CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL FOOD SAFETY
2026 STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE HACCP AND
FOOD HANDLING PRINCIPLES PRACTICE
QUESTIONS
◉ Characteristics of bacterial spores. Answer: Resistant to stress,
extreme temperatures (hot and cold) and loss of moisture. Cannot
reproduce or make toxin.
◉ Mesophilic bacteria. Answer: Moderate temperature loving
bacteria. Most foodborne illness bacteria fall into this temperature
group.
◉ Four stages of bacterial growth. Answer: 1. Lag
2. Log
3. Stationary
4. Death
◉ Types of ROP (Reduced Oxygen Packaging). Answer: - Vacuum
Packaging
- MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging)
- Controlled Atmosphere Packaging
,- Cool-Chill Packaging
- Sous Vide
◉ Temperatures for Reheating Food. Answer: 165F within 2 hours
(*Exception: commercially processed food in an intact package only
has to be reheated to 135F)
◉ Cooking temperature for roast. Answer: 130F for 112 minutes or
145F for 4 minutes.
◉ Items with minimum cooking temperature of 165F. Answer: -
Stuffed fish, stuffed meat, stuffed pasta, stuffed poultry, ratites or
stuffing containing fish, meat, poultry or ratites
- Wild game animals
- Raw animal food cooked in a microwave over(Hold for 2 minutes
after removing from microwave oven. Also must be covered stirred
and rotated half way through the cooking cycle.)
◉ Items with minimum cooking temperatures of 155F. Answer: -
Raw eggs NOT for immediate service (buffet line)
- Comminuted commercially raised game animals and exotic species
of game animal
- Comminuted fish and meats
- Injected meats
,- Ratites
◉ Items with minimum cooking temperatures of 145F. Answer: -
Raw eggs for immediate service by a consumer's order
- Commercially raised game animals and exotic species of game
animals under a voluntary inspection program
- Fish, Pork and Meat not otherwise specified
◉ Bacterial Infection. Answer: Caused by a live pathogen in your
body. Often produces a fever. Longer onset time (1-2 days). More
likely to cause diarrhea.
◉ Five steps for proper cleaning and sanitizing. Answer: 1. Pre-
scrape or pre-rinse
2. Wash
3. Rinse
4. Sanitize
5. Air Dry
◉ Bacterial Intoxication. Answer: Caused by a toxin produced
bacteria in the food before you eat it. Bacteria may be dead when
you eat the food. Does not produce a fever. Shorter onset time
(typically measured in hours). More likely to cause vomiting.
(Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, Staphylococcus)
, ◉ Phosphatase Test. Answer: Used to check for proper
Pasteurization in Milk. Absence of alkaline phosphatase indicates
milk was properly pasteurized.
◉ UHT pasteurization. Answer: Ultra High temperature that not only
kills pathogens, but also spoilage bacteria.
◉ Requirements to prevent Clostridium botulinum in ROP foods.
Answer: - Maximum water activity = .91
- Maximum pH = 4.6
- Maximum shelf life = 14 days
- Maximum temperature = 41F
- High concentration of competing organisms
◉ Five symptoms that automatically mean exclusion. Answer: -
Vomiting
- Jaundice
- Diarrhea
- Sore throat with fever
- Lesion on hand or wrist that cannot be properly covered
2026 STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE HACCP AND
FOOD HANDLING PRINCIPLES PRACTICE
QUESTIONS
◉ Characteristics of bacterial spores. Answer: Resistant to stress,
extreme temperatures (hot and cold) and loss of moisture. Cannot
reproduce or make toxin.
◉ Mesophilic bacteria. Answer: Moderate temperature loving
bacteria. Most foodborne illness bacteria fall into this temperature
group.
◉ Four stages of bacterial growth. Answer: 1. Lag
2. Log
3. Stationary
4. Death
◉ Types of ROP (Reduced Oxygen Packaging). Answer: - Vacuum
Packaging
- MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging)
- Controlled Atmosphere Packaging
,- Cool-Chill Packaging
- Sous Vide
◉ Temperatures for Reheating Food. Answer: 165F within 2 hours
(*Exception: commercially processed food in an intact package only
has to be reheated to 135F)
◉ Cooking temperature for roast. Answer: 130F for 112 minutes or
145F for 4 minutes.
◉ Items with minimum cooking temperature of 165F. Answer: -
Stuffed fish, stuffed meat, stuffed pasta, stuffed poultry, ratites or
stuffing containing fish, meat, poultry or ratites
- Wild game animals
- Raw animal food cooked in a microwave over(Hold for 2 minutes
after removing from microwave oven. Also must be covered stirred
and rotated half way through the cooking cycle.)
◉ Items with minimum cooking temperatures of 155F. Answer: -
Raw eggs NOT for immediate service (buffet line)
- Comminuted commercially raised game animals and exotic species
of game animal
- Comminuted fish and meats
- Injected meats
,- Ratites
◉ Items with minimum cooking temperatures of 145F. Answer: -
Raw eggs for immediate service by a consumer's order
- Commercially raised game animals and exotic species of game
animals under a voluntary inspection program
- Fish, Pork and Meat not otherwise specified
◉ Bacterial Infection. Answer: Caused by a live pathogen in your
body. Often produces a fever. Longer onset time (1-2 days). More
likely to cause diarrhea.
◉ Five steps for proper cleaning and sanitizing. Answer: 1. Pre-
scrape or pre-rinse
2. Wash
3. Rinse
4. Sanitize
5. Air Dry
◉ Bacterial Intoxication. Answer: Caused by a toxin produced
bacteria in the food before you eat it. Bacteria may be dead when
you eat the food. Does not produce a fever. Shorter onset time
(typically measured in hours). More likely to cause vomiting.
(Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, Staphylococcus)
, ◉ Phosphatase Test. Answer: Used to check for proper
Pasteurization in Milk. Absence of alkaline phosphatase indicates
milk was properly pasteurized.
◉ UHT pasteurization. Answer: Ultra High temperature that not only
kills pathogens, but also spoilage bacteria.
◉ Requirements to prevent Clostridium botulinum in ROP foods.
Answer: - Maximum water activity = .91
- Maximum pH = 4.6
- Maximum shelf life = 14 days
- Maximum temperature = 41F
- High concentration of competing organisms
◉ Five symptoms that automatically mean exclusion. Answer: -
Vomiting
- Jaundice
- Diarrhea
- Sore throat with fever
- Lesion on hand or wrist that cannot be properly covered
