ServSafe Manager Practice Exam 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A manager finds that a batch of soup cooled from 135°F to 70°F in 3 hours. What corrective action is required?
- Continue cooling to 41°F within the next 4 hours
- Reheat the soup to 165°F and start the cooling process again (Correct answer)
- Discard the soup immediately
- Move the soup to an ice bath and monitor
Correct answer: Reheat the soup to 165°F and start the cooling process again
If food does not reach 70°F within 2 hours during cooling, it must be reheated to 165°F for 15 seconds and cooled again, or thrown out.
Question 2: What is the correct concentration range for a chlorine sanitizing solution used on food-contact surfaces?
- 10-25 ppm
- 50-99 ppm (Correct answer)
- 150-200 ppm
- 300-400 ppm
Correct answer: 50-99 ppm
Chlorine sanitizer is typically effective at 50 to 99 ppm with correct water temperature and contact time.
Question 3: A manager receives a recall notice for a brand of romaine lettuce in inventory. After removing the product, what should be done with it?
- Return it to the delivery driver on the next visit
- Label it, store it away from other food, and follow the vendor's instructions (Correct answer)
- Throw it in the regular trash immediately
- Cook it thoroughly and serve it the same day
Correct answer: Label it, store it away from other food, and follow the vendor's instructions
Recalled items must be identified, labeled to prevent use, stored separately, and handled according to the vendor's or regulatory authority's instructions.
Question 4: Which situation is MOST likely to cause the growth of Clostridium botulinum in a food operation?
- Storing garlic-and-oil mixtures unrefrigerated at room temperature (Correct answer)
- Holding sliced melons at 39°F
- Thawing frozen fish under cold running water
- Serving raw oysters from an approved supplier
Correct answer: Storing garlic-and-oil mixtures unrefrigerated at room temperature
Clostridium botulinum thrives in low-oxygen environments such as untreated garlic-and-oil mixtures left without refrigeration.
Question 5: A new employee asks why single-use gloves must be changed after handling raw meat even if they look clean. What is the manager's BEST explanation?
- Gloves lose their grip after touching raw meat
- Pathogens can transfer from the gloves to ready-to-eat food even without visible soil (Correct answer)
- Health inspectors require a glove change every hour
- Raw meat causes gloves to deteriorate quickly
Correct answer: Pathogens can transfer from the gloves to ready-to-eat food even without visible soil
Gloves can carry invisible pathogens from raw food to other surfaces or foods, so they must be changed when switching tasks.
Question 6: During a self-inspection, a manager finds a spray bottle of degreaser stored on a shelf above the prep table. What is the violation?
- The degreaser is missing a manufacturer's expiration date
- Chemicals must be stored away from and below food and food-contact surfaces (Correct answer)
- Degreaser may not be kept in spray bottles
- Chemicals may only be stored in the manager's office
Correct answer: Chemicals must be stored away from and below food and food-contact surfaces
Chemicals must be stored in a designated area away from food, equipment, and utensils, and never above them where they could drip or spill.
Question 7: A water main break has caused a loss of water service to the operation. What is the manager's MOST appropriate response?
- Continue service using bottled water and boiled water for all needs, and notify the regulatory authority (Correct answer)
- Switch to disposable tableware and stay open without any other changes
- Close only the restrooms and keep the kitchen running
- Wait one hour to see if service is restored before acting
Correct answer: Continue service using bottled water and boiled water for all needs, and notify the regulatory authority
An imminent health hazard like a water service interruption requires notifying the regulatory authority and either stopping service or operating under an approved emergency plan such as using bottled water.
ServSafe Manager Practice Exam 5
A manager finds that a batch of soup cooled from 135°F to 70°F in 3 hours.
What corrective action is required?