ServSafe Food Handler Practice Test 8: Prevention, Pests & Facility

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1. The best way to verify food is being cooked correctly is to:

   • Check the color of the food
   • Measure internal temperatures with a calibrated thermometer
   • Ask the cook how it feels
   • Smell it

   Color, smell and feel are unreliable. A calibrated thermometer in the thickest part is the only way to confirm food reached its minimum internal cooking temperature.

2. A 'master cleaning schedule' tells staff:

   • What to clean, when, how, and who does it
   • The day's menu
   • Staff wages
   • When deliveries arrive

   A master cleaning schedule spells out what needs cleaning, how often, the method and chemicals, and who is responsible, so nothing gets missed.

3. Which of these is a sign of a pest infestation?

   • Freshly mopped floors
   • Droppings, gnaw marks and egg cases
   • Food stored in sealed containers
   • A newly painted wall

   Droppings, gnaw marks, egg cases, nesting materials and a stale smell all point to pests. Spotting them early, and reporting them, keeps a problem from spreading.

4. If you discover a pest problem, the first step is to:

   • Spray store-bought pesticide over the prep area
   • Contact a licensed pest control operator (PCO)
   • Set out food to trap them
   • Wait and see if it clears up

   Pest control is handled by a licensed PCO, never by spraying pesticides yourself around food. Deny pests food, water and shelter, and bring in the professional.

5. Which TWO practices deny pests food and shelter?

   • Clean up spills and crumbs promptly
   • Store food in sealed containers off the floor
   • Prop the back door open for airflow
   • Leave garbage uncovered

   Pests need food, water and a place to hide. Prompt cleaning and sealed, elevated storage remove the food source; open doors and uncovered garbage invite them in.

6. Deliveries should be inspected:

   • At the end of the shift
   • Immediately on arrival, before storing them
   • The next day
   • Only if something looks wrong

   Inspect and temp deliveries right away, before they go into storage, that's your one chance to reject unsafe food before it enters the operation.

7. Wash water in a three-compartment sink should be kept at least:

   • 75°F (24°C)
   • 90°F (32°C)
   • 110°F (43°C)
   • 171°F (77°C)

   The wash compartment's detergent solution must stay at least 110°F (43°C) to cut grease and clean effectively. (171°F is the separate hot-water sanitizing temperature.)

8. The main purpose of food safety training for staff is to:

   • Meet a paperwork quota
   • Make sure everyone knows and follows safe procedures
   • Reduce the size of the menu
   • Replace thermometers

   Training exists so every worker understands and consistently follows safe food-handling practices, the whole system only works if the people do the steps correctly.

9. A food defense program mainly protects food from:

   • Natural spoilage
   • Intentional contamination or tampering
   • Overcooking
   • Allergens

   Food defense guards against deliberate contamination, someone intentionally tampering with food. (Food safety, by contrast, is about accidental hazards like bacteria and cross-contact.)

10. Which TWO can carry pathogens onto food if not controlled?

    • A food handler's unwashed hands
    • Pests such as flies and rodents
    • A calibrated thermometer
    • A cleaned and sanitized cutting board

    Unwashed hands and pests are classic pathogen carriers onto food. A clean thermometer and a sanitized board are tools that, kept clean, don't spread pathogens, so the two hazards are hands and pests.