Temperature Control and Danger Zone Flashcards
6 cards from real Ontario Food Handler Certificate practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Temperature Control and Danger Zone flashcards as text
What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for stuffed poultry?
Answer: 74°C (165°F) — the stuffing must also reach this temperature
Both the poultry and the stuffing must reach 74°C (165°F). The stuffing, being inside the cavity, is the last part to reach temperature. It is safer to cook stuffing separately.
An infrared thermometer reads the surface temperature of a grilled chicken breast as 80°C. Is this sufficient to confirm the chicken is safe to eat?
Answer: No, infrared thermometers only read surface temperature, not internal temperature
Infrared thermometers measure surface temperature only and cannot determine internal temperature. A probe thermometer must be used to verify the internal temperature of 74°C in the thickest part.
What precaution should be taken when using ice to cool food rapidly?
Answer: The ice must be made from potable water and the food container must prevent ice water from contaminating the food
Ice used for cooling must be made from potable (safe drinking) water, and the food container should be set into the ice bath rather than adding ice directly to food, unless the ice is an ingredient.
How should a bimetallic stemmed thermometer be read?
Answer: Wait for the dial to stop moving and read the temperature indicated by the pointer, with the sensing area fully immersed
A bimetallic stemmed thermometer requires the sensing area (usually the bottom 5-7 cm of the stem) to be fully immersed in the food. Wait until the dial stabilizes before reading.
At what rate can bacteria double in the danger zone under optimal conditions?
Answer: Every 10-20 minutes
Under optimal conditions in the danger zone (4°C–60°C), bacteria can double in number every 10 to 20 minutes. This means one bacterium could become millions within a few hours.
A food handler discovers that the hot-holding unit was unplugged for an unknown period and the food temperature is 45°C. What should they do?
Answer: Discard the food since the time in the danger zone is unknown
Since the time the food spent in the danger zone is unknown, it cannot be determined whether the cumulative 4-hour limit was exceeded. When in doubt, discard the food to ensure customer safety.