Food Allergens Quiz for the ServSafe Food Handler Exam

Questions, answers (marked ✓) and explanations are below. For the interactive version, enable JavaScript.

1. How many major food allergens are officially recognized in the United States?

   • Six
   • Eight
   • Nine
   • Twelve

   The "Big 9": milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame, added by the FASTER Act effective 2023. Study guides that say "Big 8" are out of date.

2. Which allergen was the most recent addition to the US major allergen list?

   • Mustard
   • Sesame
   • Kiwi
   • Gluten

   Sesame became allergen #9 on January 1, 2023 under the FASTER Act. It shows up in tahini, hummus, many bakery items and spice blends, places people don't expect it.

3. Which of the following is NOT one of the nine major US allergens?

   • Soybeans
   • Wheat
   • Eggs
   • Mustard

   Mustard is a regulated priority allergen in Canada and the EU, but it is not on the US Big 9 list. Don't mix up international lists on exam day.

4. "Cross-contact" happens when:

   • Bacteria transfer from raw meat to cooked food
   • An allergen transfers from one food to another food or surface
   • Two foods are stored on the same shelf
   • A dish contains more than one allergen

   Cross-contact is specifically about allergens moving between foods via shared surfaces, utensils, oil or hands. (Bacteria moving between foods is cross-contamination, a different exam term.)

5. Which TWO of the following are common symptoms of an allergic reaction to food?

   • Hives or an itchy rash
   • Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat
   • A fever above 101°F
   • Sore muscles the next day

   Allergic reactions typically show up fast: hives, itching, swelling of the face and throat, wheezing, vomiting or cramps, and at worst anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. Fever is a sign of infection, not allergy.

6. A guest says they have a milk allergy. The server should:

   • Guess which dishes are probably dairy-free
   • Tell the kitchen/manager and describe dish ingredients accurately to the guest
   • Suggest the guest just orders a small portion
   • Say nothing and serve the usual menu

   The service chain matters: the guest's allergy gets communicated to the kitchen and manager, ingredients are checked, never guessed, and the dish is prepared with clean equipment. One wrong guess can send someone to the ER.

7. A cheeseburger was made by mistake for a guest with a dairy allergy. Picking the cheese off the burger and re-serving it is:

   • Acceptable if all visible cheese is removed
   • Not acceptable, the dish must be remade with clean equipment
   • Acceptable if the burger is reheated first
   • Acceptable if the guest agrees

   Allergen proteins remain on the food and surfaces even when the visible ingredient is removed. The only safe fix is a fresh dish, made from scratch with cleaned and sanitized equipment.

8. Before preparing an allergen-special order, a food handler must:

   • Rinse their current gloves under hot water
   • Wash hands, put on fresh gloves and use cleaned and sanitized equipment
   • Wipe the knife on a clean towel
   • Use the same cutting board quickly, before allergens settle

   Allergy orders need a reset: hand wash, fresh gloves, and cleaned + sanitized surfaces, utensils and cookware. Wiping or rinsing doesn't remove allergen proteins.