ServSafe ServSafe Food Labeling & Date Marking 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does FIFO stand for in food storage?
- First In, First Out (Correct answer)
- Fresh Inventory, Fresh Output
- First Inspection, Final Order
- Food In, Food Out
Correct answer: First In, First Out
FIFO (First In, First Out) means older stock is used before newer stock to minimize waste and spoilage.
Question 2: Which label element is most critical for identifying when commercially packaged food should be removed from inventory?
- Lot number
- Best-by or use-by date (Correct answer)
- UPC barcode
- Net weight
Correct answer: Best-by or use-by date
The best-by or use-by date printed by the manufacturer tells food handlers when the product should be used or discarded.
Question 3: A food handler rewrites an old date on a food label to extend its use. This is:
- Acceptable if the food still looks and smells fine
- A violation of food safety regulations (Correct answer)
- Allowed only with manager approval
- Fine as long as the food is reheated before serving
Correct answer: A violation of food safety regulations
Altering or falsifying date labels is a food safety violation because it conceals critical shelf-life information.
Question 4: Which storage method correctly applies FIFO principles?
- Place new deliveries at the front of the shelf
- Store newer items behind older items (Correct answer)
- Discard older items when new stock arrives
- Use newest stock first to maintain freshness
Correct answer: Store newer items behind older items
Under FIFO, newly received items go behind existing stock so older items are consumed first and waste is reduced.
Question 5: Ready-to-eat TCS food that has exceeded its date mark must be:
- Cooked to a higher temperature before serving
- Discarded immediately (Correct answer)
- Moved to the freezer
- Re-labeled with a new date
Correct answer: Discarded immediately
Food that has exceeded its date mark is no longer safe and must be discarded to protect customers from foodborne illness.
Question 6: What is the purpose of day-dot stickers in a commercial kitchen?
- To indicate which employee prepared the food
- To color-code allergen-containing items
- To clearly show the day of the week food was prepped or opened (Correct answer)
- To signal which items are on promotion
Correct answer: To clearly show the day of the week food was prepped or opened
Day-dot stickers use color-coded days of the week to provide a quick visual reference for when food was prepared or opened.
ServSafe ServSafe Food Labeling & Date Marking 2
What does FIFO stand for in food storage?