ServSafe Manager Exam 1 (5) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which pathogen is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks and spreads most easily from infected food handlers?
- Campylobacter jejuni
- Norovirus (Correct answer)
- Salmonella Typhi
- Listeria monocytogenes
Correct answer: Norovirus
Norovirus is responsible for the majority of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States. It is highly contagious and can be transmitted through contaminated food, surfaces, or direct contact with an infected person.
Question 2: What does HACCP stand for?
- Hazard Assessment and Critical Control Procedures
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (Correct answer)
- Health and Contamination Control Protocol
- Hazard Analysis and Contamination Control Plan
Correct answer: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. It is a science-based, systematic approach to identifying, evaluating, and controlling food safety hazards throughout the entire food production process.
Question 3: A food handler is prepping raw shrimp and then moves to preparing a fruit salad without washing hands. This is an example of:
- Chemical contamination
- Physical contamination
- Biological contamination through cross-contamination (Correct answer)
- Time-temperature abuse
Correct answer: Biological contamination through cross-contamination
This is biological cross-contamination, where pathogens from a raw food (shrimp) are transferred to a ready-to-eat food (fruit salad) via the food handler's unwashed hands. Proper handwashing between tasks is essential to prevent this.
Question 4: When using a bimetallic stemmed thermometer, where should the sensing area (dimple to tip) be inserted?
- Into the center of the thickest part of the food (Correct answer)
- Just below the surface of the food
- Into the thinnest part of the food to the dimple mark
- At the edge of the food product
Correct answer: Into the center of the thickest part of the food
The entire sensing area from the tip to the dimple must be inserted into the thickest part of the food for an accurate reading. Inserting only the tip or into a thin area will give an inaccurate temperature that may not reflect the food's actual internal temperature.
Question 5: A ready-to-eat food has been prepared in-house and stored in the refrigerator. What is the maximum number of days it can be held at 41°F or lower?
- 3 days
- 5 days
- 7 days (Correct answer)
- 10 days
Correct answer: 7 days
Ready-to-eat food prepared in-house can be stored at 41°F or lower for a maximum of 7 days. After 7 days, the risk of Listeria monocytogenes growth becomes significant and the food must be discarded.
Question 6: Which item should be rejected when receiving a dry goods delivery?
- Canned goods with a best-by date 6 months away
- Flour bags that are slightly dusty on the outside
- Canned goods with swollen or bulging lids (Correct answer)
- Bags of sugar with intact, sealed packaging
Correct answer: Canned goods with swollen or bulging lids
Swollen or bulging canned goods indicate gas production inside the can, which can be a sign of contamination by Clostridium botulinum. These cans must be rejected immediately and set aside to prevent anyone from consuming the contents.
ServSafe Manager Exam 1 (5) 2
Which pathogen is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks and spreads most easily from infected food handlers?