measurable maximum or minimum value that must be met at a CCP to control a hazard
Critical limits are the measurable boundaries — like a minimum internal cooking temperature — that must be met at each CCP to ensure the hazard is effectively controlled.
Question 2: A HACCP plan requires cooking chicken to 165°F. The cook finds it only reached 155°F. What is the correct corrective action?
- Serve the chicken if it looks and smells properly cooked
- Continue cooking the chicken until it reaches the required 165°F (Correct answer)
- Discard the chicken immediately without further cooking
- Let it rest for 10 minutes and recheck the temperature
Correct answer: Continue cooking the chicken until it reaches the required 165°F
When a critical limit is not met, the corrective action is to continue cooking until the chicken achieves the required 165°F internal temperature.
Question 3: What is the role of verification in a HACCP system?
- To train new food service employees on daily operational procedures
- To confirm that the HACCP plan is implemented correctly and achieving intended food safety outcomes (Correct answer)
- To identify entirely new food safety hazards not addressed in the current plan
- To test random finished food products for the presence of specific pathogens
Correct answer: To confirm that the HACCP plan is implemented correctly and achieving intended food safety outcomes
Verification activities confirm that the HACCP plan is being followed as designed and is actually achieving the intended level of food safety protection.
Question 4: What must a food service establishment do when an FDA or USDA food recall is issued?
- Wait for official notification from a local health inspector before taking action
- Immediately remove the recalled product from inventory and follow all recall notice instructions (Correct answer)
- Continue using the product until current stock is depleted to minimize waste
- Notify the supplier and wait for their guidance on next steps
Correct answer: Immediately remove the recalled product from inventory and follow all recall notice instructions
Upon receiving a recall notice, food service establishments must immediately pull the affected product from service and comply with all recall instructions, including return or disposal.
Question 5: Who is responsible for ensuring a food service operation has an active food safety management system in place?
- Line cooks and prep staff only
- The Person in Charge (PIC) or designated manager (Correct answer)
- Health inspectors who conduct regular inspections
- The local or state government authority
Correct answer: The Person in Charge (PIC) or designated manager
The Person in Charge (PIC) is responsible for ensuring the food safety management system is in place and that all staff follow proper food safety practices during their shift.
Question 6: What is the FDA Food Code?
- A federal law immediately binding on all US food establishments upon publication
- A science-based model set of food safety regulations that US states and localities may adopt as law (Correct answer)
- An official list of all food additives approved for use in the United States
- A national certification examination for food service managers
Correct answer: A science-based model set of food safety regulations that US states and localities may adopt as law
The FDA Food Code is a model code providing science-based food safety guidance that state and local jurisdictions may voluntarily adopt and enact into law.
Food Safety HACCP & Food Safety Regulations 2
What is the purpose of a critical limit in a HACCP plan?