Servsafe Food Safety Practice Test

Food Safety Risks

• Elderly individuals are at a higher risk of foodborne illness due to weakened immune systems.
• Seafood is commonly associated with parasites, which can cause foodborne diseases.

Contaminants and Food Types

• Ciguatera toxin is specifically found in amberjack fish.
• TCS (Time and Temperature Control for Safety) food includes items like baked potatoes, which require careful handling and temperature control.

Health and Hygiene Practices

• Physical contaminants include metal shavings that can pose a safety risk.
• To prevent the spread of hepatitis A, it's vital to exclude staff with jaundice from the food service operation.
• Proper handwashing involves washing hands and arms before handling food.
• Control of flies is necessary to prevent Shigella spp. transmission in foodservice operations.

Food Handling Protocols

• Food handlers with hand wounds should bandage the wound in an impermeable cover and wear single-use gloves.
• Acceptable work attire for food handlers includes a plain-band ring.
• Handwashing is essential before and after handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood.

Food Storage and Temperature Guidelines

• If gloves become torn, food handlers must change them immediately.
• When a shipment of cottage cheese arrives, use a thermometer in an opened container to take its temperature.
• Reject shipments of fresh chicken if the receiving temperature exceeds 50°F.
• Store ground fish below pork roasts in a cooler to prevent cross-contamination.

Food Safety Standards

• Ready-to-eat food can be stored for a maximum of 7 days if held at 41°F.
• Proper storage order in a cooler: lettuce, fresh halibut, fresh beef roast, ground chicken.
• OSHA requires Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for hazardous substances.

Cooking and Reheating Guidelines

• The minimum internal cooking temperature for rice meant for hot-holding is 135°F.
• The FDA advises against including rare cheeseburgers on children's menus due to health risks.
• TCS food reheated for hot-holding must reach at least 165°F for 15 seconds.

Thawing and Cooking Practices

• Never thaw food by placing it directly on a prep counter.
• When partially cooking food, the maximum initial cooking time allowable is 60 minutes.
• Food that was held at or below 41°F can be held without temperature control for up to 6 hours.

Holding Time Regulations

• Hot TCS food may be held without temperature control for a maximum of 4 hours.
• Unopened, pre-packaged food is the only type of food that may be re-served to customers.

HACCP and Sanitizing Procedures

• Setting critical limits in HACCP plans helps reduce food safety hazards.
• The minimum water temperature needed for sanitizing objects with hot water is 171°F.
• Rewashing melons with surface dirt demonstrates the HACCP principle of corrective action.

Cleaning Practices

• After cleaning and sanitizing a prep table, allow the surface to air dry.
• An iodine sanitizer requires 30 seconds of contact time to be effective.
• High-use food-contact surfaces should be cleaned and sanitized every 4 hours.

Sink Cleaning Procedures

• Rinsing is the third step in the 3-compartment sink cleaning process.
• To check the internal temperature of a beef roast, use a penetration thermocouple probe.

Cross-Contact Prevention

• Effective food safety practices include washing, rinsing, and sanitizing utensils before each use to prevent cross-contact.

Test your knowledge on food safety with this Servsafe practice test featuring 50 questions. Covering vital concepts like foodborne illnesses, contaminants, and TCS foods, this quiz is perfect for anyone preparing for the Servsafe certification. Enhance your understanding of proper food handling and safety measures.