TEXAS FOOD MANAGER EXAM 2025/2026 | ACCURATE REAL
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES |
EXPERT VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS | LATEST
UPDATE | STUDY GUIDE INCLUSIVE | EARN2SERVE
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Which of the following occurs with the use of adequate lighting in a food establishment?
A. It encourages pests to enter
B. It is more difficult to identify hazards
C. It makes cleaning and sanitizing easier
D. It makes cleaning and sanitizing more complicated
CORRECT ANSWER: C. It makes cleaning and sanitizing easier
Rationale: Good lighting lets staff see soil, pests, and hazards clearly, improving cleaning
effectiveness and inspection.
What is the proper minimum clearance between the floor and floor-mounted equipment?
A. 4 inches
B. 6 inches
C. 8 inches
D. 12 inches
CORRECT ANSWER: B. 6 Inches
Rationale: Code requires 6" floor clearance (or sealed to the floor) for cleaning access and pest
control.
What minimum temperature is required for rapidly reheating previously cooked foods?
A. 140 F
B. 155 F
C. 165 F
D. 180 F
Dr Medina Reed
,CORRECT ANSWER: C. 165 F
Rationale: Reheat TCS foods to 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours to quickly pass the danger
zone.
When using hot water to manually sanitize objects, the objects must be immersed in water
for at least
A. 15 seconds in water that is at least 135 F
B. 15 seconds in water that is at least 150 F
C. 20 seconds in water that is at least 150F
D. 30 seconds in water that is at least 171 F
CORRECT ANSWER: D. 30 seconds in water that is at least 171 F
Rationale: Manual hot-water sanitizing requires ≥171°F for ≥30 seconds to achieve kill.
A hose may be attached to a faucet in a food establishment only if the hose
A. Has treated connector instead of clamps
B. Has threaded connectors on both ends to simplify joining
C. Is long enough to reach the bottom of a sink
D. Is equipped with a backflow prevention device
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Is equipped with a backflow prevention device
Rationale: Backflow prevention (e.g., vacuum breaker) stops contaminated water from
siphoning into potable lines.
An employee would not be allowed to work in a food preparation area with
A. A headache
B. Diarrhea
C. A sore throat but no fever
D. A leg cut with a tight-fitting bandage
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Diarrhea
Dr Medina Reed
,Rationale: Diarrhea indicates possible contagious illness; exclude to prevent fecal-oral
transmission.
Which of the following employees would be allowed to work in a food service business?
A. Waitress with an open cut
B. Busboy wearing a bandaid on his thumb
C. Food preparer with a cut, covered by a bandaid, and a disposable glove
D. Dishwasher with a boil on his neck
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Food preparer with a cut, covered by a bandaid, and a disposable
glove
Rationale: Properly covered wound plus glove prevents contamination; open/boil wounds risk
pathogen shedding.
Which of the following is unacceptable for food workers' fingernails?
A. Nails neatly trimmed and filed
B. Uncovered artificial fingernails
C. Unpolished Nails
D. Gloves covering artificial fingernails
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Uncovered artificial fingernails
Rationale: Artificial nails can harbor pathogens; if present, gloves are required.
Meat cooked in a microwave oven must be
A. Kept uncovered during cooking
B. Allowed to stand uncovered for 1 minute after cooking
C. Heated to a temperature of at least 155 F
D. Rotated or stirred during cooking
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Rotated or stirred during cooking
Rationale: Microwaves heat unevenly; stirring/rotating ensures even cooking and pathogen kill
(and cover/stand time, too).
Dr Medina Reed
, The temperature danger zone is correctly described as the temperature range...
A. Between 40 F and 150 F
B. Where harmful bacteria grow rapidly
C. In which harmful bacteria will be killed
D. In which food should be stored
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Where harmful bacteria grow rapidly
Rationale: TDZ (41–135°F) supports rapid bacterial growth; avoid holding foods there.
A food manager sees a chef in a prep kitchen tasting mashed potatoes with his finger. What
should the manager do?
A. Tell the chef is it happens again the potatoes will be thrown away
B. Do not say or do anything because mashed potatoes are not a time/temperature control for
food safety
C. Throw the potatoes out immediately
D. Reheat the potatoes to 165 F before serving to customers
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Throw the potatoes out immediately
Rationale: Direct hand contact contaminated the food; discard to prevent illness.
What is the acceptable method of manual warewashing/dishwashing?
A. Pre-wash, sanitize, rinse, wash, and air dry
B. Pre-wash, rinse, wash, air dry, and sanitize
C. Pre-wash, wash, rinse, sanitize, and air dry
D. Pre-wash, wash, sanitize, rinse, and air dry
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Pre-wash, wash, rinse, sanitize, and air dry
Rationale: Standard 3-compartment sequence: wash → rinse → sanitize; air-dry to avoid
recontamination.
Dr Medina Reed
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES |
EXPERT VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS | LATEST
UPDATE | STUDY GUIDE INCLUSIVE | EARN2SERVE
360TRAINING
Which of the following occurs with the use of adequate lighting in a food establishment?
A. It encourages pests to enter
B. It is more difficult to identify hazards
C. It makes cleaning and sanitizing easier
D. It makes cleaning and sanitizing more complicated
CORRECT ANSWER: C. It makes cleaning and sanitizing easier
Rationale: Good lighting lets staff see soil, pests, and hazards clearly, improving cleaning
effectiveness and inspection.
What is the proper minimum clearance between the floor and floor-mounted equipment?
A. 4 inches
B. 6 inches
C. 8 inches
D. 12 inches
CORRECT ANSWER: B. 6 Inches
Rationale: Code requires 6" floor clearance (or sealed to the floor) for cleaning access and pest
control.
What minimum temperature is required for rapidly reheating previously cooked foods?
A. 140 F
B. 155 F
C. 165 F
D. 180 F
Dr Medina Reed
,CORRECT ANSWER: C. 165 F
Rationale: Reheat TCS foods to 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours to quickly pass the danger
zone.
When using hot water to manually sanitize objects, the objects must be immersed in water
for at least
A. 15 seconds in water that is at least 135 F
B. 15 seconds in water that is at least 150 F
C. 20 seconds in water that is at least 150F
D. 30 seconds in water that is at least 171 F
CORRECT ANSWER: D. 30 seconds in water that is at least 171 F
Rationale: Manual hot-water sanitizing requires ≥171°F for ≥30 seconds to achieve kill.
A hose may be attached to a faucet in a food establishment only if the hose
A. Has treated connector instead of clamps
B. Has threaded connectors on both ends to simplify joining
C. Is long enough to reach the bottom of a sink
D. Is equipped with a backflow prevention device
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Is equipped with a backflow prevention device
Rationale: Backflow prevention (e.g., vacuum breaker) stops contaminated water from
siphoning into potable lines.
An employee would not be allowed to work in a food preparation area with
A. A headache
B. Diarrhea
C. A sore throat but no fever
D. A leg cut with a tight-fitting bandage
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Diarrhea
Dr Medina Reed
,Rationale: Diarrhea indicates possible contagious illness; exclude to prevent fecal-oral
transmission.
Which of the following employees would be allowed to work in a food service business?
A. Waitress with an open cut
B. Busboy wearing a bandaid on his thumb
C. Food preparer with a cut, covered by a bandaid, and a disposable glove
D. Dishwasher with a boil on his neck
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Food preparer with a cut, covered by a bandaid, and a disposable
glove
Rationale: Properly covered wound plus glove prevents contamination; open/boil wounds risk
pathogen shedding.
Which of the following is unacceptable for food workers' fingernails?
A. Nails neatly trimmed and filed
B. Uncovered artificial fingernails
C. Unpolished Nails
D. Gloves covering artificial fingernails
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Uncovered artificial fingernails
Rationale: Artificial nails can harbor pathogens; if present, gloves are required.
Meat cooked in a microwave oven must be
A. Kept uncovered during cooking
B. Allowed to stand uncovered for 1 minute after cooking
C. Heated to a temperature of at least 155 F
D. Rotated or stirred during cooking
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Rotated or stirred during cooking
Rationale: Microwaves heat unevenly; stirring/rotating ensures even cooking and pathogen kill
(and cover/stand time, too).
Dr Medina Reed
, The temperature danger zone is correctly described as the temperature range...
A. Between 40 F and 150 F
B. Where harmful bacteria grow rapidly
C. In which harmful bacteria will be killed
D. In which food should be stored
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Where harmful bacteria grow rapidly
Rationale: TDZ (41–135°F) supports rapid bacterial growth; avoid holding foods there.
A food manager sees a chef in a prep kitchen tasting mashed potatoes with his finger. What
should the manager do?
A. Tell the chef is it happens again the potatoes will be thrown away
B. Do not say or do anything because mashed potatoes are not a time/temperature control for
food safety
C. Throw the potatoes out immediately
D. Reheat the potatoes to 165 F before serving to customers
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Throw the potatoes out immediately
Rationale: Direct hand contact contaminated the food; discard to prevent illness.
What is the acceptable method of manual warewashing/dishwashing?
A. Pre-wash, sanitize, rinse, wash, and air dry
B. Pre-wash, rinse, wash, air dry, and sanitize
C. Pre-wash, wash, rinse, sanitize, and air dry
D. Pre-wash, wash, sanitize, rinse, and air dry
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Pre-wash, wash, rinse, sanitize, and air dry
Rationale: Standard 3-compartment sequence: wash → rinse → sanitize; air-dry to avoid
recontamination.
Dr Medina Reed
