ServSafe Safe Food Handling Practices 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A food handler is prepping raw chicken and then needs to slice tomatoes. What must happen before slicing the tomatoes?
- Rinse the cutting board with cold water
- Wipe the knife with a dry cloth
- Clean and sanitize the cutting board and knife (Correct answer)
- Switch to a different knife only
Correct answer: Clean and sanitize the cutting board and knife
After working with raw poultry, all surfaces and utensils must be cleaned and sanitized before contacting ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination.
Question 2: Which practice is required when using time as a public health control for food?
- Label food with the time it must be discarded (Correct answer)
- Keep food at room temperature no longer than 6 hours
- Refrigerate the food every 2 hours
- Record the internal temperature every 30 minutes
Correct answer: Label food with the time it must be discarded
When using time as a public health control, food must be labeled with the time it must be thrown out (within 4 hours of leaving temperature control).
Question 3: A stockpot of chili needs to be cooled. Which method meets ServSafe cooling guidelines?
- Leave covered on the counter until room temperature, then refrigerate
- Place directly into the walk-in refrigerator in the stockpot
- Divide into shallow pans and place in an ice-water bath while stirring (Correct answer)
- Cool at room temperature for 4 hours, then freeze
Correct answer: Divide into shallow pans and place in an ice-water bath while stirring
Dividing food into shallow containers and using an ice-water bath with stirring rapidly reduces temperature through the danger zone within the required timeframes.
Question 4: What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for ground beef patties?
- 145°F (63°C)
- 155°F (68°C) (Correct answer)
- 165°F (74°C)
- 135°F (57°C)
Correct answer: 155°F (68°C)
Ground beef must be cooked to an internal temperature of 155°F (68°C) for 15 seconds to destroy pathogens that may have been introduced during grinding.
Question 5: A food handler notices a bag of flour in the dry storage area has small holes and what appears to be droppings nearby. What should they do?
- Use the flour but sift it first
- Seal the holes and continue using the flour
- Discard the flour and report the signs of pests to management (Correct answer)
- Move the flour to the refrigerator and use it within 24 hours
Correct answer: Discard the flour and report the signs of pests to management
Signs of pest activity such as gnaw marks and droppings indicate contamination; the food must be discarded and the pest issue reported for immediate corrective action.
Question 6: Which temperature range is considered the Temperature Danger Zone (TDZ)?
- 32°F to 140°F (0°C to 60°C)
- 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C) (Correct answer)
- 40°F to 165°F (4°C to 74°C)
- 50°F to 145°F (10°C to 63°C)
Correct answer: 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C)
The Temperature Danger Zone is 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C), where most foodborne pathogens grow most rapidly.
Question 7: A food handler is sick with vomiting and diarrhea but has no fever. What should the manager do?
- Allow them to work if they wear gloves
- Restrict them to non-food-contact duties only
- Exclude them from the operation entirely (Correct answer)
- Allow them to work if they wash hands more frequently
Correct answer: Exclude them from the operation entirely
Vomiting and diarrhea are symptoms that require excluding the food handler from the operation, as these symptoms are associated with highly contagious illnesses that spread easily.
ServSafe Safe Food Handling Practices 4
A food handler is prepping raw chicken and then needs to slice tomatoes.
What must happen before slicing the tomatoes?