AAA FOOD HANDLER COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2025/2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔most common cause of food borne illness - ✔✔viruses and bacteria
✔✔virus - ✔✔hep. A
- associated with the human intestinal tract
- reduces risk by handwashing
✔✔parasites - ✔✔plants or species that use other animals as hosts or feed on other
animals
✔✔roundworms - ✔✔trichina
trichinella spiralis
problem in hogs and causes thrichinosis in humans who eat the infected prok
anisakis can be found in fish like cod and herring
✔✔flatworms - ✔✔beef, pork, and fish tapeworms, and flukes such as liver fluke
✔✔protozoa - ✔✔Giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium parvum often infect water
✔✔reduces exposure to water or foodborne parasites - ✔✔use of reliable water sources
and clean working environments
✔✔Bacteria - ✔✔single celled microorganisms that can exist as independent or as
parasites
✔✔listeria` - ✔✔bacteria found in soil and water and some animals
present in raw milk and foods
grow in cold temperatures
KILLED by cooking and pasteurization
✔✔Botulism - ✔✔targets nervous system and must be treated promptly to avoid
permanent damage
- prevented by ensuring packaged and canned items are good
✔✔hep A - ✔✔- liver disease caused by a virus
symptoms: less than 2 months, relapses in 6 months
fever
nausea
loss of apetite
tiredness
abdominal discomfort
dark urine
jaundice
,the virus enters the water supply and can be killed by sufficient chlorination or heated to
185
✔✔E. coli - ✔✔found in the digestive tract of the human body
diarrhea, blood problems, and kidney failure
3-4 days
✔✔norovirus - ✔✔a viral infection causes gastroenteritis
stomach flu
symptoms last 1-2 days
non blood diarrhea
nausea
stomach cramping
headache
muscle aches
tiredness
low grade fever
chills
extremely contagious
treated with antibiotics or antiviral medications with no vaccines
food poisoning, calicivirus infection, norwalk-like viruses
✔✔Shigella - ✔✔strain of bacteria found in the digestive tract
known to be spread by flies
loose watery stool, dysentery and needs hospitalization
can go back to work after 24 hrs with antibiotics with doctors note
✔✔salmonella - ✔✔food posioning
infection caused by the salmonella bacteria
infections happens 12-72 hrs and lasts for 4-7 days
diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps
✔✔most common symptoms - ✔✔abdominal pain
cramps
vomiting
fever
headache
few hours to days
24-48 hrs
✔✔Food spoilage - ✔✔natural occurance
we can slow down this decaying process by taking simple measures
causes: rough handling, exaggerated high/low keeping temperatures, bacteria,
enzymes, mold, and pests
Detection: appearance, bad smell, texture, feel, taste
, ✔✔when can contamination occur - ✔✔growing, raising
harvesting catching,
slaughtering, processing, packing, transporting, storing or holding, preparing, displaying,
selling, serving
✔✔what are the 3 kinds of contamination - ✔✔1. biological
2. physical
3. chemical
✔✔biological contamination - ✔✔when a pathogen and spoilage are present in foods
- usually involves containment of foods by other living organisms
"vehicles of contamination"
✔✔Cross contamination - ✔✔when bacteria from one food such as meat are spread to
other foods such as vegetables or other meats by way of handling
✔✔biological contamination practices - ✔✔-use different tables and utensils for
preparing and storing meat and other kinds of food
-any items exposed to raw meat should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized
immediately after use
✔✔Physical Contamination - ✔✔not caused by other living organisms and are not
considered chemical
✔✔physical contamination examples - ✔✔1. paint chips
2. dirt
3. glass
4. packaging materials
5. pest droppings
6. food waste (feathers and bones)
7. employee jewelery, fingernails, hair, bandages, etc.
8. metal and wood
✔✔how to prevent physical contamination - ✔✔1. prevent broken things from falling into
food area
2. maintain kitchen machinery
3. remove loose items that do not belong in food preparation areas
4. fix any areas that need matainenance
5. bandages, etc worn by food employees working with exposed food must be covered
with a single use glove
✔✔Chemical Contamination - ✔✔examples: pesticides, cleaning liquids, personal
grooming products, soap, bleach, rat baits, perfumes, hairsprays, toxic metals from
surfaces, natural toxins from seafood, mushrooms, plants, molds, allergens
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔most common cause of food borne illness - ✔✔viruses and bacteria
✔✔virus - ✔✔hep. A
- associated with the human intestinal tract
- reduces risk by handwashing
✔✔parasites - ✔✔plants or species that use other animals as hosts or feed on other
animals
✔✔roundworms - ✔✔trichina
trichinella spiralis
problem in hogs and causes thrichinosis in humans who eat the infected prok
anisakis can be found in fish like cod and herring
✔✔flatworms - ✔✔beef, pork, and fish tapeworms, and flukes such as liver fluke
✔✔protozoa - ✔✔Giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium parvum often infect water
✔✔reduces exposure to water or foodborne parasites - ✔✔use of reliable water sources
and clean working environments
✔✔Bacteria - ✔✔single celled microorganisms that can exist as independent or as
parasites
✔✔listeria` - ✔✔bacteria found in soil and water and some animals
present in raw milk and foods
grow in cold temperatures
KILLED by cooking and pasteurization
✔✔Botulism - ✔✔targets nervous system and must be treated promptly to avoid
permanent damage
- prevented by ensuring packaged and canned items are good
✔✔hep A - ✔✔- liver disease caused by a virus
symptoms: less than 2 months, relapses in 6 months
fever
nausea
loss of apetite
tiredness
abdominal discomfort
dark urine
jaundice
,the virus enters the water supply and can be killed by sufficient chlorination or heated to
185
✔✔E. coli - ✔✔found in the digestive tract of the human body
diarrhea, blood problems, and kidney failure
3-4 days
✔✔norovirus - ✔✔a viral infection causes gastroenteritis
stomach flu
symptoms last 1-2 days
non blood diarrhea
nausea
stomach cramping
headache
muscle aches
tiredness
low grade fever
chills
extremely contagious
treated with antibiotics or antiviral medications with no vaccines
food poisoning, calicivirus infection, norwalk-like viruses
✔✔Shigella - ✔✔strain of bacteria found in the digestive tract
known to be spread by flies
loose watery stool, dysentery and needs hospitalization
can go back to work after 24 hrs with antibiotics with doctors note
✔✔salmonella - ✔✔food posioning
infection caused by the salmonella bacteria
infections happens 12-72 hrs and lasts for 4-7 days
diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps
✔✔most common symptoms - ✔✔abdominal pain
cramps
vomiting
fever
headache
few hours to days
24-48 hrs
✔✔Food spoilage - ✔✔natural occurance
we can slow down this decaying process by taking simple measures
causes: rough handling, exaggerated high/low keeping temperatures, bacteria,
enzymes, mold, and pests
Detection: appearance, bad smell, texture, feel, taste
, ✔✔when can contamination occur - ✔✔growing, raising
harvesting catching,
slaughtering, processing, packing, transporting, storing or holding, preparing, displaying,
selling, serving
✔✔what are the 3 kinds of contamination - ✔✔1. biological
2. physical
3. chemical
✔✔biological contamination - ✔✔when a pathogen and spoilage are present in foods
- usually involves containment of foods by other living organisms
"vehicles of contamination"
✔✔Cross contamination - ✔✔when bacteria from one food such as meat are spread to
other foods such as vegetables or other meats by way of handling
✔✔biological contamination practices - ✔✔-use different tables and utensils for
preparing and storing meat and other kinds of food
-any items exposed to raw meat should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized
immediately after use
✔✔Physical Contamination - ✔✔not caused by other living organisms and are not
considered chemical
✔✔physical contamination examples - ✔✔1. paint chips
2. dirt
3. glass
4. packaging materials
5. pest droppings
6. food waste (feathers and bones)
7. employee jewelery, fingernails, hair, bandages, etc.
8. metal and wood
✔✔how to prevent physical contamination - ✔✔1. prevent broken things from falling into
food area
2. maintain kitchen machinery
3. remove loose items that do not belong in food preparation areas
4. fix any areas that need matainenance
5. bandages, etc worn by food employees working with exposed food must be covered
with a single use glove
✔✔Chemical Contamination - ✔✔examples: pesticides, cleaning liquids, personal
grooming products, soap, bleach, rat baits, perfumes, hairsprays, toxic metals from
surfaces, natural toxins from seafood, mushrooms, plants, molds, allergens
