Food Manager practice questions and answers 2026. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q21Hot soup is being held in a steam table. A food handler checks the temperature and reads 128°F. What is the correct immediate action?
✓ Correct answer: D. Reheat the soup to 165°F and adjust the steam table, then re-check temperature
FDA Food Code requires hot-held TCS food to stay at 135°F or above; when found below that threshold it must be rapidly reheated to 165°F for 15 seconds before hot-holding continues — the steam table itself is not reheating equipment.
Q22A catering company transports cooked salmon in insulated containers. Upon arrival at the venue 2.5 hours later, the salmon reads 130°F. It is served immediately. Which statement best describes this situation?
✓ Correct answer: D. Non-compliant, because hot-held TCS food must be maintained at 135°F or above at all times
FDA Food Code sets the hot-holding minimum at 135°F with no exception for transport duration; 130°F is inside the danger zone and the food is non-compliant regardless of elapsed time.
Q23What is the maximum cold-holding temperature for TCS foods stored in a refrigeration unit?
✓ Correct answer: D. 41°F
FDA Food Code specifies 41°F (5°C) as the maximum temperature for cold-holding TCS foods to limit the growth of pathogens.
Q24A cook grills a hamburger patty to an internal temperature of 155°F and holds it for how long to meet FDA Food Code's pathogen destruction requirement for ground beef?
✓ Correct answer: D. 17 seconds
FDA Food Code requires ground beef to reach 155°F and be held at that temperature for 17 seconds to achieve sufficient pathogen lethality, unlike whole-muscle beef which requires 145°F for 15 seconds (or 4 minutes at 145°F).
Q25A manager applies Time as a Public Health Control (TPHC) for sliced tomatoes set out at room temperature. Under FDA Food Code, which condition is required?
✓ Correct answer: D. The tomatoes may be held at room temperature for up to 4 hours and must be discarded if not served by that time
FDA Food Code allows TPHC for TCS food at room temperature for a maximum of 4 hours total (if removed from 41°F or below), after which the food must be discarded — it cannot be re-cooled and re-used.
Q26Fresh oysters on the half-shell are received at 44°F. What action should the manager take?
✓ Correct answer: A. Accept them; live shellfish may be received at up to 45°F
FDA Food Code provides a specific receiving exception for live shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, scallops), permitting receipt at an internal temperature of 45°F or below — not the standard 41°F limit applied to other TCS seafood.
Q27A thick pot of beef stew (volume: 5 gallons) needs to be cooled rapidly. After 2 hours in an ice-water bath with occasional stirring, the center reads 74°F. What should the food manager do?
✓ Correct answer: A. Discard the stew; it failed the first phase of the cooling requirement
FDA Food Code requires TCS food to drop from 135°F to 70°F within the first 2 hours of cooling; a reading of 74°F at the 2-hour mark means the food has failed this mandatory checkpoint and must be discarded.
Q28A food worker uses a steam table to reheat leftover cooked vegetables for a buffet. After 45 minutes the vegetables reach 130°F and stay there. What is wrong with this procedure?
✓ Correct answer: C. Reheating must reach 165°F for 15 seconds before placing food into hot-holding equipment
FDA Food Code prohibits using hot-holding equipment (including steam tables) to reheat food; previously cooked TCS food must be reheated to 165°F for 15 seconds in a proper cooking device before being transferred to the steam table for hot-holding.
Q29Which of the following cooking temperatures and holding times satisfies the FDA Food Code requirement for whole-muscle beef steaks cooked using a standard cooking method?
✓ Correct answer: A. 145°F for 15 seconds
FDA Food Code specifies that whole-muscle intact beef (e.g., steaks) must reach a minimum internal temperature of 145°F and be held for 15 seconds to achieve the required pathogen reduction.
Q30A food establishment receives vacuum-packaged smoked fish labeled 'Keep Refrigerated.' The product tests at 38°F on arrival. Which additional food safety concern is most specific to this packaging format?
✓ Correct answer: B. Vacuum packaging creates an anaerobic environment that can support growth of Clostridium botulinum even at refrigeration temperatures if temperature abuse occurs
FDA Food Code highlights that reduced-oxygen packaged (ROP) fish present an elevated risk for Clostridium botulinum Type E, which can grow slowly even at refrigerator temperatures in anaerobic conditions, making strict cold-chain control critical.
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