TFM Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield TFM facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What must a manager do if an employee reports that they have been diagnosed with a reportable illness? → Exclude the employee and notify the local regulatory authority
2. At what point must single-use gloves be changed? → After handling raw meat, touching the face, or after any contaminating activity
3. Listeria monocytogenes is particularly dangerous because it can: → Survive and grow at refrigerator temperatures (34–40°F)
4. What food is most commonly associated with Salmonella contamination? → Undercooked poultry and eggs
5. What should a food establishment do if local regulations differ from state requirements? → Follow the more stringent of the two sets of regulations
6. A chef uses the same tongs to handle raw shrimp and then places cooked shrimp on a serving platter. This is an example of: → Direct cross-contamination
7. How long is a Texas Food Manager Certificate valid once it is issued? → 5 years
8. What is a master cleaning schedule used for in a food establishment? → Documenting what needs to be cleaned, how often, by whom, and with what chemicals
9. Why is it important for food handlers to report illness symptoms to their manager? → To prevent contamination of food and protect public health
10. When reheating TCS food for hot holding, what minimum temperature must it reach and within what time frame? → 165°F within 2 hours
11. How long can Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food safely remain in the temperature danger zone? → 4 hours total
12. What is the primary reason bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food is prohibited? → Hands can transfer pathogens directly to food that will not be cooked further
13. What minimum temperature must the final sanitizing rinse reach in a high-temperature commercial dishwasher? → 180°F
14. Which food item requires a minimum internal cooking temperature of 155°F? → Ground beef patties
15. Which pathogen is most associated with raw or undercooked seafood, particularly oysters? → Vibrio vulnificus
16. Can a food handler who has been diagnosed with Salmonella Typhi return to work without restrictions? → No, they must be cleared by the regulatory authority before returning
17. What is the correct minimum internal temperature for cooking whole muscle beef steaks served to the general public? → 145°F
18. Which of the five Big 6 pathogens is associated with contaminated water and poor hygiene and causes bloody diarrhea? → Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
19. What is the temperature danger zone for food according to Texas food safety regulations? → 41°F to 135°F
20. What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for fish? → 145°F for 15 seconds
21. Which authority is primarily responsible for enforcing food manager certification requirements in local jurisdictions? → Local city or county health departments
22. How long can TCS food safely remain in the temperature danger zone before it must be discarded? → 4 hours cumulative
23. What is the minimum internal cooking temperature required for ground beef? → 155°F for 15 seconds
24. How long is the Texas Food Manager Certificate valid once obtained? → 5 years
25. Which of the following is the most common source of biological cross-contamination in a food service kitchen? → Food handler's unwashed hands
26. If a food manager works in multiple Texas counties, what should they do to comply with local certification requirements? → Contact each county’s health department to verify compliance
27. After cutting raw beef on a cutting board, what must be done before using the same board for vegetables? → Clean with soap, rinse, sanitize, and air-dry
28. What action should a food manager take when receiving a shipment of ground beef at 50°F? → Reject it because it exceeds the safe receiving temperature
29. What should be done with wiping cloths used for food contact surfaces between uses? → Stored in a sanitizer solution of correct concentration between uses
30. What must be done to a food contact surface before sanitizing? → Clean the surface with soap and water and rinse first