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Food Contamination and Allergens Flashcards

7 cards from real SERVSAFE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Food Contamination and Allergens flashcards as text

  1. A food handler accidentally drops a sanitized knife on the floor, picks it up, and continues prepping lettuce. What type of contamination has occurred?

    Answer: Biological contamination from floor pathogens

    The floor harbors pathogens that transfer to the knife and then to the ready-to-eat lettuce, causing biological contamination.

  2. Under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), how many major allergens must be declared on packaged food labels in the US?

    Answer: 9

    FALCPA originally identified 8 major allergens, but FASTER Act (2023) added sesame, bringing the total to 9.

  3. Which of the following scenarios represents deliberate contamination of food?

    Answer: A disgruntled employee adds a foreign substance to a dish out of revenge

    Deliberate contamination (food defense) refers to intentional adulteration of food by a person with harmful intent.

  4. A guest with a milk allergy is served a dish made with clarified butter (ghee). Why is this still a problem?

    Answer: Ghee is derived from milk and still contains milk proteins that trigger allergies

    Ghee is made from butter, and even though most lactose is removed, it can still contain milk proteins (casein/whey) that trigger allergic reactions.

  5. What does the term 'upcycling' risk introduce in the context of allergen management?

    Answer: Hidden allergens in repurposed food items passed off as allergen-free

    Repurposed or upcycled ingredients may carry hidden allergens from their original processing, creating undeclared allergen risks.

  6. A food handler is prepping fish on a cutting board, then uses the same board without washing it to slice strawberries for a fruit plate. This BEST illustrates:

    Answer: Cross-contact of a major allergen

    Fish proteins transferring from the cutting board to strawberries is allergen cross-contact, a distinct risk from microbial cross-contamination.

  7. When a restaurant runs out of the allergen-free oil specified in a recipe and substitutes peanut oil without updating the menu, this creates which type of hazard?

    Answer: An undeclared allergen hazard that could cause a severe reaction

    Substituting peanut oil without disclosing it introduces an undeclared major allergen, violating food safety and labeling standards.