Foodborne Illness Prevention 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 Foodborne Illness Prevention flashcards as text
Which practice BEST prevents the spread of Norovirus in a foodservice operation?
Answer: Excluding sick food handlers and enforcing handwashing
Norovirus spreads primarily through infected food handlers; excluding ill employees and rigorous handwashing are the most effective controls.
What does the term 'TCS food' stand for in ServSafe?
Answer: Time/Temperature Control for Safety
TCS stands for Time/Temperature Control for Safety — foods that require strict temperature management to prevent pathogen growth.
Which of the following is NOT considered a TCS food?
Answer: Dry crackers
Dry crackers have low water activity and do not support pathogen growth, so they are not TCS foods.
A cook prepares a pot of soup and leaves it on the stove at 120°F for three hours. What is the primary concern?
Answer: Pathogens may grow to dangerous levels in the temperature danger zone
120°F falls within the temperature danger zone (41°F–135°F), allowing rapid bacterial growth over three hours.
Which method is NOT an approved way to thaw frozen TCS food safely?
Answer: On the counter at room temperature
Thawing food at room temperature allows the outer layers to enter the danger zone while the center is still frozen, promoting bacterial growth.
What is the maximum time TCS food can remain in the temperature danger zone before it must be discarded?
Answer: 4 hours
TCS food that has been in the temperature danger zone for a cumulative total of more than 4 hours must be discarded.
Which foodborne pathogen can produce a heat-resistant spore that survives normal cooking temperatures?
Answer: Clostridium botulinum
Clostridium botulinum forms heat-resistant spores that can survive boiling and germinate in anaerobic (low-oxygen) conditions to produce deadly toxin.