ServSafe Certification Receiving and Storing Food 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Fresh fish received at a food establishment should have which characteristic?
- A mild, ocean-like smell (Correct answer)
- A strong fishy odor
- Pink or gray gills
- Soft, mushy flesh
Correct answer: A mild, ocean-like smell
Fresh fish should have a mild, ocean-like or seawater smell; a strong fishy odor indicates spoilage.
Question 2: What is the maximum receiving temperature for shell eggs to be accepted?
- 45°F (7°C) (Correct answer)
- 41°F (5°C)
- 50°F (10°C)
- 55°F (13°C)
Correct answer: 45°F (7°C)
Shell eggs must be received at an air temperature of 45°F (7°C) or lower.
Question 3: When storing chemicals in a food establishment, they should be kept:
- In a separate area away from food and food-contact surfaces (Correct answer)
- In the walk-in cooler with raw meats
- Under the prep sink for easy access
- On the top shelf above ready-to-eat foods
Correct answer: In a separate area away from food and food-contact surfaces
Chemicals must be stored separately from food, utensils, and food-contact surfaces to prevent contamination.
Question 4: A delivery of canned goods arrives and several cans have swollen ends. The correct action is to:
- Reject the entire delivery of swollen cans (Correct answer)
- Accept them and use contents immediately
- Return only the most severely swollen cans
- Refrigerate the cans to slow spoilage
Correct answer: Reject the entire delivery of swollen cans
Swollen cans may indicate Clostridium botulinum growth and must be rejected as they are unsafe to use.
Question 5: The FIFO (First In, First Out) method of food rotation means:
- Using older stock before newer stock (Correct answer)
- Using newer stock before older stock
- Storing new deliveries in front of existing stock
- Rotating food based on cost, not date
Correct answer: Using older stock before newer stock
FIFO ensures older products are used first by placing newer deliveries behind existing stock.
Question 6: Whole muscle intact beef may be received at a higher temperature than ground beef because:
- Pathogens on whole muscle are on the surface and more easily killed during cooking (Correct answer)
- Whole muscle beef has natural preservatives
- Ground beef contains more fat which spoils faster
- Whole muscle beef is always inspected more thoroughly
Correct answer: Pathogens on whole muscle are on the surface and more easily killed during cooking
Surface pathogens on whole muscle beef are exposed to high temperatures during cooking, unlike ground beef where pathogens can be mixed throughout.
Question 7: When receiving a shipment, you notice the delivery truck is clean but the driver is coughing and sneezing. You should:
- Inspect the food carefully and accept only if the food itself appears uncontaminated
- Reject the entire delivery because the driver may be ill (Correct answer)
- Accept the delivery since the truck is clean
- Call the health department immediately before accepting
Correct answer: Reject the entire delivery because the driver may be ill
A driver showing signs of illness poses a contamination risk, and the safest action is to reject the delivery.
ServSafe Certification Receiving and Storing Food 2
Fresh fish received at a food establishment should have which characteristic?