ServSafe Personal Hygiene and Cross-Contamination Practice Test with Study Guide for your ServSafe Certification course prep. You can also check What are the Main Causes of Food Contamination According to ServSafe?
Personal hygiene and Cross-contamination
Personal hygiene and cross-contamination are critical aspects of food safety. Personal hygiene refers to the practices and habits that individuals in the food service industry must follow to maintain cleanliness and prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and other contaminants. Cross-contamination, on the other hand, refers to the transfer of harmful bacteria from one surface or food to another.
Personal hygiene is important because it helps to prevent the spread of bacteria and other contaminants from the food handlers to the food, which can cause foodborne illnesses. Proper handwashing, wearing clean clothing, keeping fingernails clean and trimmed, and covering cuts and sores on the hands are all examples of good personal hygiene practices.
Cross-contamination is a major concern in the food service industry, as it can lead to the spread of harmful bacteria from raw foods to ready-to-eat foods. To prevent cross-contamination, food handlers must properly store and label food items, use different cutting boards for different types of food, and clean and sanitize food contact surfaces before and after using them.
Personal hygiene and cross-contamination are closely related and both are essential in maintaining food safety in the food service industry. By following proper personal hygiene and cross-contamination practices, food handlers can help to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and ensure the safety of the food they serve.
DOs:
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, using warm water and soap, for at least 20 seconds, especially before and after handling food, after using the restroom, and after sneezing or coughing.
- Wear clean clothing, including a hairnet or hat, to prevent hair from falling into food.
- Keep your fingernails clean and trimmed, and avoid wearing jewelry or watches while handling food.
- Cover cuts or sores on your hands with a bandage and do not handle food until they are fully healed.
- Change gloves frequently when handling different types of food, or after sneezing, coughing, or handling money.
- Keep raw meats separate from ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination.
- Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces before and after using them.
- Properly store and label food items to prevent cross-contamination and food spoilage.
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating or serving them.
- Use different cutting boards for different types of food to prevent cross-contamination.
DONT’s:
- Do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling food.
- Do not handle food if you have a cold, sore throat, or diarrhea.
- Do not cough or sneeze directly over food.
- Do not touch your face, hair, or body while handling food.
- Do not use the same utensils for different types of food without washing and sanitizing them.
- Do not use the same cutting board for raw meats and ready-to-eat foods without cleaning and sanitizing it.
- Do not use spoiled or expired food.
- Do not serve customers who show signs of foodborne illness.
- Do not mislabel or provide incorrect allergen information for food items.
- Do not serve food that is not at the correct temperature.
It is important to follow these guidelines to maintain personal hygiene and prevent cross-contamination in food handling. These guidelines will help to keep the food safe and prevent foodborne illnesses.
Sample Practice Test
1. Which of the following is NOT considered a good personal hygiene practice for food handlers?
- a. Washing hands frequently
- b. Wearing clean clothing
- c. Eating food while handling it
- d. Keeping fingernails clean and trimmed
Answer: C. Eating food while handling it
2. What is the proper procedure for washing hands?
- a. Wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for 10 seconds, rinse, and dry
- b. Wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for 15 seconds, rinse, dry
- c. Wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for 20 seconds, rinse, dry
- d. Wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for 30 seconds, rinse, dry
Answer: c. Wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for 20 seconds, rinse, dry
3. What should be done if a food handler has a cut or sore on their hand?
- a. They should cover it with a bandage and continue handling food
- b. They should cover it with a bandage and not handle food
- c. They should not cover it and continue handling food
- d. They should not cover it and not handle food
Answer: b. They should cover it with a bandage and not handle food
4. What should be done if a food handler has a cold, sore throat, or diarrhea?
- a. They should continue handling food as usual
- b. They should not handle food until symptoms are gone
- c. They should wear a mask while handling food
- d. They should take a break and rest
Answer: b. They should not handle food until symptoms are gone
5. When should food handlers change their gloves?
- a. After handling raw meat
- b. After handling money
- c. After handling different types of raw food
- d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
6. What is cross-contamination?
- a. The transfer of harmful bacteria from one surface to another
- b. The transfer of food allergens from one surface to another
- c. The transfer of food from one container to another
- d. The transfer of harmful chemicals from one surface to another
Answer: a. The transfer of harmful bacteria from one surface to another
7. How can cross-contamination be prevented?
- a. Proper handwashing and personal hygiene practices
- b. Proper cleaning and sanitation practices
- c. Proper food storage and handling practices
- d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
8. Why is it important to keep raw meats separate from ready-to-eat foods?
- a. To prevent the spread of bacteria
- b. To prevent food allergies
- c. To prevent cross-contamination
- d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
9. What should be done if raw meats and ready-to-eat foods are accidentally mixed?
- a. Discard the food
- b. Cook the food to a higher temperature
- c. Re-label the food
- d. All of the above
Answer: a. Discard the food
10. How often should food handlers be reminded about proper personal hygiene and cross-contamination practices?
- a. Once a month
- b. Twice a year
- c. As needed
- d. Every day
Answer: c. As needed
11. What should be done if a food handler sneezes or coughs while handling food?
- a. They should continue handling food as usual
- b. They should cover their mouth and nose and then wash their hands
- c. They should put on a new pair of gloves
- d. All of the above
Answer: b. They should cover their mouth and nose and then wash their hands
12. What should be done if a food handler notices that their clothing or hair is dirty or contaminated?
- a. They should continue working
- b. They should change their clothing or fix their hair
- c. They should put on a hairnet or a hat
- d. All of the above
Answer: b. They should change their clothing or fix their hair
13. What should be done if a food handler notices that a food contact surface is dirty or contaminated?
- a. They should continue using it
- b. They should clean and sanitize the surface before using it again
- c. They should cover it with plastic wrap
- d. All of the above
Answer: b. They should clean and sanitize the surface before using it again
14. What should be done if a food handler notices that a food item is spoiled or expired?
- a. They should continue using it
- b. They should discard the food item
- c. They should re-label the food item
- d. All of the above
Answer: b. They should discard the food item
15. What should be done if a food handler notices that a customer is showing signs of foodborne illness?
- a. They should continue serving the customer
- b. They should politely ask the customer to leave
- c. They should offer the customer a complimentary meal
- d. All of the above
Answer: b. They should politely ask the customer to leave
16. What should be done if a food handler notices that a food item is mislabeled or has the wrong allergen information?
- a. They should continue using it
- b. They should discard the food item
- c. They should correct the label and inform the manager
- d. All of the above
Answer: c. They should correct the label and inform the manager
17. What should be done if a food handler notices that a food item is not at the correct temperature?
- a. They should continue using it
- b. They should discard the food item
- c. They should put it in the refrigerator or freezer
- d. All of the above
Answer: b. They should discard the food item
18. Why is it important to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating or serving them?
- a. To remove dirt and debris
- b. To remove pesticides and chemicals
- c. To remove bacteria and viruses
- d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
19. Why is it important to use different cutting boards for different types of food (e.g. raw meats, fruits and vegetables, etc)?
- a. To prevent cross-contamination
- b. To prevent food allergies
- c. To prevent food from sticking to the board
- d. All of the above
Answer: a. To prevent cross-contamination
20. Why is it important to properly store and label food items in the kitchen?
- a. To prevent cross-contamination
- b. To prevent food from going bad
- c. To prevent food allergies
- d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
It is important to note that these questions and answers are for reference only and are not intended to be used for any official or certification exams.
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