Special Handling

What are some examples of foods with a pH that is ideal for bacterial growth?

What is the correct air temperature for cold storage units?

What food needs careful handling to prevent contamination?

What is it called when eggs are cracked open and combined in a container?

How can time and temperature be controlled?

Which statement is true about Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)?

Why should you make procedures for food preparation that limit the amount of food removed from a cooler at once?

When can serving utensils be stored on a food-contact surface during service?

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?

When cooked in a microwave, what is the required minimum internal temperature for TCS food (meat, seafood, poultry, eggs)?

Why do salads containing these previously cooked TCS foods need to be handled with special care?

• Leftover eggs
• Leftover tuna
• Leftover pasta
• Leftover chicken
• Leftover potatoes

What is significant about the TCS foods on this list?

• Unpasteurized eggs
• Unpasteurized milk or juice
• Raw seed sprouts
• Raw or undercooked meat, seafood, or poultry

Which statements are true about the bacteria clostridium botulinum?

When is it acceptable to mix different kinds of produce or different batches of the same produce?

What will happen if produce touches a surface after raw meat, seafood, or poultry?

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

Which foods have a level of acidity that is ideal for the growth of bacteria?

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

Which of these foods do pathogens grow well in?

What kind of foods are linked with the bacteria clostridium botulinum and its illness botulism?

What should be avoided when prepping or storing produce?

When should you use pasteurized shell eggs or egg products?

What are some guidelines for vending machine operation?

What should NOT be used to transfer ice from the ice machine?

After cooking, how long do you have to cool TCS food from 135°F to 41°F or lower?

When can an operation handle pooled eggs?

Why do salads containing TCS ingredients have a higher risk for foodborne illness?

Which statements are true about washing produce?

Which guideline is true for ice?

What establishments are regulated and inspected by local regulatory authorities?

What are some situations that require corrective action to throw out the food?

What temperature does TCS food need to be held at when offered from a vending machine?

How should food handlers avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food?

What happens when TCS food remains between 41°F and 135°F for too long?

Which is an example of a food that should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F for less than 1 second (instantaneous)?

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), what menu should NOT offer raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs?

What risks do vending operators need to protect their food from during transport, delivery, and service?

To avoid opening or puncturing food in reduced-oxygen packaging (ROP), how should the thermometer probe or stem be used to check the temperature of ROP food?

What kind of produce should NOT be offered if your operation primarily serves high-risk populations?

When is it NOT acceptable for produce to be treated with sulfites?

Which is true about ready-to-eat (RTE) food?

TCS food needs careful handling to prevent time-temperature abuse. What kind of food needs careful handling to avoid contamination?

How should fresh fruit with edible peels be prepared before being placed in a vending machine?

If you primarily serve a high-risk population, when is it acceptable to handle ready-to-eat food with bare hands?

How can time-temperature abuse be avoided?

Why must TCS food be cooled to 41°F or lower within six hours of cooking?

What type of food must be stored separately from raw meat, poultry, and seafood?

The requirements for reheating previously cooked TCS food (leftovers) depend on if the food will be served immediately or if it will be hot-held for service. How are the requirements different?

When using leftovers to make salads, all previously cooked TCS ingredients must have been handled in what way?

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?

Bakery foods, sugar, spices, and seasonings are all examples of what kind of food?

When is it NOT acceptable to hold or display TCS food without temperature control?

How often should equipment that holds and dispenses TCS food (like a soft-serve yogurt machine) be cleaned and sanitized?

What are the temperature requirements for the delivery of most cold TCS foods?

Cooked food, washed fruit and vegetables (whole and cut), and deli meat are examples of what kind of food?

What kind of eggs or egg products should you consider using when prepping a dish that requires little or no cooking?

Why do sliced melons, cut tomatoes, and cut leafy greens need to be held or stored at 41°F or lower?

When pooling eggs, what should be done soon after mixing them?

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

Certain foods require special care when handling. What foods require special care?

Under what conditions can leftover TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) ingredients be used in a new dish?

Which is an example of Reduced Oxygen Packaging (ROP)?

When can frozen fish in reduced-oxygen packaging (ROP) be removed from its packaging?

What is food called that can be eaten without further preparation, washing, or cooking?

We usually control temperatures to limit the growth of pathogens when holding or storing TCS food. But how can time be controlled to limit their growth?

Sometimes, ice can be added as an ingredient to cool hot food quickly. What kind of ice should NOT be used for this purpose?

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?

Ice is considered a ready-to-eat food, so bare-hand contact must be avoided. What should be used to transfer or carry ice?

What kind of water should be used for making ice?

When should frozen fish in reduced-oxygen packaging (ROP) be thawed?

Which of these are ServSafe guidelines for ice?

Which bacteria is a risk to food in reduced oxygen packaging (ROP)?

What food packaging method are these examples of?

• Vacuum-packed
• Sous vide food
• Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)

How should eggs, produce, ice, and salads containing TCS ingredients be handled and prepared?

Which is a TCS food?

What kind of food needs time and temperature control for safety?

Remove frozen ROP fish from its package before thawing it in a cooler. When thawing ROP fish under running water, when can it be removed from its package?

Which of these conditions are present in Potentially Hazardous Food (PHF) that make it ideal for the growth of bacteria?

What containers should never be used to scoop, store, or carry ice?

What should be done with leftover ice that was used to keep food or beverages cold?

What is the correct internal temperature for holding TCS food?

When done correctly, how long can cold TCS food be held without temperature control?

How should leafy greens like lettuce and spinach be washed before being cut, cooked, or combined with other ingredients?

Cold TCS food can be held for up to six hours without temperature control. What temperature does this food need to be held at until it’s removed from refrigeration and the six hours begins?

What are some examples of the kinds of produce that will become a TCS food after it has been cut, sliced, or opened?

Which of these are TCS foods?

What does ServSafe call food that can be eaten without further preparation, washing, or cooking?

What should customers be advised about when they order a TCS food item that is served raw or undercooked?

What must be done with produce (melons, tomatoes, leafy greens) once it has been cut or sliced?

A food product in reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) must be rejected if the packaging has what problem?

TCS stands for Time and Temperature Control for Safety. What does this mean for TCS food?

When pooling eggs, what must be done between batches?

Hot TCS food that will be put in cold storage must be cooled to 41°F or lower within six hours. How does the two-stage cooling method achieve this?

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?

What kind of produce needs special attention when it’s being washed?

What can produce be washed or treated with to control pathogens?

How can food handlers keep produce separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood to avoid cross-contamination?

What type of food needs time and temperature control to limit pathogen growth?

When is it acceptable to pool shell eggs that are NOT pasteurized?

What type of food do pathogens grow well in?

What kind of container should a vending machine dispense TCS food in?

Only refill take-home beverage containers that can be cleaned properly in a home and operation. What else is required when refilling these containers?

Produce must be washed thoroughly under running water before what?

Which statement is true about TCS food?

Handling produce (fruits, vegetables, leafy greens) requires special care. What are the most important things to remember when preparing or storing produce?

Fish in Reduced Oxygen Packaging (ROP) should remain in the package and frozen until used. When it can be removed from the package depends on how it will be thawed. Which is correct?

How can a large pot of soup or stew be cooled quickly before storage?

When done correctly, how long can hot TCS food be held without temperature control?

How can the temperature of food in reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) be measured without opening the package?

Which statements are true about TCS food?

Which of these are TCS foods?

State and local regulatory authorities make the regulations that these establishments must follow:

• Restaurants
• Food retailers
• Vending operators
• Schools and daycare centers
• Hospitals and assisted living centers

What additional responsibilities do state and local regulatory authorities have for these establishments?

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

When should you avoid serving produce that was treated with sulfites?

Why is it unsafe to scoop ice with a glass?

What is Vacuum Packaging?

The F in FAT TOM stands for Food. What kind of food does bacteria need to live and grow?

Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food may be allowed if the food will be added to a dish and cooked. What conditions make this acceptable?

What chemicals are sometimes used to treat produce?

Why do the foods on this list require special care during handling and preparation?

• Ice
• Eggs
• Produce
• Salads containing TCS ingredients

These four cold TCS foods may be received at an air temperature of 45°F or lower. For most others, it must be 41°F or lower.

• Live shellfish
• Shucked shellfish
• Shell eggs
• Milk

Which must be cooled from 45°F to 41°F within four hours?

What situation is it acceptable to handle ready-to-eat food with bare hands?

Which is a consumer advisory?

Before displaying or holding TCS food without temperature control, you must submit written procedures to your regulatory authority. What do you need to do once your procedures have been approved?

When is it acceptable to use unpasteurized shell eggs in a dish served to a high-risk population, like those in a hospital or a nursing home?

What food handling activity does NOT require food handlers to wear single-use gloves?

Which kind of food can easily become unsafe if not handled carefully?

According to ServSafe, what surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized at these times?

• After they are used
• Every four hours during continuous use
• Before working with a different type of food
• Between handling different types of raw TCS fruits and vegetables
• When surfaces may have become contaminated due to the interruption of a task

What temperature does TCS food need to be stored at?

Serving food at a different location than where it was prepared or cooked is called off-site service. Which is an example of this?

What situation requires using pasteurized shell eggs for pooling?

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

Which of these foods do pathogens grow well in?

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?

Some jurisdictions allow holding TCS food without temperature control if the time is limited. The limits are four hours for hot food and six hours for cold food. What must be done with this food before the time limit is up?

Which is true when using leftover TCS food?

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?

What are some guidelines for thawing frozen TCS food in a microwave?

When is it acceptable to serve TCS food that has NOT been cooked to its required minimum internal temperature?

What should be used to transfer ice from an ice machine to other containers?

What does ServSafe call food that requires time and temperature control for safety?

Where should ice scoops be stored?

Here are some examples of how pathogens can be transferred to food from a contaminated surface or from another food:

• RTE food touches a contaminated surface
• Contaminated wiping cloths are used on food-contact surfaces
• Contaminated food touches or drips onto RTE food
• Staff touch contaminated food and then touch RTE food
• Contaminated food is combined with another food and NOT cooked

What risk factor is demonstrated by these examples?

If ready-to-eat (RTE) food will be added as an ingredient to a dish, when is it acceptable to handle it with bare hands?

What should be done immediately after pooling eggs?

What kind of food has a higher risk for contamination than other food?

What kind of notice must be shown when a menu offers raw or undercooked TCS food items?

How can food handlers avoid bare-hand contact with Ready-to-Eat (RTE) food?

How can cross-contamination be avoided when handling produce?

When do egg products need to be pasteurized if your operation primarily serves a high-risk population?

Parasites are often linked with these foods:

• Seafood
• Wild game
• Contaminated Produce

How can produce (fruits, vegetables) get contaminated with parasites?

How should leafy greens like lettuce and spinach be washed

Newly cooked TCS food must be cooled from 135°F to 41°F or lower within six hours. The safest way to do this is in two stages. How long should the stages last?

What food handling mistake is responsible for the most foodborne illnesses?

What kind of food can easily become unsafe?

What are the temperature requirements for the delivery of hot TCS food?

What are pooled eggs?

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

Which is an example off-site service?

When is food from plants (fruits, vegetables) considered a TCS food?

What is the biggest threat to food that is ready to be served?

Which of these are TCS foods?

When holding cold TCS food without temperature control, what temperature must the food stay under for the entire six-hour time limit?

What must be done with produce before it can be cut, cooked, or combined with other ingredients?

Which guidelines should be followed when pooling eggs?

Hot TCS food can be held for up to four hours without temperature control. What temperature does this food need to be held at until it’s removed from temperature control and the four hours begins?

When can leftover TCS food (pasta, chicken, potatoes) be used as an ingredient for salads?

Which foods can bacteria can grow in?

How should leafy greens (lettuce, spinach) be washed before cutting, cooking, or combining it with other ingredients?