ServSafe Food Handler Practice Test for the ServSafe® Exams

Which of these would not be considered part of good hygiene in food handling?
1. drying your hands with a paper towel after washing them
2. using soap to lather your arms and hands
3. using a paper towel to open the bathroom door after washing your hands
4. using hand sanitizer when you can’t wash your hands
The most dangerous temperature range for preparing, handling, or holding foods is ____.
1. above 50° F
2. above freezing
3. 32° F to 100° F
4. 41° F to 135° F
Olivia notices a small box of frozen chicken breasts on the counter that have been left out of the freezer and have begun to thaw. What action should she take?
1. Cook them to a temperature over 135°F.
2. Leave them where they are as someone may have left them out to thaw.
3. Tell the manager.
4. Put them back in the freezer.
Alex is roasting chicken for dinner service. He inserts the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and knows it is safely cooked when the thermometer reads ____.
1. 145°F for 15 seconds
2. 165°F for 15 seconds
3. 135°F for 15 seconds
4. 155°F for 15 seconds
Which of these is not true of hand washing?
1. Hot water should be used to wash hands.
2. Hand scrubbing should take place for at least 10-15 seconds.
3. Antibacterial soap must be used to wash hands.
4. Using either a hand dryer or paper towel to dry hands is acceptable.
Mike cut his finger at work two days ago and now it is oozing and seems to be infected. He should ____.
1. go to the urgent care center immediately
2. cover it with an impermeable cover such as a bandage or finger cot, and then wear a single-use glove on the affected hand
3. place a bandaid, antibacterial ointment, and finger cot over his affected finger
4. tell a manager about the finger and not work in direct contact with food
Which parts must every food label contain?
1. name of food and potential allergies
2. name of the food and expiration (use by) date
3. potential allergies and expiration (use by) date
4. ingredients and expiration (use by) date
Although all food is in danger of becoming spoiled, which is not considered a “high-risk” food for bacterial contamination?
1. melon
2. uncooked chicken
3. eggs
4. bread
Which of these is not a time that a food handler should change gloves?
1. every four hours
2. after handling ready-to-eat foods
3. if they are dirty or torn
4. before starting a new task
Which list represents proper sanitation for a surface?
1. clean the surface, rinse the surface, sanitize the surface, allow the surface to air-dry
2. clean the surface, rinse the surface, sanitize the surface, dry the surface with a towel
3. clean the surface, sanitize the surface, rinse the surface, allow the surface to air-dry
4. sanitize the surface, clean the surface, rinse the surface, dry the surface with a towel
A soup bowl is washed but not rinsed properly, and there is still some soap on the bowl’s surface when soup is served to the next guest. Which type of food contamination would this be considered?
1. biological
2. chemical
3. physical
4. sanitation
At a minimum, how long should the entire hand-washing process take?
1. 20 seconds
2. 45 seconds
3. 60 seconds
4. 15 seconds
Which of these items is appropriate to wear when preparing food?
1. artificial nails
2. fingernail polish on trimmed and filed nails
3. a plain wedding band on the finger
4. a medical alert bracelet on the wrist
Kendall is thirsty and wants to keep her beverage nearby. How and where can she store it?
1. The drink must be in a covered container with a straw and stored in a non-food prep area.
2. Under no circumstances are personal drinks allowed in a food preparation area.
3. The drink must be labeled and stored in a designated space in the food prep area.
4. As long as the drink is properly covered and labeled, it may be kept in any location that is convenient.
Bones left in a salmon filet is an example of what?
1. poor personal hygiene
2. cross-contamination
3. a biological hazard
4. a physical hazard
Which of the following can not be cleaned and sanitized?
1. the wall
2. a cracked cutting board
3. dull knives
4. greasy pans
The FIFO (First In First Out) procedure pertains to ____.
1. receiving freezer items first
2. placing cold buffet items in front
3. storing products with the earliest use-by dates in front
4. ordering the most expensive items first
Which of these could cause cross-contamination when preparing food?
1. using the same cutting board for different parts of chicken
2. using the same cutting board for preparing raw chicken and lettuce
3. using the same cutting board for dicing tomatoes and peppers
4. using the same cutting board for two different varieties of gluten-free bread
Which of the following is not one of the approved ways for cooling hot foods in a fast and safe manner?
1. adding ice to the food
2. stirring the food with an ice paddle
3. at room temperature
4. placing the food in an ice water bath
Journey has finished her afternoon prep of chopping lettuce for tonight’s salad bar. She puts the lettuce in the cooler. This is an example of ____.
1. preventing pests
2. preventing poor personal hygiene
3. ordering from safe sources
4. preventing time-temperature abuse
You can kill most bacteria in food by ____.
1. drying
2. freezing
3. refrigerating
4. none of the these
The least likely of these foods to transport bacteria would be ____.
1. a glass of milk
2. a cold bologna sandwich
3. an open-faced hot turkey sandwich with gravy
4. a glass of water
You went to a friend’s picnic and contracted salmonella from some food you ate there. You must ____.
1. report it to health officials
2. stay out of work at your restaurant job for four days
3. refrain from eating the type of food that was contaminated
4. tell the manager at your restaurant job before returning to work
The correct setup of a three compartment sink is ____
1. detergent water, clear water, and sanitizer water
2. sanitizer water, detergent water, and clear water
3. clear water, detergent water, and sanitizer water
4. detergent water, sanitizer water, and clear water
Which of the following is not necessary for an off-site label?
1. instructions for reheating and serving
2. a use-by date and time
3. a list of ingredients
4. the name of the food
Julie is experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. She should ____.
1. inform her manager of these symptoms
2. monitor her temperature
3. wash hands thoroughly after using the bathroom
4. only work in the dishroom
Mark has a beard. In order to work in a food service establishment, Mark must ____.
1. only work in non-food prep areas
2. shave his beard
3. wear a beard guard in food prep areas
4. stand six inches away from foods
Which of the following is true of the handwashing sink and the handwashing area?
1. It should have a large enough basin to stack dirty pans if needed.
2. It must have a drain large enough to dump dirty water.
3. It must be large enough for prep food to save time.
4. It must have single-use paper towels or a hand dryer.
Karen takes coleslaw out of the refrigerator at noon and places it on the table to serve at a picnic. What precaution must be taken to ensure the coleslaw remains safe?
1. Make sure the coleslaw is in a container with a snap lid
2. Make sure the coleslaw is in a large shallow bowl
3. Make sure the coleslaw doesn’t exceed 70 degrees F within six hours
4. Make sure the coleslaw doesn’t exceed 70 degrees F within four hours
A restaurant offers six types of dressings at their self-serve station. How many ladles must they have?
1. 8
2. 4
3. 6
4. 1
Towels used for cleaning should be stored ____.
1. in a bucket of sanitizer solution
2. in your back pocket
3. in the sanitizer sink
4. in a clean apron
Which of the following is not considered a biological contaminant?
1. parasites
2. pest droppings
3. bacteria
4. fungi
Terry is checking the temperature of a beef roast. For a properly cooked beef roast, the thermometer must read ____.
1. 145°F for 15 seconds
2. 145°F for four minutes
3. 155°F for four minutes
4. 155°F for 15 seconds
Which of the following is not a sign of thaw in received frozen foods?
1. leaking
2. stiff packaging
3. ice crystals
4. water stains
Maria is monitoring the hot foods buffet. What temperature should the foods be when she checks them, to indicate they are safe?
1. 135°F or higher
2. 145°F or higher
3. 41°F or higher
4. 165°F or higher
Paul has noticed droppings and ripped packaging in the storage room. What should he do?
1. Set pest traps.
2. Notify the manager.
3. Thoroughly clean the storage room.
4. Notify the health department.
Which of the following foods is not considered one of the Big 8 that cause the most allergic reactions?
1. strawberries
2. eggs
3. soy
4. peanuts
Erica is cooking a salmon filet. What specific internal cooking temperature ensures this fish is properly cooked?
1. 141°F for 15 seconds
2. 155°F for 15 seconds
3. 135°F for 15 seconds
4. 145°F for 15 seconds
Ready to eat TCS foods that have been prepared can be safely held in cold storage for ____ days at 41°F or lower.
1. 8
2. 7
3. 3
4. 5
Meats, seafood, eggs, or poultry cooked in the microwave must reach an internal temperature of ____.
1. 175°F
2. 155°F
3. 165°F
4. 135°F