Safe Serve Test 1 Flashcards
Which of the following naturally occurring physical hazards makes food unsafe? (Choose two.)
a) Bacteria
b) Viruses
c) Fruit Pits
d) Cartilage
e) Partially-cooked food
c) Fruit Pits
d) Cartilage
The question asks for physical hazards naturally present in food, like fruit pits and bones. Cartilage is a form of bone that can cause choking and/or mouth infection. Bacteria and viruses are biological hazards because they are considered life forms. Partially-cooked food does not occur naturally and is not a physical hazard.
Besides purchasing foods from unsafe sources, which of the following two practices can make food dangerous for human consumption? (Choose two.)
a) Using chemicals to clean utensils
b) Leaving prepared food on an unclean surface
c) Using the same safety gloves to cook meat and vegetables
d) Transmitting pathogens from your body to food
e) Letting food stay for more than 6 hours at a temperature ideal for pathogen growth
d) Transmitting pathogens from your body to food
e) Letting food stay for more than 6 hours at a temperature ideal for pathogen growth
The number one cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurants or food service operations is the transfer of pathogens from your body to food, either by coughing, sneezing, or using unclean hands to handle food. The second most common cause of foodborne illness is letting food stay for more than 6 hours at temperatures ideal for bacterial, viral, or fungal growth.
Cleaning chemicals are generally safe because they are usually rinsed with water. Leaving prepared food on an unclean surface does not necessarily cause food-borne illness, although it should be avoided. Using the same gloves to cook or handle meat and vegetables also does not make food dangerous for human consumption.
Scraping off baked-on food from an otherwise clean plate is an example of which of the following unsafe food practices?
a) Time-temperature abuse
b) Poor cleaning and sanitization
c) Cross-contamination
d) Poor personal hygiene
c) Cross-contamination
When scraping off baked food from a clean plate, you risk transferring any contamination in the baked food by scraping it and letting the airborne particles land on clean surfaces or food. It is not a time-temperature abuse because the food is not kept at temperatures ideal for pathogen growth. It is not an example of poor personal hygiene because you are not contaminating it with your bodily fluids.
Which piece of the server’s uniform is prone to get dirty and should be washed often?
a) Trousers
b) Skirt
c) Apron
d) Vest
c) Apron
An apron is typically worn on top of clothing to prevent spillage and keep the clothes looking clean, especially for the servers or chefs working a typical 6- or 8-hour shift in a food service establishment. Aprons always get dirty because they are often used to wipe dirty or wet hands and get spilled upon, often becoming a shield that catches food and dirt particles protecting the clothes underneath.
Many food service establishments instruct servers to wear clean aprons all the time. It is part of a server’s uniform. Therefore, it gets visibly dirty, especially during food service hours.
It is important to wash your hands before the start of work and after which of the following activities to keep the food safe? (Choose two.)
a) Touching the work surface during food preparation.
b) Talking to each other without face masks.
c) Singing or whistling.
d) Handling money.
e) Leaving and returning to the prep area after the lunch break
d) Handling money.
e) Leaving and returning to the prep area after the lunch break.
It is essential to wash your hands if you handle money, because money is extremely dirty. It has thousands of pathogens crawling on its surface. If you work in a designated prep area and leave it during the lunch break, you must wash your hands before entering the area again. Touching the work surface during food preparation does not warrant a thorough hand wash because you are wearing gloves, and the work surface has been cleaned before the start of work. Likewise, singing or whistling doesn’t contaminate food if the cook is not sick. However, wearing a mask on commercial kitchen premises is a good practice.
A stocked washing station should have: (Choose three.)
a) Garbage container
b) Single-use paper towels
c) Toothpaste
d) Hand antiseptics
e) Hot and cold running water
a) Garbage container
b) Single-use paper towels
e) Hot and cold running water
A stocked washing station needs hot and cold running water, single-use paper towels, a hand dryer, and a garbage container to discard those used paper towels. It doesn’t need toothpaste because brushing is not a part of the hygienic routine in a workplace. Hand antiseptics should not be put near a washing station because the bottle might catch airborne pathogens, and handling the bottle after washing your hands might make your hands dirty. Hand antiseptics are considered an extra sanitary measure and shouldn’t be used to replace regular hand washing practices.
Which statement describes the correct way to use hand gloves?
a) Never blow into a glove or roll them to make them easier to put on.
b) Rinse the gloves with running water to wash off dirt or other impurities that might transfer harmful pathogens to the food.
c) Use a single pair of gloves for all the tasks done during the day.
d) Never wear a glove on a bruised or wounded hand.
a) Never blow into a glove or roll them to make them easier to put on.
It is recommended not to blow into the glove or roll them to make them easier to put on. This practice might allow pathogens to stick between your hands and the glove. Never rinse the gloves with running water to remove dirt or sticky substances. Always discard the soiled ones and use a fresh pair. You should wear a glove on a bruised or wounded hand to keep your bodily fluids, like pus or blood, away from the food.
Ryan is a prep cook responsible for preparing pizza dough. He was wearing gloves and a mask. A food supervisor asked him to stop working and leave the prep area immediately. What may Ryan be doing?
a) He took the gloves off and washed his hands when he noticed a small tear in the glove.
b) He rolled the dough with a single hand.
c) He used the same gloves to handle flour while rolling the dough.
d) He started chopping tomatoes after rolling the dough without washing his hands and changing the gloves.
d) He started chopping tomatoes after rolling the dough without washing his hands and changing the gloves.
It is crucial to wash hands and change gloves when handling different types of food. Ryan made a mistake by using the same gloves he rolled dough with to chop tomatoes for the sauce. Changing torn or soiled gloves is a good practice to ensure food safety. And there is no harm in rolling the dough with a single hand as long as gloves are used.
A Sous Chef is not allowed to wear any kind of jewelry except:
a) A watch
b) An intricate ring
c) A medical bracelet
d) A plain finger band
d) A plain finger band
Most food service shops do not allow chefs to wear jewelry during work because it might fall into the food. Jewelry made of metal or glass can harbor all types of germs. Therefore, it is recommended not to wear any kind of jewelry except for a plain finger band. Rings or other finger ornaments can be covered with a glove. A medical bracelet, an intricate ring, and a watch are prohibited items because they might transfer pathogens to prep surfaces and food.
It is recommended not to wear nail polish or false fingernails when handling and preparing food because:
a) Dirt accumulates under the nails and the nail polish might flake off into the food.
b) False fingernails make it difficult for the cook to handle and prepare food.
c) Nail polish and fake fingernails might come off when washing hands for 20 seconds.
d) False fingernails can wound someone if a fight occurs in a designated area.
a) Dirt accumulates under the nails and the nail polish might flake off into the food.
Dirt accumulates underneath fake fingernails quickly, allowing pathogens to transfer into the food items. Even if the person is wearing gloves, they can be torn easily with long and fake fingernails, allowing pathogens to fall into prepared or ready-to-eat food. Handling and preparing food require a cook to be efficient and focused. Nail polish and artificial nails do not hinder the handling and preparation of food because those who wear them likely know how to use their hands as conveniently as the ones without them. Even though fake nails can come off when washing hands, the concern is to keep the food safe.
The most common foodborne illness in the United States is called norovirus. It is caused by: (Choose two.)
a) Shellfish
b) Dirty hands and clothes
c) Coughing
d) Sneezing
e) Blowing air into a liquid container
a) Shellfish
b) Dirty hands and clothes
According to the CDC, norovirus is caused by having direct contact with another infected person when sharing or eating food handled by the infected person. Dirty hands play a big part in transmitting norovirus. It can also be present in shellfish. Washing hands before handling food is the best way to prevent norovirus illness. The virus doesn’t spread through coughing, sneezing, or blowing air into a liquid container.
If you experience any signs of illness, it is imperative to inform the restaurant manager. Identify the symptoms that should be reported before entering the food prep area. (Choose three.)
a) Being very tired
b) Vomiting
c) Pain in the arms
d) Diarrhea
e) Sore throat
f) Headache
b) Vomiting
d) Diarrhea
e) Sore throat
Pathogens can go airborne, spreading disease far and wide if a person is vomiting, having diarrhea, or experiencing a sore throat. Individuals working in the food services area should report a sore throat because it is a sign of a severe viral disease. Bacteria that cause diarrhea and can travel through contact, especially when handling food. Being tired, having a headache, or having pain in extremities is not an obvious sign of a disease. However, it should be reported to the manager if it becomes unbearable.
Food that needs time and temperature control for safety is called TCS food. The most common types of TCS food are: (Choose three).
a) Fresh uncut leafy greens
b) Fresh beef, pork, and lamb
c) Uncooked rice and beans
d) Sprout seeds
e) Treated oil mixtures
f) Sliced Cantaloupe
c) Uncooked rice and beans
d) Sprout seeds
f) Sliced Cantaloupe
Fresh meat such as beef, pork, and lamb left at room temperature over time can become an excellent place for pathogens to grow, making people sick. When pathogens grow, they become airborne, entering the nose and mouth of a person and causing illness. Sprout seeds are also susceptible to bacterial and fungal growth over time. Freshly sliced cantaloupe should be packed and refrigerated properly because the wet surface is a good place for pathogens to grow if left at unsafe temperatures. Uncut leafy greens, uncooked rice and beans, and treated oil mixtures do not provide an optimal environment for the pathogens to multiply over time. Thus, they are not considered TCS food, although they should be properly stored in a temperature-controlled environment to ensure complete food safety.
Identify the procedure to check the food temperature properly according to ServSafe guidelines. (Choose two.)
a) Stick the thermometer in the center or thickest part of the food.
b) Stick the thermometer in the thinnest part of the food.
c) Wait until the temperature reading becomes steady before writing it down.
d) Take the reading by touching the surface of the food lightly.
e) Dip the reading end of the thermometer in alcohol to calibrate the device before sticking it into the food.
a) Stick the thermometer in the center or thickest part of the food.
c) Wait until the temperature reading becomes steady before writing it down.
The best way to read the correct temperature is to stick it in the center of the thickest part of the food. Let the temperature reading become steady for 30 seconds to ensure it doesn’t go high or low again before writing it down. The thinnest part of the food will not help you find the right temperature because the temperature varies in different parts of the food. You cannot take a good reading by touching the surface of the food lightly because it will not show you the right temperature. Make sure you calibrate the thermometer before taking a reading by dipping it in warm water and letting it dry in the air. If you dip it in alcohol, it will not work because the residue left at the tip of the thermometer might hinder the ability of the device to take the reading correctly.
Which of the following is considered the upper end of the temperature danger zone?
a) 89°F
b) 145°F
c) 41°F
d) 135°F
d) 135°F
According to the ServSafe Food Handler guidelines, the temperature danger zone providing an ideal environment for pathogens to replicate and infect is between 41°F and 135°F. The upper end of the temperature danger zone would be 135°F. 89°F might be an ideal temperature for the germs to multiply. If the temperature reaches 145°F, it might be difficult for pathogens to grow because it becomes too hot for them to survive. It is important to refrigerate the food at temperatures equal to or lower than 41°F; you can heat it to more than 145°F when it is ready to be consumed.
