Labels and Date Marks

Guests must be reminded that eating raw or undercooked food increases their chance of getting a foodborne illness. This is called a reminder. They are often put in the places listed here:

• The menu
• Brochures
• Table-tents
• Signs

What is the recommended way of putting it on the menu?

Ready-to-eat TCS food held at 41°F or lower must be thrown out after seven days. How do you determine which day this count begins?

What should you check for on its label when handling or preparing frozen fish in reduced-oxygen packaging (ROP)?

When TCS food is held without temperature control, it must be labeled. What should be on the label of hot TCS food when it’s held without temperature control?

The concentration of a chlorine sanitizing solution should be between 50 and 99 ppm. And for iodine, it should be between 12.5 and 25 ppm. What should the concentration of a quats sanitizing solution be?

When is it NOT necessary to label stored food that will be used on-site?

When packaging food in the operation for guests to take home, what situation does NOT require identifying Big Eight Allergens on the label?

What information should be on the label of food that will be delivered off-site for service?

If you receive a food recall notice, identify the food items in your inventory by matching them with the information provided. What kind of information will you be looking at?

Why do many operations use the First-In-First-Out (FIFO) method of stock rotation?

How do food products that contain a major allergen express this on the label?

Vending operators need to monitor the shelf life of their food products and throw them out when their code date has expired. What is an example of a code date?

In what condition should the manufacturer’s label be on chemical containers?

When receiving and inspecting a delivery of canned food, what should be done if the cans have any of these issues?

• Rusty cans
• Unlabeled cans
• Cans with leaks or holes
• Swollen or bulging cans
• Dented cans

What situation does NOT require food to be labeled or date marked?

How can you ensure that recalled food items are NOT used or returned to inventory by mistake?

If you suspect a food item may have been the source of a foodborne illness, what should you do with it?

Why should chemicals stay in original containers with the manufacturer’s label?

Why should a storage area for cleaning tools and supplies have good lighting?

How can you ensure guests get clean plates and utensils each time they refill in a self-service area?

What are the requirements for removing Shellfish Identification Tags from their containers?

How should chemicals be thrown out?

What situation does NOT require labeling and date-marking TCS foods?

The water pH must be 5 or less when preparing an Iodine sanitizer solution, or follow the manufacturer’s recommendation if different. What should the water pH be when preparing a quats sanitizer solution?

A product has been matched to the information provided in a food recall notice and removed from inventory by placing it in a secure location. How should the recalled product be labeled?

The labels on bulk food bins in self-service areas must be in clearly visible. How does ServSafe suggest doing this?

Safe food is at risk of contamination if products recalled by the manufacturer are stored near it. How should recalled food items be kept until the instructions for their handling can be followed?

How is clean-in-place (CIP) equipment cleaned and sanitized?

What should service staff be able to tell guests about the menu items?

Chemicals should be kept in their original container with the manufacturer’s label. What should be clear enough to read the label?

What code date indicates how long a product should be offered for sale?

A manufacturer may issue a recall notice when contamination is suspected or confirmed in a food product. What is another reason a manufacturer could issue a food recall?

Under what condition is a label NOT required for bulk unpackaged food in a self-service area?

According to Federal law, what kind of ingredients must be clearly identified on a product’s label?

When the name of a food product doesn’t include an allergen that it contains, the allergen must be clearly identified on the label. How can this be done?

What requires manufactured products containing one or more of the big eight allergens to clearly identify them on the ingredient label?

What does food need to be labeled with when it’s transferred into a different container?

Why does ready-to-eat TCS food need to be date-marked when it will be held in cold storage for more than 24 hours?

To avoid cross-contact, what should be done with food packaged on-site for retail sale?

In what situation does a food item need to be labeled with “Do NOT use/Do NOT discard” and then stored separately from other food?

How long can ready-to-eat TCS food be stored at 41°F or lower before it must be thrown out?

Where should the instructions to clean equipment be posted?

Bulk unpackaged food doesn’t need to be labelled (bakery products, unpackaged food portioned for customers) if it meets these requirements:

What situations require food to be labeled or date marked?

Food in self-service areas needs to be labeled with its name. Where can the name of the food be written so that it’s visible to guests?

What is an essential tool that can be used to identify allergens in the products that you purchase?

What information must be included on the label of food that is packaged on site for retail sale?

When responding to a foodborne illness outbreak, what is the proper procedure for segregating the product (if any remains)?

If cold TCS food is removed from refrigeration at 12:00 PM to be held and served without temperature control, what discard time should be written on its label?

How can staff make stock rotation easier during storage when receiving and inspecting a delivery?

What should be identified on the label of food packaged on-site for retail sale?

What code date indicates the last day a product can be eaten for the best flavor or quality?

What must be on the label if food is sent off-site for service?

What are some criteria to consider when inspecting the labels and dates of food?

What must always be followed when using chemicals?

What are some criteria to consider when inspecting the labels on a delivery of shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops)?

First, notify your local regulatory authority if your operation has been involved in a foodborne illness outbreak. If any of the suspected products remain, how should they be segregated until they are collected by investigators for testing?

Food packaged on-site for retail sale must be labeled with specific information. What situation does NOT require this labeling?

Which of these must be included on the label of food that is packaged on site for retail sale?

When does food need to be labeled with this information?

• The amount of the food
• Chemical preservatives
• List of major food allergens
• The name or a description of the food
• The name and location of the business
• List of ingredients in order by weight
• List of artificial colors and flavors

According to the rules for retail sale, what must be on the label of food packaged on-site and sold to customers to take home?

When bulk food is offered for self-service, it must be labeled so guests can easily see it. How can this be done?

Food packaged on-site for retail sale must be labeled. If the food contains a Big Eight Allergen, it must be clearly identified on the label. What is the only exception to this rule?

When TCS food is held without temperature control, it must be labeled. What should be on the label of cold TCS food when it’s held without temperature control?

A disclosure informs guests that the food is served raw or undercooked and can be put next to the item on the menu. What’s another way to note a disclosure on your menu?

When cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces, the fourth step is to sanitize the surface with the correct sanitizing solution. How should the concentration of the sanitizing solution be prepared?

What kind of unpackaged food can be offered without a label if these conditions are met?

• The regulatory authority allows it
• There are no health or nutrition claims
• The food was prepared on-site (or another site with the same owner)
• The food was prepared in a regulated operation.

Bulk food offered in self-service areas must be labeled in a way that is easily seen by guests. What is an acceptable way to show the label?

What example demonstrates the importance of labeling food?

Federal law requires identifying Big Eight Allergens on the labels of products that contain them. How should the allergen be clearly identified on the label?

When food items with different use-by dates have been combined into a new dish, how is the discard date of the new dish determined?

Which example is a guideline for labeling TCS foods?

The acronym FIFO means First In, First Out. Which statement is true about the FIFO method?

What should be on the label of HOT TCS Food that is being held without temperature control?

When a vendor notifies you that your operation has been affected by a Food Recall, how can the recalled food item be identified in your inventory?

Ready-to-eat TCS food, like leftovers, can be stored for seven days at 41°F or lower. When do the seven days begin?

What method of storage rotation is described in these steps?

• Identify the use-by or expiration date on the label
• Shelf food with earlier dates in front of food with later dates
• Use the food stored in front before the food behind it
• Throw out food past its use-by or expiration date

Why should the order for a guest with allergies be clearly marked by service staff to indicate the identified food allergen?

What can happen if the manufacturer’s’ instructions are NOT followed when using a cleaner?

Before using previously cooked TCS food (leftovers) as an ingredient for a salad, what should be checked for on its label?

What should be written on the shellstock identification tag once all the shellfish in the container have been used?

Hard water is when a water supply has a high level of natural minerals dissolved in it. Hard water reduces the effectiveness of chemical sanitizers. Follow manufacturer guidelines for chlorine and iodine solutions. What level of water hardness should quats be prepared for?

When performing off-site service, what should the on-site staff put on the food label for the off-site staff?

When there is a food recall, and you must store unsafe food until it can be returned to the vendor, what should you do to prevent it from contaminating the other food in your operation?

How long do shellstock identification tags need to be kept?

What must be followed when disposing of chemicals?

What should be included on the label of food that will be used on-site?

A sanitizing solution must be at the correct temperature to be effective. How can you know the temperature requirements for the sanitizers used in your operation?

Food packaged in your operation and sold to guests to bring home must be labeled. When does this label need to include a list of ingredients in descending order by weight?

To avoid cross-contact, what should recipes and ingredient labels be checked for?