ServSafe Preparation, Cooking and Serving Test 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A cook is preparing raw ground beef patties and then moves on to chopping salad vegetables without changing gloves. This is an example of:
- Cross-contamination (Correct answer)
- Time-temperature abuse
- Poor personal hygiene
- Physical contamination
Correct answer: Cross-contamination
Using the same gloves for raw meat and ready-to-eat vegetables transfers harmful pathogens, which is cross-contamination.
Question 2: When thawing frozen shrimp under running water, the water temperature must be:
- Below 70°F (21°C) (Correct answer)
- Below 41°F (5°C)
- At exactly 32°F (0°C)
- Between 41°F and 70°F (5°C–21°C)
Correct answer: Below 70°F (21°C)
Running water used for thawing must be 70°F (21°C) or below to prevent the outer surface from entering the temperature danger zone.
Question 3: Which food is considered a ready-to-eat food that requires no further cooking?
- Sliced deli meat (Correct answer)
- Raw chicken breast
- Whole raw eggs
- Frozen ground beef
Correct answer: Sliced deli meat
Sliced deli meat is ready-to-eat because it has already been cooked and requires no additional heat treatment before serving.
Question 4: A food handler prepares a large batch of chili and places it in a single deep container in the walk-in cooler. What is the primary cooling concern?
- The thick mass will cool too slowly, allowing bacteria to multiply (Correct answer)
- The chili will freeze unevenly
- The container material will leach chemicals into the food
- The walk-in temperature will rise too high
Correct answer: The thick mass will cool too slowly, allowing bacteria to multiply
Large, deep containers of dense food cool slowly in the center, keeping food in the danger zone long enough for bacterial growth.
Question 5: What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for a whole muscle beef steak served to a high-risk population?
- 155°F (68°C) for 15 seconds
- 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds
- 135°F (57°C) for 15 seconds
- 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds
For high-risk populations such as the elderly or immunocompromised, beef must reach 165°F (74°C) to ensure all pathogens are destroyed.
Question 6: A catering team is holding hot soup on a buffet line. Which action is required to maintain food safety?
- Stir the soup periodically and verify temperature every 2 hours (Correct answer)
- Keep the soup covered at all times without monitoring temperature
- Add cold soup to the hot soup to maintain volume
- Hold the soup at 125°F (52°C) to save energy
Correct answer: Stir the soup periodically and verify temperature every 2 hours
Stirring distributes heat evenly, and checking temperature every 2 hours ensures hot food stays at or above 135°F (57°C).
Question 7: Which practice correctly prevents contamination when a food handler returns to work after handling raw poultry?
- Wash hands thoroughly, change gloves, and sanitize the work surface (Correct answer)
- Rinse gloves under hot water and continue working
- Change apron only and resume work
- Apply hand sanitizer over the existing gloves
Correct answer: Wash hands thoroughly, change gloves, and sanitize the work surface
Proper hand washing, glove change, and surface sanitation together prevent cross-contamination after handling raw poultry.
ServSafe Preparation, Cooking and Serving Test 3
A cook is preparing raw ground beef patties and then moves on to chopping salad vegetables without changing gloves.
This is an example of: