SERVSAFE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
a foodborne illness is considered an outbreak when....? (3) - ✔1) two or more people
have the same symptoms after eating the same food
2) an investigation is conducted by state and local regulating authorities
3) the outbreak is confirmed by a laboratory analysis
what are some costs of foodborne illness to an operation? - ✔-loss of customers and
sales
-negative media exposure
-lawsuits and legal fees
-increased insurance premiums
-loss of reputation
-lowered staff morale
-staff missing work
-staff retraining
most important costs of foodborne illness? - ✔human costs
victims of foodborne illness may experience what 3 human costs? - ✔-lost work
-medical costs and long-term disability
-death
foodborne illness is usually the result of __________________________ - ✔
contamination
the presence of harmful substances in food - ✔contamination
3 categories of contaminants - ✔-biological
-chemical
-physical
the greatest threat to food safety - ✔pathogens
examples of chemical contaminants - ✔cleaners, sanitizers, polishes
what type of contaminant are fish bones in fillets? - ✔physical
5 most common food handling mistakes - ✔-purchasing food from unsafe sources
-failing to cook food correctly
-holding food at incorrect temperatures
-using contaminated equipment
-practicing poor personal hygiene
of the 5 most common food handling mistakes except for purchasing food from unsafe
sources, they are all related to what 4 main factors? - ✔-time-temperature control
-cross-contamination
,SERVSAFE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
-poor personal hygiene
-poor cleaning and sanitizing
food has been time-temperature abused if what has happened? - ✔if it has stayed too
long at temperatures that are good for the growth of pathogens
3 ways the food is time-temperature abused? - ✔-food is not held or stored at the
correct temperature
-food is not cooked or reheated enough to kill pathogens
-food is not cooled correctly
when pathogens are transferred from one surface to another - ✔cross-contamination
in what ways can cross-contamination cause foodborne illness? - ✔-contaminated
ingredients added to food that receives no further cooking
-ready-to-eat food touches contaminated surfaces
-contaminated food touches or drips fluids onto cooked or ready-to-eat food
-a food handler touches contaminated food and then touches ready-to-eat food
-contaminated cleaning cloths touch food-contact surfaces
in what ways can poor cleaning and sanitizing cause foodborne illness? - ✔-equipment
and utensils are not washed, rinsed and sanitized between uses
-food-contact surfaces are wiped clean rather than being washed, rinsed and sanitized
-wiping cloths are not stored in a sanitizer solution between uses
-sanitizing solutions are not at the required levels to sanitize objects
what is a TCS food? - ✔one that requires time and temperature control to limit its
pathogen growth
examples of ready-to-eat foods? - ✔cooked food, washed fruit and veggies, deli meat,
bakery items, sugar, spices, seasonings
TCS foods - ✔baked potato, slices melons/tomatoes/leafy greens, cooked rice, beans,
veggies, sprouts, sprout seeds, untreated garlic-an-oil mixtures
3 populations who have a higher risk of getting a foodborne illness? - ✔-elderly
-preschool-age children
-people with compromised immune systems
when should staff be trained on food safety? - ✔when they are first hired and on an
ongoing basis
agencies that inspect food and perform other critical duties - ✔FDA and USDA
, SERVSAFE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
who creates regulations and inspect operations? - ✔state and local regulatory
authorities
in addition to the USDA and FDA (and state and local authorities) who helps with
prevention of foodborne illness? - ✔CDC and US Public Health Service (PHS)
inspect all food except meat, poultry and eggs - ✔FDA
FDA inspects all food except what? - ✔meat, poultry, eggs
what agency inspects all food transported across state lines? - ✔FDA
science-based code that provides recommendations for food safety - ✔Food Code
(FDA)
who make the Food Code? - ✔FDA
regulates and inspects meat, poultry and eggs - ✔USDA
what does the USDA inspect? - ✔meat, poultry and eggs
regulates food that crosses state boundaries or involves more than one state - ✔USDA
conducts research into the causes of foodborne illness outbreaks and assist in
investigating outbreaks - ✔CDC, PHS
-write and adopt code that regulates retail and foodservice operations (not required to
adopt it)
-inspect operations
-enforce regulations
-investigate complaints, permits
-approve construction
-review HACCP plans - ✔state and local regulatory authorities
one of the _________________ most important role's is to prevent any type of
contamination of food from occurring - ✔foodservice manager's
the presence of harmful substances in food - ✔contamination
3 types of contaminants? - ✔biological, chemical, physical
what do most food contaminants cause? - ✔foodborne illness (some cause physical
harm)
a foodborne illness is considered an outbreak when....? (3) - ✔1) two or more people
have the same symptoms after eating the same food
2) an investigation is conducted by state and local regulating authorities
3) the outbreak is confirmed by a laboratory analysis
what are some costs of foodborne illness to an operation? - ✔-loss of customers and
sales
-negative media exposure
-lawsuits and legal fees
-increased insurance premiums
-loss of reputation
-lowered staff morale
-staff missing work
-staff retraining
most important costs of foodborne illness? - ✔human costs
victims of foodborne illness may experience what 3 human costs? - ✔-lost work
-medical costs and long-term disability
-death
foodborne illness is usually the result of __________________________ - ✔
contamination
the presence of harmful substances in food - ✔contamination
3 categories of contaminants - ✔-biological
-chemical
-physical
the greatest threat to food safety - ✔pathogens
examples of chemical contaminants - ✔cleaners, sanitizers, polishes
what type of contaminant are fish bones in fillets? - ✔physical
5 most common food handling mistakes - ✔-purchasing food from unsafe sources
-failing to cook food correctly
-holding food at incorrect temperatures
-using contaminated equipment
-practicing poor personal hygiene
of the 5 most common food handling mistakes except for purchasing food from unsafe
sources, they are all related to what 4 main factors? - ✔-time-temperature control
-cross-contamination
,SERVSAFE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
-poor personal hygiene
-poor cleaning and sanitizing
food has been time-temperature abused if what has happened? - ✔if it has stayed too
long at temperatures that are good for the growth of pathogens
3 ways the food is time-temperature abused? - ✔-food is not held or stored at the
correct temperature
-food is not cooked or reheated enough to kill pathogens
-food is not cooled correctly
when pathogens are transferred from one surface to another - ✔cross-contamination
in what ways can cross-contamination cause foodborne illness? - ✔-contaminated
ingredients added to food that receives no further cooking
-ready-to-eat food touches contaminated surfaces
-contaminated food touches or drips fluids onto cooked or ready-to-eat food
-a food handler touches contaminated food and then touches ready-to-eat food
-contaminated cleaning cloths touch food-contact surfaces
in what ways can poor cleaning and sanitizing cause foodborne illness? - ✔-equipment
and utensils are not washed, rinsed and sanitized between uses
-food-contact surfaces are wiped clean rather than being washed, rinsed and sanitized
-wiping cloths are not stored in a sanitizer solution between uses
-sanitizing solutions are not at the required levels to sanitize objects
what is a TCS food? - ✔one that requires time and temperature control to limit its
pathogen growth
examples of ready-to-eat foods? - ✔cooked food, washed fruit and veggies, deli meat,
bakery items, sugar, spices, seasonings
TCS foods - ✔baked potato, slices melons/tomatoes/leafy greens, cooked rice, beans,
veggies, sprouts, sprout seeds, untreated garlic-an-oil mixtures
3 populations who have a higher risk of getting a foodborne illness? - ✔-elderly
-preschool-age children
-people with compromised immune systems
when should staff be trained on food safety? - ✔when they are first hired and on an
ongoing basis
agencies that inspect food and perform other critical duties - ✔FDA and USDA
, SERVSAFE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
who creates regulations and inspect operations? - ✔state and local regulatory
authorities
in addition to the USDA and FDA (and state and local authorities) who helps with
prevention of foodborne illness? - ✔CDC and US Public Health Service (PHS)
inspect all food except meat, poultry and eggs - ✔FDA
FDA inspects all food except what? - ✔meat, poultry, eggs
what agency inspects all food transported across state lines? - ✔FDA
science-based code that provides recommendations for food safety - ✔Food Code
(FDA)
who make the Food Code? - ✔FDA
regulates and inspects meat, poultry and eggs - ✔USDA
what does the USDA inspect? - ✔meat, poultry and eggs
regulates food that crosses state boundaries or involves more than one state - ✔USDA
conducts research into the causes of foodborne illness outbreaks and assist in
investigating outbreaks - ✔CDC, PHS
-write and adopt code that regulates retail and foodservice operations (not required to
adopt it)
-inspect operations
-enforce regulations
-investigate complaints, permits
-approve construction
-review HACCP plans - ✔state and local regulatory authorities
one of the _________________ most important role's is to prevent any type of
contamination of food from occurring - ✔foodservice manager's
the presence of harmful substances in food - ✔contamination
3 types of contaminants? - ✔biological, chemical, physical
what do most food contaminants cause? - ✔foodborne illness (some cause physical
harm)
