ServSafe - ServSafe Food Safety Manager 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A food manager notices that a prep cook has returned to work after being ill with vomiting and diarrhea. When can this employee safely return to handling food?
- After taking over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication
- After being symptom-free for at least 24 hours (Correct answer)
- After receiving a doctor's clearance note
- After washing hands thoroughly with soap and water
Correct answer: After being symptom-free for at least 24 hours
Employees who have experienced vomiting or diarrhea must be symptom-free for at least 24 hours before returning to food handling duties to reduce the risk of spreading pathogens to food.
Question 2: Which temperature range is considered the 'temperature danger zone' for bacterial growth?
- 0°F to 32°F (-18°C to 0°C)
- 32°F to 70°F (0°C to 21°C)
- 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C) (Correct answer)
- 135°F to 165°F (57°C to 74°C)
Correct answer: 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C)
The temperature danger zone is 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C), where bacteria can multiply rapidly. Food should spend as little time as possible in this range.
Question 3: A manager discovers that a shipment of ground beef arrived at 50°F (10°C). What is the correct action?
- Cook the ground beef immediately to kill any bacteria
- Refrigerate it immediately and use within 24 hours
- Reject the shipment and return it to the supplier (Correct answer)
- Accept the shipment since ground beef is cooked before serving
Correct answer: Reject the shipment and return it to the supplier
Ground beef must be received at 41°F (5°C) or below. A delivery temperature of 50°F indicates the product was held in the temperature danger zone and must be rejected to prevent foodborne illness.
Question 4: What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for poultry such as whole chickens or turkeys?
- 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds
- 155°F (68°C) for 17 seconds
- 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds (Correct answer)
- 170°F (77°C) for 15 seconds
Correct answer: 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds
Poultry must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds to destroy pathogens such as Salmonella that are commonly associated with poultry products.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of cross-contamination?
- Storing raw chicken on a shelf below ready-to-eat salad greens (Correct answer)
- Using a color-coded cutting board system for different food types
- Keeping raw meats in sealed containers on the lowest cooler shelf
- Sanitizing a cutting board between uses with different raw proteins
Correct answer: Storing raw chicken on a shelf below ready-to-eat salad greens
Storing raw chicken above ready-to-eat items allows juices to drip onto the salad greens, transferring pathogens. Raw proteins must always be stored below ready-to-eat foods, arranged by minimum internal cooking temperature.
Question 6: A manager implementing a HACCP plan identifies the step in food preparation where a specific hazard can be prevented or eliminated. What is this step called?
- A critical limit
- A critical control point (Correct answer)
- A hazard analysis
- A corrective action
Correct answer: A critical control point
A Critical Control Point (CCP) is a step in the food preparation process where a control measure can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.
ServSafe - ServSafe Food Safety Manager 5
A food manager notices that a prep cook has returned to work after being ill with vomiting and diarrhea.
When can this employee safely return to handling food?