Passing the food handler test or assessment is the final step to obtaining a food handler card.
If you listened carefully and took good notes while taking the food handler course, you should be able to pass the test your first time, but additional practice never hurts.
Here’s a 10-question food handler practice test with answers to help you pass your food handler test the first time.
Food handler practice test
1. What is the first step when cleaning dishes in a three-compartment sink?
A. Scrape off food
B. Rinse with clean, warm water
C. Sanitize
D. Wash with warm, soapy water
2. Which is a sign of a possible co*ckroach infestation?
A. Dirt tracks along the wall
B. Gnaw marks on boxes, pipes, and food packages
C. Droppings that look like grains of black pepper
D. Urine stains
3. How can you prevent cross-contact?
A. Store ready-to-eat foods on the top shelf
B. Cook food to its minimum internal temperature
C. Store bread in its original package
D. Use designated equipment like cutting boards
4. Which symptom must you inform your manager about?
A. Constipation
B. Diarrhea
C. Low appetite
D. Acid reflux
5. How fast must you cool hot-held rice from 70ºF to 41ºF (21ºC to 5ºC)?
A. Within 1 hours
B. Within 2 hours
C. Within 4 hours
D. Within 6 hours
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6. Which is not a safe method to handle ready-to-eat foods?
A. With tongs
B. With deli tissue
C. With bare hands
D. With gloves
7. Which of the following is a TCS food?
A. Bread
B. A whole cantaloupe
C. Cooked rice
D. Beef jerky
8. Which is an example of a biological food hazard?
A. A brightly-colored bandage in food
B. Storing dish detergent in a food storage area
C. Eggs contaminated with Salmonella
D. Metal shavings in salami
9. Which situation requires a food handler to change gloves?
A. After picking up a knife that fell on the floor
B. Before taking out the trash
C. After assembling sandwiches for two hours
D. Before using the bathroom
10. A food handler must remove all but which item before working with food?
A. A plain wedding band
B. A diamond ring
C. A low-profile watch
D. A hair tie around the wrist
Want more questions to help you pass your food handler test?
Free PDF Food Handler Practice Test
40 must-know questions to pass your food handler test (the first time).
Answers
1. A. Scrape off food
Here are the proper steps for using a three-compartment sink:
- Scrape off or rinse away any leftover food on the dishes.
- In the first sink, use warm (110ºF / 43ºC), soapy water and a brush to remove oil and other food particles.
- Move the dishes to the second sink and rinse them with clean, warm water to remove any leftover detergent.
- Move the dishes to the third sink and soak them in your chosen chemical sanitizer.
- Move the dishes to the drainboard or a nearby drying rack and allow them to air-dry completely before using or putting them away.
2. C. Droppings that look like grains of black pepper
Other signs of a co*ckroach infestation include a strong oily odor and capsule-shaped egg cases, which tend to be brown or dark brown, leathery, and shiny.
Dirt tracks along the wall, gnaw marks on boxes, pipes, and food packages, and urine stains are signs of a rodent infestation.
3. D. Use designated equipment like cutting boards
Using designated equipment like a separate cutting board and microwave reduces the risk of cross-contact, which occurs when a food allergen transfers from one surface or food to another.
The other choices are ways to prevent cross-contamination.
4. B. Diarrhea
Other symptoms that may indicate a foodborne illness that you must report to your manager include a sore throat with fever, vomiting, and jaundice, which is the yellowing of the skin and eye whites.
5. C. Within 4 hours
Using the two-stage cooling process, cool foods from 135ºF to 70ºF (57ºC to 21ºC) within two hours, and from 70ºF to 41ºF (21ºC to 5ºC) within four hours.
6. C. With bare hands
There must always be a barrier between your hands and ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. This barrier may be single-use gloves, deli tissue, tongs, a spatula, or other dispensing equipment.
7. C. Cooked rice
Other examples of time-temperature control for safety (TCS) foods include:
- milk and milk products
- meats and poultry
- seafood
- cut melons, tomatoes, and leafy greens
- raw seed sprouts
- garlic-in-oil mixtures
- ready-to-eat foods
Because of how it’s processed, beef jerky doesn’t require time or temperature controls.
8. C. Eggs contaminated with Salmonella
Salmonella is a living or biological organism. A brightly-colored bandage and metal shavings are examples of physical hazards, while dish detergent is a chemical hazard.
9. A. After picking up a knife that fell on the floor
Picking a knife off the floor will contaminate your hands requiring you to wash them. You should wash your hands after taking out the trash or going to the restroom but you don’t need to before.
While you can change your gloves more often, you’re only required to change your gloves after four hours of working on the same task since this is long enough for bacteria to grow to harmful numbers.
10. A. A plain wedding band
A plain wedding band is the only piece of jewelry you can wear when working with food.
The other items can easily harbor bacteria and are difficult to clean, increasing the risk of cross-contamination.
The bottom line
Use this food handler practice test to help prepare you for the real deal.
It provides questions on the top things you must know to pass your food handler test so you can earn your food handler card.
If you want more questions or need additional practice, you can download our 40-question food handler practice exam.
Ready for the real deal?
Earn your state-approved Food Handler Card with FoodSafePal
Use code “PRACTICE” at checkout for 30% OFF
Find Your State
