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WorksheetsServSafe Manager Diagnostic
Total questions: 65
Worksheet time: 33mins
A cook finishes trimming raw pork at a prep sink, rinses their hands under running water for 5 seconds, dries them on a cloth towel, and begins assembling ready-to-eat wraps. Which failure presents the greatest immediate hazard?
Using the prep sink
Drying hands on cloth towel
Touching RTE food
Failure to properly wash hands with soap for required time
Which thermometer is best for checking the internal temperature of a hamburger patty?
Infrared thermometer
Air probe thermometer
Penetration probe thermometer
Surface thermometer strip
A food handler reports diarrhea but says they feel better and want to wash dishes only. What must management do?
Allow dishwashing
Restrict from food prep
Exclude from the operation
Allow if gloved
A food handler slices cantaloupe, rinses knife under hot water, then cuts bread. What hazard remains?
Biological
Physical
Chemical
Allergen
Vacuum-packed fish is thawed in refrigeration while still sealed. Why is this dangerous?
Risk of botulism toxin
Temperature abuse
Fish dries out
Risk of ciguatera toxin
Which situation requires contacting the regulatory authority?
Employee has a sore throat and fever
Employee vomited yesterday
Employee has Hepatits A
Employee has Influenza A
A food handler finishes cleaning a prep table, then immediately begins slicing deli meat without testing the sanitizer. What should the manager do?
Allow prep to continue
Have surface air dry
Test sanitizer concentration
Rewash with hot water
Which situation is MOST likely to cause receiving temperature violation?
Canned beans at 70°F
Frozen food at 0°F
Milk at 39°F
Shell eggs at 50°F
A cook cools soup from 135°F to 70°F in 1 hour, then leaves it at room temperature for 3 hours. What action is required?
Discard the soup
Reheat and serve
Return to refrigerator
Add ice to cool
A delivery of milk arrives at 45°F. What should the manager do?
Accept the delivery
Reject the delivery
Use within 24 hours
Chill before storing
A cook reheats chili to 140°F and places it on a steam table. What should the manager instruct?
Add hot water
Serve immediately
Reheat to 165°F
Stir every hour
Which pathogen is most commonly linked with deli meats and soft cheeses?
Norovirus from fecal-oral contamination
Listeria monocytogenes from cold growth ability
Clostridium perfringens from reheating failures
Shigella spp. from bare-hand contact issues
What condition makes thawing fish under running water acceptable?
Water is at 90°F to speed the thawing process
Fish is stored on the top shelf during thawing
Sink is used only for thawing during service
Water temperature is 70°F or lower throughout
Scombroid poisoning is most commonly linked to:
Cooked rice held at room temperature too long
Raw oysters harvested from unsafe waters
Time-temperature abused tuna or mahi-mahi
Undercooked ground beef cooked to 145°F
Cold TCS food held without temperature control may be held up to:
2 hours as long as it starts at 41°F or lower
6 hours if it never exceeds 70°F during holding
8 hours if it is labeled with a discard time
4 hours if it starts at 45°F or lower
Which is an example of active managerial control?
Checking deliveries only when staffing permits
Allowing food handlers to decide when to glove
Posting a handwashing sign near the restroom
Using policies and training to control risk factors
Which fish is commonly linked to ciguatera toxin?
Salmon from cold waters
Barracuda from tropical reef areas
Cod from deep-water sources
Haddock from fresh-water sources
What is the minimum internal temperature for ground beef?
145°F for 15 seconds
165°F for 15 seconds
155°F for 15 seconds
135°F for 15 seconds
Which process requires a HACCP plan under typical rules?
Packaging fresh juice for later sale in-house
Cooling soup using shallow metal pans
Reheating chili to 165°F for 15 seconds
Cooking chicken breasts to 165°F for 15 seconds
What is the first step when developing a HACCP plan?
Establish monitoring procedures for CCPs
Determine corrective actions for critical limits
Verify that the plan is working as designed
Conduct a hazard analysis of the process
What minimum wash-water temperature is used for manual dishwashing?
70°F to prevent protein setting
90°F to protect hands from burns
110°F to support detergent effectiveness
140°F to replace the need for sanitizing
Which is part of a food defense program?
Monitoring cooking temps every two hours
Restricting access to prep and storage areas
Recording cooler temps at the start of shift
Posting allergen reminders on the prep table
Foil-wrapped baked potatoes are commonly linked to:
Norovirus infection from poor handwashing
Salmonella infection from undercooking
Botulism from anaerobic growth conditions
Hepatitis A infection from fecal exposure
Hot TCS food held without temperature control may be held up to:
6 hours if it starts at 135°F or higher
2 hours if it starts at 140°F or higher
8 hours if it is stirred every 30 minutes
4 hours if it starts at 135°F or higher
Food-contact surfaces in constant use must be cleaned and sanitized at least every:
2 hours during service
4 hours during constant use
6 hours during constant use
8 hours during constant use
Which is a required crisis management activity?
Ignoring small incidents to reduce panic
Identifying risks and planning responses ahead
Waiting for inspectors to direct all actions
Storing crisis documents off-site only
Flooring in food prep areas should be:
Smooth, durable, and easy to clean
Painted wood to reduce cost and repairs
Textured carpet for noise and comfort
Absorbent to reduce slippery conditions
A high-temperature dishmachine must reach a final rinse of at least:
165°F at the manifold
171°F at the surface
180°F at the manifold
212°F at the surface
The “Big 8” allergen that must be declared includes:
Corn
Strawberries
Wheat
Garlic
Which is a biological toxin (not a pathogen)?
Glass fragments in a beverage
Soap residue on a cutting board
Histamine formed in time-abused fish
Salmonella from raw poultry juices
An IPM prevention step includes:
Spraying pesticides in prep areas daily
Sealing cracks and keeping doors closed tightly
Leaving back doors open for ventilation
Storing food on the floor in sealed cases
Ready-to-eat TCS food held >24 hours must be:
Served only to staff meals
Labeled with receiving temperature
Date marked with discard information
Frozen immediately with no labeling
Which illness is most associated with poor handwashing?
Clostridium botulinum illness from anaerobic growth
Norovirus illness from fecal-oral transmission
Listeriosis illness from refrigerated growth
Parasite illness from undercooked pork
Which pathogen requires manager notification to the regulatory authority when diagnosed?
Staphylococcus aureus
Bacillus cereus
Salmonella Typhi
Clostridium perfringens
A food handler has an infected wound on the hand. What is acceptable?
Work normally if the wound is uncovered
Work normally if the wound is bandaged only
Cover with an impermeable cover and a glove
Transfer the worker to food prep only
Live shellfish tags must be kept for at least:
7 days from receipt date
90 days from the date the container is emptied
30 days from harvest date
180 days from receipt date
What is the minimum reheating temperature for TCS food for hot holding?
145°F within 2 hours
155°F within 4 hours
165°F within 2 hours
135°F within 6 hours
When using time as a control, what must be done?
Hold food at 41°F and monitor humidity
Mark the discard time and discard when reached
Stir food every 30 minutes during holding
Cover food tightly and keep off the floor
Which is a correct bare-hand contact policy approach?
Bare-hand contact is allowed if hands are rinsed
Bare-hand contact is allowed if the food is cooked
Bare-hand contact is limited unless approved controls exist
Bare-hand contact is required for all ready-to-eat foods
Which practice prevents cross-contamination during storage?
Store poultry above ready-to-eat salads
Store ground beef above whole cuts of beef
Store raw fish above washed produce
Store raw poultry below all ready-to-eat food
A food handler wipes a prep table with a cloth between tasks. What must be true?
Cloth must be stored in sanitizer solution between uses
Cloth must be stored dry between uses
Cloth must be stored in an unlabeled chemical bucket
Cloth must be stored on a hook near the hand sink
Which is a correct garbage handling practice?
Empty trash only at end of day to limit traffic
Store garbage containers next to prep tables
Keep trash receptacles covered and emptied as needed
Rinse garbage containers in a handwashing sink
Which is correct about hand antiseptics?
They replace handwashing for all tasks
They are required after every handwash
They may be used after handwashing if allowed
They are used instead of soap in the sink
Which is correct about vomit/diarrhea clean-up?
Use dish towels to wipe and launder later
Use a written procedure and proper disinfectant approach
Rinse with hot water and continue service immediately
Use sanitizer only at standard food-contact strength
Which is part of a food manager’s duties?
Allowing employees to work while ill to avoid shortages
Ignoring customer allergen questions unless asked twice
Allowing bare-hand contact if the food is cold
Ensuring staff follow policies for time-temperature control
Which term describes a system that identifies hazards and controls them?
FIFO
MSDS
HACCP
SOP
Which is a CCP for cooking chicken breasts?
Labeling the delivery invoice
Reaching 165°F internal temperature for 15 seconds
Storing chicken on the bottom shelf
Using separate cutting boards for raw products
Which practice supports FIFO?
Using oldest product first based on dates
Storing all items alphabetically
Freezing all items immediately upon receipt
Stocking new items in front of old items
Which is correct for using a probe thermometer?
Insert into thickest part and avoid bone
Calibrate once per month only
Clean and sanitize between uses on different foods
Insert into the surface only to avoid damage
Which is correct for storing serving utensils?
Store in standing water at any temperature
Store on the countertop between uses
Store in an unlabeled chemical bucket
Store in the food with handle above the rim
Which practice prevents contamination when carrying plates?
Carry plates by the rim with bare hands
Hold plates by the bottom or edge without touching food areas
Stack plates with fingers on the eating surface
Carry plates with a towel used for wiping counters
In a 3-compartment sink, what is the correct order?
Sanitize, wash, rinse, air-dry
Rinse, wash, sanitize, towel-dry
Wash, rinse, sanitize, air-dry
Wash, sanitize, rinse, towel-dry
Which is correct about pest control operators (PCOs)?
Only managers may communicate with PCOs
Food handlers should apply pesticides for speed
PCOs should be licensed and their visits documented
PCOs should spray when guests are present
Which is correct for receiving shell eggs?
Accept at 50°F if shells are clean
Accept at 45°F or lower
Accept at 41°F only if pasteurized
Accept at any temperature if refrigerated later
Which is correct about Salmonella Typhi?
Most linked to poultry and eggs
Often linked to ready-to-eat food and poor hygiene
Forms toxin in time-abused rice
Associated mainly with deli meats
Which is correct about Listeria monocytogenes?
Cannot grow in refrigeration temperatures
Only found in raw poultry products
Destroyed by freezing for 24 hours
Can grow slowly at refrigeration temperatures
Which is correct about botulism?
Associated with anaerobic conditions and improper temperature control
Spread mainly from person to person
Always caused by improperly canned foods
Most associated with unwashed produce
Which is correct about thermometer calibration?
Calibration is unnecessary for digital probes
Calibration is required only for new thermometers
Calibrate regularly or when dropped or damaged
Calibrate only when inspection is scheduled
Which describes controlling the temperature danger zone?
Keep food between 50°F and 125°F
Limit time food spends between 41°F and 135°F
Keep food between 32°F and 70°F
Limit time food spends between 70°F and 165°F
A guest becomes ill after eating grilled reef fish. The fish had no off-odor and was cooked thoroughly. Which hazard is most likely responsible?
Scombroid toxin from improper cold holding
Salmonella from cross-contamination
Ciguatera toxin from a large predatory reef fish
Parasites that survived inadequate cooking
Which food must be rejected at receiving?
Shell eggs at 44°F
Milk at 45°F
Hot TCS food at 130°F
Frozen fish at 2°F
In a walk-in cooler, which item should be stored directly ABOVE raw chicken?
Ready-to-eat cheesecake
Raw ground beef
Raw poultry stuffing mix
Salmon
A prep table is used continuously to slice deli meat. How often must it be cleaned and sanitized?
2 hours
3 hours
4 hours
6 hours
Ready-to-eat TCS tuna salad is made on April 4 and held at 41°F. What is the discard date?
April 9
April 10
April 11
April 12
A food handler wipes a counter with a cloth stored on the prep table between uses. What is the correct practice?
Store wiping cloths in sanitizer between uses
Store wiping cloths in clean water between uses
Store wiping cloths in a dry container between uses
Store wiping cloths in a hand sink between uses
