FOOD SAFETY MANAGER CERTIFICATION EXAM
STUDY GUIDE ANSI/CFP
Foodborne Illness - Answers- A disease carried or transmitted to people by food.
Foodborne Illness Outbreak - Answers- When two or more people experience the same
illness after eating the same food.
High Risk Populations - Answers- Infants, preschool age children, the elderly, and
immunocrompromised people.
Why do some foods require temperature control for safety? - Answers- Although any
type of food can become contaminated, some are better able to support the rapid
growth of microorganisms than others.
Temperature Danger Zone - Answers- 41F-135F
Why must TSC Foods be kept out of the danger zone? - Answers- To prevent the
growth of microorganisms and the production of toxins.
What are four ways food becomes contaminated? - Answers- 1. Time-Temperature
Control ( TCS foods are left in the danger zone for more than 4 hours.)
2. Cross Contamination (Contaminants cross to a food that is not going to be cooked
any further.)
3. Poor Personal Hygiene (Food handlers cause the foodborne illness.)
4. Poor Cleaning and Sanitizing.
Ready-to-Eat Foods - Answers- Foods that can be consumed without further
preparation, washing, and cooking.
Examples of Ready-to-Eat foods - Answers- Cooked food, washed fruit and vegetables,
Deli Meat, Bakery Items, Sugar, Spices, and Seasonings.
What measures should be focused on when training to keeping food safe? - Answers-
Controlling time and temperature, preventing cross-contamination, practicing good
personal hygiene, purchasing from approved reputable suppliers, cleaning and
sanitizers.
What are some ways to train and monitor employees on keeping food safe? - Answers-
Train staff to follow food safety procedures. Provide initial and ongoing training. Provide
all staff with general food safety knowledge. Provide job specific food safety training.
Retrain staff regularly. Monitor staff to make sure they are following procedure.
Document training.
,Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Answers- A federal agency that inspects all food
except meat, poultry, and eggs. It also regulates food transported across state lines.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Answers- A federal agency that regulates and
inspects meat, poultry, and eggs. It also regulates food that crosses state boundaries or
involves more than one state.
What do agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S
Public health service do? - Answers- Conduct research into the causes of foodborne-
illness outbreaks.
What do state and local regulatory authorities do? - Answers- Write or adopt code that
regulates retail and food service operations.
Foodborne Infections - Answers- Result when a person eats a food containing
pathogens which grow in the intestines and cause illness.
Common Symptoms of Foodborne Illness - Answers- Diarrhea, Vomiting, Fever,
Nausea, Abdominal Cramps, Jaundice
Onset times for foodborne illnesses - Answers- Depends on the type of illness, can
range from 30 minutes to 6 weeks or longer.
Foodborne Intoxication - Answers- Result when a person eats food containing toxins
(Poison) produced by pathogens found in the food or which are results of chemical
contamination.
Bacteria - Answers- Are of the greatest concern of the biological contaminates. Bacteria
are found everywhere and under favorable conditions they can reproduce very rapidly if
FATTOM conditions are right.
FATTOM - Answers- Food, Acidity, Temperature, Time, Oxygen, Moisture.
Food in FATTOM - Answers- Most bacteria need nutrients to survive. TCS food
supports the growth of bacteria better than other types of food.
Acidity in FATTOM - Answers- Bacteria grow best in food that contains little or no acid
on a pH Scale that ranges from 0 to 14.0 acid to alkaline. Bacteria grow right in the
middle more rapidly from 4.6-7.5
Temperature in FATTOM - Answers- Bacteria grow rapidly between 41F and 135F this
range is known as the temperature danger zone. Bacteria growth is limited when food is
held above or below the temperature danger zone.
, Time in FATTOM - Answers- Bacteria need time to grow. the more time bacteria spends
in the temperature danger zone the greater chance they have to grow to unsafe levels.
Bacteria doubles every 15 to 20 minutes in the TDZ.
Oxygen in FATTOM - Answers- Some bacteria need oxygen to grow, while others grow
when oxygen isn't there. (ROP)
Moisture in FATTOM - Answers- The amount of moisture available in food is called
water activity (AW), the AW scale ranges from 0.0 to 1.0 the higher the value, the more
available moisture in the food.
What are the three types of contaminants? - Answers- Biological, Chemical, Physical
Biological Contaminants - Answers- Bacteria, Viruses, Parasites, Fungi, Natural Toxins
Chemical Contaminants - Answers- Cleaners, Sanitizers, Toxic Metal from Non-Food
Service Grade Utensils and Cookware, Pesticides
Physical Contaminants - Answers- Foreign Objects - Hair, Glass, Paper, Metal
Shavings.
What are the top 5 documented reasons for outbreaks? - Answers- 1. Purchasing food
from unsafe sources
2. Failing to cook food adequately
3. Holding Food at incorrect temperatures
4. Contaminated equipment
5. Poor personal hygiene
What are the easiest things to control in FATTOM? - Answers- Time and Temperature
are the easiest things for us to control.
What are the four types of bacteria that cause severe illness and are highly contagious
as identified by the FDA? - Answers- Salmonella Typhi, Nontyphoidal Salmonella,
Shigella spp, Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.
Characteristics of Salmonella Typhi - Answers- -only lives in humans
-People with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract.
-eating only a small amount of these bacteria can make a person sick.
-Severity of symptoms depends on the health of the person and the amount of bacteria
eaten. The bacteria are often in a person's feces for weeks after symptoms have ended.
Characteristics of Nontyphoidal Salmonella - Answers- -Many farm animals carry
naturally
-The severity of a person's symptoms depends on how much is eaten.
-Has been found in tomatoes, peppers, and cantaloupes.
-Cooking poultry or eggs to the right temperature can prevent illness.
STUDY GUIDE ANSI/CFP
Foodborne Illness - Answers- A disease carried or transmitted to people by food.
Foodborne Illness Outbreak - Answers- When two or more people experience the same
illness after eating the same food.
High Risk Populations - Answers- Infants, preschool age children, the elderly, and
immunocrompromised people.
Why do some foods require temperature control for safety? - Answers- Although any
type of food can become contaminated, some are better able to support the rapid
growth of microorganisms than others.
Temperature Danger Zone - Answers- 41F-135F
Why must TSC Foods be kept out of the danger zone? - Answers- To prevent the
growth of microorganisms and the production of toxins.
What are four ways food becomes contaminated? - Answers- 1. Time-Temperature
Control ( TCS foods are left in the danger zone for more than 4 hours.)
2. Cross Contamination (Contaminants cross to a food that is not going to be cooked
any further.)
3. Poor Personal Hygiene (Food handlers cause the foodborne illness.)
4. Poor Cleaning and Sanitizing.
Ready-to-Eat Foods - Answers- Foods that can be consumed without further
preparation, washing, and cooking.
Examples of Ready-to-Eat foods - Answers- Cooked food, washed fruit and vegetables,
Deli Meat, Bakery Items, Sugar, Spices, and Seasonings.
What measures should be focused on when training to keeping food safe? - Answers-
Controlling time and temperature, preventing cross-contamination, practicing good
personal hygiene, purchasing from approved reputable suppliers, cleaning and
sanitizers.
What are some ways to train and monitor employees on keeping food safe? - Answers-
Train staff to follow food safety procedures. Provide initial and ongoing training. Provide
all staff with general food safety knowledge. Provide job specific food safety training.
Retrain staff regularly. Monitor staff to make sure they are following procedure.
Document training.
,Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Answers- A federal agency that inspects all food
except meat, poultry, and eggs. It also regulates food transported across state lines.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Answers- A federal agency that regulates and
inspects meat, poultry, and eggs. It also regulates food that crosses state boundaries or
involves more than one state.
What do agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S
Public health service do? - Answers- Conduct research into the causes of foodborne-
illness outbreaks.
What do state and local regulatory authorities do? - Answers- Write or adopt code that
regulates retail and food service operations.
Foodborne Infections - Answers- Result when a person eats a food containing
pathogens which grow in the intestines and cause illness.
Common Symptoms of Foodborne Illness - Answers- Diarrhea, Vomiting, Fever,
Nausea, Abdominal Cramps, Jaundice
Onset times for foodborne illnesses - Answers- Depends on the type of illness, can
range from 30 minutes to 6 weeks or longer.
Foodborne Intoxication - Answers- Result when a person eats food containing toxins
(Poison) produced by pathogens found in the food or which are results of chemical
contamination.
Bacteria - Answers- Are of the greatest concern of the biological contaminates. Bacteria
are found everywhere and under favorable conditions they can reproduce very rapidly if
FATTOM conditions are right.
FATTOM - Answers- Food, Acidity, Temperature, Time, Oxygen, Moisture.
Food in FATTOM - Answers- Most bacteria need nutrients to survive. TCS food
supports the growth of bacteria better than other types of food.
Acidity in FATTOM - Answers- Bacteria grow best in food that contains little or no acid
on a pH Scale that ranges from 0 to 14.0 acid to alkaline. Bacteria grow right in the
middle more rapidly from 4.6-7.5
Temperature in FATTOM - Answers- Bacteria grow rapidly between 41F and 135F this
range is known as the temperature danger zone. Bacteria growth is limited when food is
held above or below the temperature danger zone.
, Time in FATTOM - Answers- Bacteria need time to grow. the more time bacteria spends
in the temperature danger zone the greater chance they have to grow to unsafe levels.
Bacteria doubles every 15 to 20 minutes in the TDZ.
Oxygen in FATTOM - Answers- Some bacteria need oxygen to grow, while others grow
when oxygen isn't there. (ROP)
Moisture in FATTOM - Answers- The amount of moisture available in food is called
water activity (AW), the AW scale ranges from 0.0 to 1.0 the higher the value, the more
available moisture in the food.
What are the three types of contaminants? - Answers- Biological, Chemical, Physical
Biological Contaminants - Answers- Bacteria, Viruses, Parasites, Fungi, Natural Toxins
Chemical Contaminants - Answers- Cleaners, Sanitizers, Toxic Metal from Non-Food
Service Grade Utensils and Cookware, Pesticides
Physical Contaminants - Answers- Foreign Objects - Hair, Glass, Paper, Metal
Shavings.
What are the top 5 documented reasons for outbreaks? - Answers- 1. Purchasing food
from unsafe sources
2. Failing to cook food adequately
3. Holding Food at incorrect temperatures
4. Contaminated equipment
5. Poor personal hygiene
What are the easiest things to control in FATTOM? - Answers- Time and Temperature
are the easiest things for us to control.
What are the four types of bacteria that cause severe illness and are highly contagious
as identified by the FDA? - Answers- Salmonella Typhi, Nontyphoidal Salmonella,
Shigella spp, Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.
Characteristics of Salmonella Typhi - Answers- -only lives in humans
-People with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract.
-eating only a small amount of these bacteria can make a person sick.
-Severity of symptoms depends on the health of the person and the amount of bacteria
eaten. The bacteria are often in a person's feces for weeks after symptoms have ended.
Characteristics of Nontyphoidal Salmonella - Answers- -Many farm animals carry
naturally
-The severity of a person's symptoms depends on how much is eaten.
-Has been found in tomatoes, peppers, and cantaloupes.
-Cooking poultry or eggs to the right temperature can prevent illness.
