CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL FOOD SAFETY
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM STUDY GUIDE
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
●● Log phase
Answer: Most essential phase of bacterial presence in food due to the
fastest increase in populations
●● Lag phase
Answer: Time/temp play an important role in keeping bacteria in this
phase (where numbers are less dangerous and growth is slowed)
●● Norwalk virus
Answer: Rarely a pathogen associated with shellfish
●● Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Vibrio spp (a bacteria)
Answer: 2 common pathogens associated with shellfish
●● 6 - 7 weeks
Answer: Incubation period for Hep A can be up to ___ to ___ weeks
●● Document retention rationale for shellfish
,Answer: 6 - 7 week Hep A incubation period is part of this rationale for
retaining shellstock tags for 90 days beyond the date of harvest. Batches
should not be mixed. Time allows for the presentation of any Hep Aand
gives infor on tracking the location and source of the outbreak.
●● Pathogens found in soil
Answer: Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium
perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes. To a lesser extent: Salmonella spp,
Yersinia enterocolitica
●● Cooked Rice
Answer: Food typically associated with an outbreak of Bacillus Cereus
●● Staphylococcus aureus
Answer: 50 - 70% of people are carriers of this pathogen
●● Upper respiratory tract; also frequently found in pimples, burns,
sores, other skin lesions
Answer: Location in the body where Staph is typically found
●● Cause of Staph foodborne illness
Answer: Toxins formed by bacteria and not the live bacteria that cause
the illness. Possible to have the bacteria without toxins. Staph bacteria in
, the upper respiratory tract may not cause illness, but bacterial Staph
toxins in the gastro intestinal tract in the same person may cause illness.
●● Foods typically associated with Listeriosis outbreak
Answer: Unpasteurized milk and associated milk products (raw milk
cheese); prepared and chilled RTE foods like some soft cheeses, deli
meats, hot dogs, pate; raw veggies (makes sense given Listeria can be
present in soil); pouttry, meat and seafood
●● Salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7
Answer: Pathogens associated with unpasteurized juices
●● Aerobic bacteria
Answer: require oxygen for survival and for multiplication sufficient to
cause disease
●● Anaerobic bacteria
Answer: bacteria that do not require oxygen to survive
●● Facultative
Answer: organism that can survive with or without oxygen
●● Which describes most foodborne pathogens: aerobic, anaerobic or
facultative?
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM STUDY GUIDE
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
●● Log phase
Answer: Most essential phase of bacterial presence in food due to the
fastest increase in populations
●● Lag phase
Answer: Time/temp play an important role in keeping bacteria in this
phase (where numbers are less dangerous and growth is slowed)
●● Norwalk virus
Answer: Rarely a pathogen associated with shellfish
●● Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Vibrio spp (a bacteria)
Answer: 2 common pathogens associated with shellfish
●● 6 - 7 weeks
Answer: Incubation period for Hep A can be up to ___ to ___ weeks
●● Document retention rationale for shellfish
,Answer: 6 - 7 week Hep A incubation period is part of this rationale for
retaining shellstock tags for 90 days beyond the date of harvest. Batches
should not be mixed. Time allows for the presentation of any Hep Aand
gives infor on tracking the location and source of the outbreak.
●● Pathogens found in soil
Answer: Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium
perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes. To a lesser extent: Salmonella spp,
Yersinia enterocolitica
●● Cooked Rice
Answer: Food typically associated with an outbreak of Bacillus Cereus
●● Staphylococcus aureus
Answer: 50 - 70% of people are carriers of this pathogen
●● Upper respiratory tract; also frequently found in pimples, burns,
sores, other skin lesions
Answer: Location in the body where Staph is typically found
●● Cause of Staph foodborne illness
Answer: Toxins formed by bacteria and not the live bacteria that cause
the illness. Possible to have the bacteria without toxins. Staph bacteria in
, the upper respiratory tract may not cause illness, but bacterial Staph
toxins in the gastro intestinal tract in the same person may cause illness.
●● Foods typically associated with Listeriosis outbreak
Answer: Unpasteurized milk and associated milk products (raw milk
cheese); prepared and chilled RTE foods like some soft cheeses, deli
meats, hot dogs, pate; raw veggies (makes sense given Listeria can be
present in soil); pouttry, meat and seafood
●● Salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7
Answer: Pathogens associated with unpasteurized juices
●● Aerobic bacteria
Answer: require oxygen for survival and for multiplication sufficient to
cause disease
●● Anaerobic bacteria
Answer: bacteria that do not require oxygen to survive
●● Facultative
Answer: organism that can survive with or without oxygen
●● Which describes most foodborne pathogens: aerobic, anaerobic or
facultative?
