Sanitarian Exam Study Guide (2026)
COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS || 100% GUARANTEED PASS
<UPDATED VERSION>
1. What is the most critical factor in controlling foodborne illness?
Answer: Controlling time and temperature to limit the growth of pathogens.
2. What is the temperature "Danger Zone" for food as defined by the FDA Food
Code?
Answer: 41°F (5°C) to 135°F (57°C). Food should not be in this range for more than
4 hours cumulatively.
3. What is the proper final cooking temperature for ground beef?
Answer: 155°F (68°C) for 15 seconds.
4. What is the proper final cooking temperature for poultry (chicken, turkey)?
Answer: 165°F (74°C) for <1 second (instantaneous).
5. How should a triple-sink be properly used for manual warewashing?
Answer: Sink 1: Wash with detergent in water at least 110°F. Sink 2: Rinse with
clean water. Sink 3: Sanitize with an approved chemical sanitizer at the correct
concentration.
6. What is the minimum hot water temperature for a commercial high-
temperature dishwashing machine?
Answer: Final rinse must be at least 180°F (82°C) at the manifold.
7. What is the required concentration for chlorine sanitizer in a manual
warewashing sink?
Answer: 50-100 ppm.
,8. What are the six major factors that contribute to foodborne illness?
Answer: The FDA's public health interventions: 1) Poor Personal Hygiene, 2)
Inadequate Cooking, 3) Improper Holding Temperatures, 4) Contaminated
Equipment, 5) Unsafe Food Sources, and 6) Cross-Contamination.
9. What is the correct procedure for cooling a large pot of hot soup?
Answer: Cool from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and then from 70°F to 41°F or
below within the next 4 hours (total 6 hours). Methods include using an ice bath,
dividing into shallow pans, or using a blast chiller.
10. What is the primary symptom of an employee that must be reported to the
person in charge?
Answer: Vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes), or a sore throat
with fever.
11. What is HACCP?
Answer: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point - a systematic, preventive approach
to food safety that identifies and controls biological, chemical, and physical
hazards.
12. What is a "Critical Control Point" (CCP) in a HACCP plan?
Answer: A point, step, or procedure at which control can be applied and is
essential to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable
level.
13. What is the maximum time ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food can be
stored in a refrigerator at 41°F?
Answer: 7 days, provided it was held at 41°F or below the entire time.
14. What is the primary purpose of a sneeze guard?
Answer: To protect unpackaged food on a buffet or salad bar from contamination
by customers.
15. What is the correct way to calibrate a dial stem thermometer?
Answer: Use the ice-point method: immerse the stem in a mixture of ice and
water, wait 30 seconds, and adjust the calibration nut until the thermometer
reads 32°F (0°C).
,16. Which food is most often associated with Staphylococcus aureus poisoning?
Answer: Foods that require extensive handling and are not subsequently cooked
(e.g., sliced meats, potato salad, pastries).
17. Which food is most often associated with Salmonella?
Answer: Raw or undercooked poultry, eggs, milk, and meat.
18. What is the most common source of E. coli O157:H7?
Answer: Undercooked ground beef, but also raw milk, contaminated produce, and
unpasteurized cider.
19. What is the primary method for preventing Clostridium perfringens growth?
Answer: Rapid and proper cooling of cooked foods, especially large roasts and
gravies.
20. What does FIFO stand for?
Answer: First-In, First-Out. A food rotation system to ensure the oldest product is
used first.
21. What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for fish and seafood?
Answer: 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds.
22. What is the primary cause of Hepatitis A outbreaks in food establishments?
Answer: An infected food handler with poor personal hygiene, or contaminated
water/ice.
23. What is the proper procedure for washing hands?
Answer: Wet hands with warm water, apply soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds,
rinse thoroughly, and dry with a single-use paper towel or air dryer.
24. What is a "variance" from a regulatory agency?
Answer: A written document granting permission for a food establishment to do
something that is otherwise not permitted by the code (e.g., selling wild
mushrooms, using a specialized cooking process).
25. What is the purpose of a consumer advisory?
Answer: To inform customers that eating raw or undercooked animal foods (like
steak tartare, runny eggs, raw oysters) increases their risk of foodborne illness.
, Water Supply & Wastewater (10 Questions)
26. What is the most common disinfectant used in public water supplies?
Answer: Chlorine.
27. What is the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for coliform bacteria in
drinking water?
Answer: Zero (or "no more than 5.0% of monthly samples can be total coliform-
positive").
28. What is the purpose of a cross-connection control program?
Answer: To prevent the backflow of contaminated water into the potable
(drinkable) water supply.
29. What are the two main types of backflow prevention devices?
Answer: Air Gap (the most effective) and Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) assembly.
30. What is the primary health concern associated with nitrate contamination in
well water?
Answer: Methemoglobinemia, or "blue baby syndrome," which reduces the
blood's ability to carry oxygen in infants.
31. What is the most common type of on-site wastewater treatment system for
a single-family home?
Answer: A septic system, consisting of a septic tank and a soil absorption field
(leach field).
32. What is the purpose of the septic tank?
Answer: To separate solids (which settle as sludge) from fats, oils, and grease
(which float as scum), and to allow for partial decomposition of organic matter.
33. What is the primary reason for the failure of a septic system leach field?
Answer: Hydraulic overloading (putting too much water into the system too
quickly) or biomat clogging from a failed tank.
COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS || 100% GUARANTEED PASS
<UPDATED VERSION>
1. What is the most critical factor in controlling foodborne illness?
Answer: Controlling time and temperature to limit the growth of pathogens.
2. What is the temperature "Danger Zone" for food as defined by the FDA Food
Code?
Answer: 41°F (5°C) to 135°F (57°C). Food should not be in this range for more than
4 hours cumulatively.
3. What is the proper final cooking temperature for ground beef?
Answer: 155°F (68°C) for 15 seconds.
4. What is the proper final cooking temperature for poultry (chicken, turkey)?
Answer: 165°F (74°C) for <1 second (instantaneous).
5. How should a triple-sink be properly used for manual warewashing?
Answer: Sink 1: Wash with detergent in water at least 110°F. Sink 2: Rinse with
clean water. Sink 3: Sanitize with an approved chemical sanitizer at the correct
concentration.
6. What is the minimum hot water temperature for a commercial high-
temperature dishwashing machine?
Answer: Final rinse must be at least 180°F (82°C) at the manifold.
7. What is the required concentration for chlorine sanitizer in a manual
warewashing sink?
Answer: 50-100 ppm.
,8. What are the six major factors that contribute to foodborne illness?
Answer: The FDA's public health interventions: 1) Poor Personal Hygiene, 2)
Inadequate Cooking, 3) Improper Holding Temperatures, 4) Contaminated
Equipment, 5) Unsafe Food Sources, and 6) Cross-Contamination.
9. What is the correct procedure for cooling a large pot of hot soup?
Answer: Cool from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and then from 70°F to 41°F or
below within the next 4 hours (total 6 hours). Methods include using an ice bath,
dividing into shallow pans, or using a blast chiller.
10. What is the primary symptom of an employee that must be reported to the
person in charge?
Answer: Vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes), or a sore throat
with fever.
11. What is HACCP?
Answer: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point - a systematic, preventive approach
to food safety that identifies and controls biological, chemical, and physical
hazards.
12. What is a "Critical Control Point" (CCP) in a HACCP plan?
Answer: A point, step, or procedure at which control can be applied and is
essential to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable
level.
13. What is the maximum time ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food can be
stored in a refrigerator at 41°F?
Answer: 7 days, provided it was held at 41°F or below the entire time.
14. What is the primary purpose of a sneeze guard?
Answer: To protect unpackaged food on a buffet or salad bar from contamination
by customers.
15. What is the correct way to calibrate a dial stem thermometer?
Answer: Use the ice-point method: immerse the stem in a mixture of ice and
water, wait 30 seconds, and adjust the calibration nut until the thermometer
reads 32°F (0°C).
,16. Which food is most often associated with Staphylococcus aureus poisoning?
Answer: Foods that require extensive handling and are not subsequently cooked
(e.g., sliced meats, potato salad, pastries).
17. Which food is most often associated with Salmonella?
Answer: Raw or undercooked poultry, eggs, milk, and meat.
18. What is the most common source of E. coli O157:H7?
Answer: Undercooked ground beef, but also raw milk, contaminated produce, and
unpasteurized cider.
19. What is the primary method for preventing Clostridium perfringens growth?
Answer: Rapid and proper cooling of cooked foods, especially large roasts and
gravies.
20. What does FIFO stand for?
Answer: First-In, First-Out. A food rotation system to ensure the oldest product is
used first.
21. What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for fish and seafood?
Answer: 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds.
22. What is the primary cause of Hepatitis A outbreaks in food establishments?
Answer: An infected food handler with poor personal hygiene, or contaminated
water/ice.
23. What is the proper procedure for washing hands?
Answer: Wet hands with warm water, apply soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds,
rinse thoroughly, and dry with a single-use paper towel or air dryer.
24. What is a "variance" from a regulatory agency?
Answer: A written document granting permission for a food establishment to do
something that is otherwise not permitted by the code (e.g., selling wild
mushrooms, using a specialized cooking process).
25. What is the purpose of a consumer advisory?
Answer: To inform customers that eating raw or undercooked animal foods (like
steak tartare, runny eggs, raw oysters) increases their risk of foodborne illness.
, Water Supply & Wastewater (10 Questions)
26. What is the most common disinfectant used in public water supplies?
Answer: Chlorine.
27. What is the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for coliform bacteria in
drinking water?
Answer: Zero (or "no more than 5.0% of monthly samples can be total coliform-
positive").
28. What is the purpose of a cross-connection control program?
Answer: To prevent the backflow of contaminated water into the potable
(drinkable) water supply.
29. What are the two main types of backflow prevention devices?
Answer: Air Gap (the most effective) and Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) assembly.
30. What is the primary health concern associated with nitrate contamination in
well water?
Answer: Methemoglobinemia, or "blue baby syndrome," which reduces the
blood's ability to carry oxygen in infants.
31. What is the most common type of on-site wastewater treatment system for
a single-family home?
Answer: A septic system, consisting of a septic tank and a soil absorption field
(leach field).
32. What is the purpose of the septic tank?
Answer: To separate solids (which settle as sludge) from fats, oils, and grease
(which float as scum), and to allow for partial decomposition of organic matter.
33. What is the primary reason for the failure of a septic system leach field?
Answer: Hydraulic overloading (putting too much water into the system too
quickly) or biomat clogging from a failed tank.
