ServSafe Practice Test 2 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the maximum time that food can remain in the temperature danger zone before it must be discarded?
- 2 hours
- 4 hours (Correct answer)
- 6 hours
- 8 hours
Correct answer: 4 hours
Food that has been in the temperature danger zone (41°F–135°F) for a cumulative total of more than 4 hours must be discarded.
Question 2: An operation receives a shipment of canned goods with swollen lids. What action should be taken?
- Use them quickly before they expire
- Refrigerate them to slow any bacterial growth
- Reject or discard the cans and notify the supplier (Correct answer)
- Puncture the lid to release gas and use normally
Correct answer: Reject or discard the cans and notify the supplier
Swollen cans indicate gas production from bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum, making the contents potentially deadly — they must be rejected or discarded.
Question 3: Which method of thawing food is NOT approved by the FDA Food Code?
- Thawing under cold running water
- Thawing in the refrigerator
- Thawing as part of the cooking process
- Thawing on a countertop at room temperature (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Thawing on a countertop at room temperature
Thawing food at room temperature allows the outer layers to reach the danger zone while the interior is still frozen, promoting bacterial growth.
Question 4: A food handler uses the same cutting board for raw chicken and then for lettuce without washing it. This is an example of:
- Time-temperature abuse
- Cross-contamination (Correct answer)
- Poor personal hygiene
- Physical contamination
Correct answer: Cross-contamination
Using the same surface for raw poultry and ready-to-eat produce without sanitizing between uses is a classic example of cross-contamination.
Question 5: What is the correct concentration range for a chlorine sanitizing solution used on food-contact surfaces?
- 5–10 ppm
- 50–100 ppm (Correct answer)
- 200–400 ppm
- 500–750 ppm
Correct answer: 50–100 ppm
Chlorine sanitizer for food-contact surfaces should be between 50–100 ppm to be effective without leaving harmful residue.
Question 6: Which of the following is a TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) food?
- Dry pasta
- Whole uncut melons
- Sliced tomatoes (Correct answer)
- Crackers
Correct answer: Sliced tomatoes
Sliced tomatoes are a TCS food because cutting exposes the moist interior, creating an environment that supports bacterial growth.
Question 7: When reheating food for hot holding, what minimum internal temperature must it reach and how quickly?
- 135°F (57°C) within 2 hours
- 145°F (63°C) within 1 hour
- 155°F (68°C) within 3 hours
- 165°F (74°C) within 2 hours (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 165°F (74°C) within 2 hours
Food reheated for hot holding must reach 165°F (74°C) within 2 hours to ensure any pathogens that developed during storage are destroyed.
ServSafe Practice Test 2 5
What is the maximum time that food can remain in the temperature danger zone before it must be discarded?