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NYC Food Protection Certificate
NYC Food Protection Certificate Exam
UPDATED 2025-2026
All food service establishments must have -Correct Answer ✔a current and valid permit
issued by the NYC Health Department
When do Health Inspectors have the right to inspect a food service or food processing
establishment? -Correct Answer ✔as long as it is in operation
During an inspection, inspectors must be given access to -Correct Answer ✔all areas of
the food establishment
Who is required to have a Food Protection Certificate. -Correct Answer ✔supervisors of
all food service establishments
Food is defined as -Correct Answer ✔any edible substance, ice, beverage, or ingredient
intended for use and used or sold for human consumption.
Potentially Hazardous Food (PHF) refers to? -Correct Answer ✔Foods which support
rapid growth of microorganisms.
Examples of Potentially Hazardous Foods -Correct Answer ✔Examples: raw and
cooked meats, poultry, milk and milk products, fish, shellfish, tofu, cooked rice, pasta,
beans, potatoes, cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes and melons, garlic in oil etc.
(Exceptions: Air-cooled hard-boiled eggs with intact shell, beef jerky, cheese pizza,
crispy bacon)
Not Potentially Hazardous prepared Foods -Correct Answer ✔Air-cooled hard-boiled
eggs with intact shell, beef jerky, cheese pizza, crispy bacon
The Temperature Danger Zone -Correct Answer ✔41°F and 140°F.
The three thermometers allowed to be used for measuring food temperatures: -Correct
Answer ✔Examples: Bi-metallic stem (range from 0°F to 220°F), thermocouple, and
thermistor (digital)
Glass Thermometers -Correct Answer ✔Kind of thermometer which are prohibited by
law in a food establishment.
Meat inspected by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture must have what? -Correct Answer
✔must have a USDA inspection stamp.
NYC Food Protection Certificate
, 2
NYC Food Protection Certificate
Raw shell eggs must be stored at a minimum temperature of -Correct Answer ✔45°F
Smoked fish must be held at -Correct Answer ✔38°F or below
Smoked fish held above what temperature causes the growth of which kind of bacteria -
Correct Answer ✔38°F causes growth of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
All refrigerated food must be held at or below -Correct Answer ✔41°F
Shellfish must be received with -Correct Answer ✔the shellfish tags
After shellfish is used up -Correct Answer ✔tags must be kept on file for at least 90 days
Milk and milk products must be pasteurized with sell-by dates of -Correct Answer ✔9
days
Milk and milk products must be ultra-pasteurized with sell-by dates of -Correct Answer
✔45 days
All fruits and vegetables served raw must be -Correct Answer ✔thoroughly washed
before being served.
Canned products must be rejected if there are -Correct Answer ✔Dents at the seam,
swelling, severe rust, leakage or no label. . (exception: slight dent on the body of the
can)
Home canned foods -Correct Answer ✔are unacceptable types of canning
All commercial modified atmosphere packaged foods -Correct Answer ✔type of
packaged food that must be used per manufacture specifications
Vacuum Packaging of any food product in a retail food establishment -Correct Answer
✔Prohibited by law unless special authorization is obtained through the Department of
Health
The acronym FIFO means -Correct Answer ✔First In First Out
The first step in implementing FIFO is to -Correct Answer ✔date the products is the is
the first step
How far off the floor must all food items must be stored? -Correct Answer ✔6" or more
In order to prevent cross-contamination, raw foods in a refrigerator must be stored -
Correct Answer ✔below cooked foods
NYC Food Protection Certificate
NYC Food Protection Certificate
NYC Food Protection Certificate Exam
UPDATED 2025-2026
All food service establishments must have -Correct Answer ✔a current and valid permit
issued by the NYC Health Department
When do Health Inspectors have the right to inspect a food service or food processing
establishment? -Correct Answer ✔as long as it is in operation
During an inspection, inspectors must be given access to -Correct Answer ✔all areas of
the food establishment
Who is required to have a Food Protection Certificate. -Correct Answer ✔supervisors of
all food service establishments
Food is defined as -Correct Answer ✔any edible substance, ice, beverage, or ingredient
intended for use and used or sold for human consumption.
Potentially Hazardous Food (PHF) refers to? -Correct Answer ✔Foods which support
rapid growth of microorganisms.
Examples of Potentially Hazardous Foods -Correct Answer ✔Examples: raw and
cooked meats, poultry, milk and milk products, fish, shellfish, tofu, cooked rice, pasta,
beans, potatoes, cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes and melons, garlic in oil etc.
(Exceptions: Air-cooled hard-boiled eggs with intact shell, beef jerky, cheese pizza,
crispy bacon)
Not Potentially Hazardous prepared Foods -Correct Answer ✔Air-cooled hard-boiled
eggs with intact shell, beef jerky, cheese pizza, crispy bacon
The Temperature Danger Zone -Correct Answer ✔41°F and 140°F.
The three thermometers allowed to be used for measuring food temperatures: -Correct
Answer ✔Examples: Bi-metallic stem (range from 0°F to 220°F), thermocouple, and
thermistor (digital)
Glass Thermometers -Correct Answer ✔Kind of thermometer which are prohibited by
law in a food establishment.
Meat inspected by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture must have what? -Correct Answer
✔must have a USDA inspection stamp.
NYC Food Protection Certificate
, 2
NYC Food Protection Certificate
Raw shell eggs must be stored at a minimum temperature of -Correct Answer ✔45°F
Smoked fish must be held at -Correct Answer ✔38°F or below
Smoked fish held above what temperature causes the growth of which kind of bacteria -
Correct Answer ✔38°F causes growth of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
All refrigerated food must be held at or below -Correct Answer ✔41°F
Shellfish must be received with -Correct Answer ✔the shellfish tags
After shellfish is used up -Correct Answer ✔tags must be kept on file for at least 90 days
Milk and milk products must be pasteurized with sell-by dates of -Correct Answer ✔9
days
Milk and milk products must be ultra-pasteurized with sell-by dates of -Correct Answer
✔45 days
All fruits and vegetables served raw must be -Correct Answer ✔thoroughly washed
before being served.
Canned products must be rejected if there are -Correct Answer ✔Dents at the seam,
swelling, severe rust, leakage or no label. . (exception: slight dent on the body of the
can)
Home canned foods -Correct Answer ✔are unacceptable types of canning
All commercial modified atmosphere packaged foods -Correct Answer ✔type of
packaged food that must be used per manufacture specifications
Vacuum Packaging of any food product in a retail food establishment -Correct Answer
✔Prohibited by law unless special authorization is obtained through the Department of
Health
The acronym FIFO means -Correct Answer ✔First In First Out
The first step in implementing FIFO is to -Correct Answer ✔date the products is the is
the first step
How far off the floor must all food items must be stored? -Correct Answer ✔6" or more
In order to prevent cross-contamination, raw foods in a refrigerator must be stored -
Correct Answer ✔below cooked foods
NYC Food Protection Certificate
