ServSafe Proper Personal Hygiene Questions and Answers

Question 1

A food handler has a sore throat and a fever. What is the most appropriate action for the manager to take?

Accepted Answer

Restrict the employee from working with or around food.

Answer

According to ServSafe guidelines, a food handler with a sore throat and fever should be restricted from working with or around food. If the operation primarily serves a high-risk population, the employee must be excluded from the operation altogether.

Question 2

Which piece of jewelry is permissible for a food handler to wear while preparing food?

Accepted Answer

A plain metal band.

Answer

The only piece of jewelry a food handler is allowed to wear on their hands or arms is a plain metal band, like a wedding ring. Other jewelry can harbor pathogens and poses a physical contamination risk if it falls into food.

Question 3

What is the minimum amount of time a food handler should scrub their hands and arms with soap during the handwashing process?

Accepted Answer

10-15 seconds

Answer

The entire handwashing process should take about 20 seconds. However, the specific step of scrubbing hands and arms vigorously with soap should last for at least 10 to 15 seconds.

Question 4

A chef is preparing ready-to-eat salads. After slicing raw chicken on a cutting board, they must perform which of the following actions before assembling the salads?

Accepted Answer

Wash their hands correctly and then put on new, clean gloves.

Answer

Gloves must be changed after handling raw meat and before handling ready-to-eat food to prevent cross-contamination. Critically, proper handwashing must occur before putting on a new pair of gloves. Simply rinsing or wiping hands is insufficient.

Question 5

Which of the following is a required part of a proper work attire for a food handler?

Accepted Answer

Wearing a clean hat or other hair restraint.

Answer

Food handlers must wear a clean hat or other hair restraint, like a hairnet or beard restraint, to prevent hair from contaminating food. Aprons should be removed when leaving food-prep areas, nail polish is generally not allowed, and watches are prohibited jewelry.

ServSafe Practice Test

ServSafe Practice Test

ServSafe Proper Personal Hygiene Questions and Answers