Free Food Safety Manager Certification Practice Exam (With Answers)

Passing an accredited exam like ServSafe — and soon, FoodSafePal — is the final step to earning certification as a food protection manager.

If you invested the necessary time and resources to study and prepare, you should be able to pass the test your first time, but additional practice never hurts.

Here’s the only food safety manager certification practice exam you need to help you prepare for the ServSafe exam.

Food safety manager certification practice test

1. Cooked and refrigerated food prepared for immediate service in response to an individual consumer order, such as a roast beef sandwich au jus, may be served at:

A. Any temperature
B. A temperature that exceeds 165ºF (74ºC)
C. A temperature of at least 145ºF (63ºC)
D. A temperature between 135ºF and 165ºF (57ºC and 74ºC)

2. Which of the following diseases, if diagnosed, must be reported by a conditional employee to the person in charge?

A. Norovirus
B. Rhinovirus
C. Influenza virus
D. Varicella-zoster virus

3. All but which food item must be obtained pasteurized according to food safety regulations?

A. Milk
B. Ice cream
C. Liquid eggs
D. Whole shell eggs

4. What is the required air gap between the water supply inlet and the flood level rim of a plumbing fixture?

A. Half the diameter of the water inlet
B. Twice the diameter of the water inlet
C. Equal to the diameter of the water inlet
D. Three times the diameter of the water inlet

5. Which method is required for parasite destruction in fish before being served in raw or undercooked form?

A. Freezing the fish to -4°F (-20°C) for 7 days
B. Cooking the fish to 145ºF (63°C) for 15 seconds
C. Serving the fish only after it has been marinated
D. Refrigerating the fish for 3 days prior to service

6. Which of the following foods is allowed to be reheated to a temperature of 135ºF (57°C) for hot holding instead of 165ºF (74°C)?

A. Ground beef
B. Chicken nuggets
C. Previously frozen fish
D. Commercially packaged soups

7. What must be done with a reduced oxygen packaged fish before it is thawed in a refrigerator?

A. It must be thawed within 24 hours
B. It must be labeled with a thaw-by date
C. It must be cooked immediately after thawing
D. It must be removed from its reduced oxygen packaging

8. Which statement about food storage is correct?

A. Food may be stored under unshielded sewer lines
B. Food can be stored in locker rooms if sealed properly
C. Food can be stored on pallets if in closed packages
D. Food can be stored directly on the floor if it is in waterproof containers

9. Which of the following raw animal foods can be served undercooked without a consumer advisory if obtained and prepared properly at an establishment that serves the general population?

A. Poultry
B. Fish filets
C. Ground beef patties
D. Whole-muscle, intact beef steak

10. Which of the following characteristics must indoor non-food contact surfaces like floors in food establishments have?

A. Textured for slip resistance
B. Non-porous and highly absorbent
C. Smooth, durable, and easily cleanable
D. Soft and flexible for easy maintenance

Want more questions to help you pass your food protection manager certification (CFPM) exam?

Answers

1. A. Any temperature

Cooked and refrigerated food that is prepared for immediate service in response to an individual order may be served at any temperature. However, when reheated for hot holding, the food must reach at least 165ºF (74ºC) for 15 seconds.

2. A. Norovirus

The other reportable diagnoses include hepatitis A, Shigella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia Coli (STEC), Salmonella Typhi (typhoid fever), and Salmonella (nontyphoidal).

3. D. Whole shell eggs

Whole shell eggs don’t require pasteurization but egg products like dried, frozen, or liquid eggs do. However, establishments that serve highly susceptible populations must use pasteurized whole shell eggs when serving egg dishes that are not cooked through like poached eggs.

4. B. Twice the diameter of the water inlet

This air gap distance is necessary to prevent backflow in which potential contaminants are drawn into the potable water system.

5. A. Freezing the fish to -4°F (-20°C) for 7 days

This temperature and time is necessary to adequately destroy parasites that may be present. Less time is needed when the fish is frozen at colder temperatures.

6. D. Commercially packaged soups

Time-temperature control for safety (TCS) foods like poultry, meats, rice, and potatoes must be reheated to at least 165ºF (74ºC) for 15 seconds for hot holding, but in the case of shelf-stable, commercially prepared ready-to-eat food like soup concentrate, you only need to reheat them to the minimum hot-holding temperature of 135ºF (57ºC).

7. D. It must be removed from its reduced oxygen packaging

Removing the fish from its reduced oxygen packaging is necessary to prevent to the growth of Clostridium botulinum, which thrives in low oxygen environments.

8. C. Food can be stored on pallets if in closed packages

Food must be stored in a clean, dry location at least 6 inches above the floor. However, food in packages and working containers can be stored less than 6 inches above the floor on case lot handling equipment like pallets.

9. D. Whole-muscle, intact beef steak

Whole-muscle, intact beef is not injected, mechanically tenderized, reconstructed, or scored and marinated — methods that can introduce pathogens — so beef in its whole, intact form is unlikely to cause foodborne illness when served undercooked.

10. C. Smooth, durable, and easily cleanable

These qualities are necessary to prevent pathogen harborage and ensure the surfaces can be cleaned effectively.

The bottom line

Use this food safety manager certification practice test to help you prepare for the real thing.

This practice exam doesn’t provide any of the exact questions used on accredited food safety manager certification tests like ServSafe — and soon, FoodSafePal — but the questions are similar.

If you want more questions or need additional practice, you can download the full PDF food safety manager certification practice exam of 100 must-know questions.