TFM Personal Hygiene and Employee Health 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When must food handlers wash their hands?
- Only before starting a shift
- After using the restroom, handling raw meat, touching the face, or handling garbage (Correct answer)
- Once every hour regardless of activity
- Only when hands are visibly dirty
Correct answer: After using the restroom, handling raw meat, touching the face, or handling garbage
Food handlers must wash hands after any activity that could contaminate them, including using the restroom, handling raw protein foods, touching the face, or handling garbage.
Question 2: What is the minimum recommended time for proper handwashing in a food service setting?
- 5 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 20 seconds (Correct answer)
- 60 seconds
Correct answer: 20 seconds
Proper handwashing should take at least 20 seconds of vigorous scrubbing with soap to effectively remove pathogens.
Question 3: Which symptom requires a food handler to be excluded from working with food?
- Mild headache
- Vomiting (Correct answer)
- Seasonal allergies
- Minor fatigue
Correct answer: Vomiting
Vomiting is a symptom that requires a food handler to be excluded from the food service area because it indicates a potential infectious illness.
Question 4: A food handler diagnosed with Hepatitis A must be excluded from food handling until:
- They feel better
- 7 days after the onset of jaundice, or as directed by the regulatory authority (Correct answer)
- The next shift after taking medication
- Their symptoms have been gone for 24 hours
Correct answer: 7 days after the onset of jaundice, or as directed by the regulatory authority
A food handler with Hepatitis A must be excluded for at least 7 days after the onset of jaundice or until cleared by the regulatory authority.
Question 5: Which of the following is an acceptable practice regarding jewelry for food handlers?
- Wearing rings with gemstones while preparing salads
- Wearing a plain metal band (wedding ring) while handling food (Correct answer)
- Wearing dangling bracelets during cooking
- Wearing a watch while washing dishes
Correct answer: Wearing a plain metal band (wedding ring) while handling food
A plain metal band (wedding ring) is generally the only jewelry permitted because it lacks crevices where bacteria can hide.
Question 6: What type of gloves must be used when handling ready-to-eat foods?
- Cotton gloves
- Latex or single-use disposable gloves (Correct answer)
- Reusable rubber gloves
- Any clean gloves available
Correct answer: Latex or single-use disposable gloves
Single-use disposable gloves must be used when handling ready-to-eat foods to prevent bare-hand contact and contamination.
TFM Personal Hygiene and Employee Health 1
When must food handlers wash their hands?