SERVSAFE TEST PAPERS 2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTION GRADED A+
✔✔What is the second group of people that have a high risk of getting a foodborne
illness? - ✔✔Preschool-age children (Very young children have not built up strong
immune systems)
✔✔What is the third group of people that have a high risk of getting a foodborne illness?
- ✔✔People with compromised immune systems
(•People with cancer or on chemotherapy)
•People with HIV/AIDS
•Transplant recipients
•People taking certain medications
✔✔Training and Monitoring - ✔✔Staff should be trained when they are first hired and on
an ongoing basis. Your entire staff needs general food safety knowledge and
knowledge on specific tasks performed on the job. Staff need to be retrained in food
safety regularly, and document when a food handler completes this training. Once staff
are trained, monitor them.
✔✔Government agencies helping - ✔✔The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and
the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspect food and perform other critical duties.
State and local regulatory authorities create regulations and inspect operations.
Agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US
Public Health Service (PHS) help as well.
✔✔FDA Role - ✔✔•inspects all food except meat, poultry, and eggs
•regulates food transported across state lines
•issues a Food Code (provides recommendations for food safety regulations/ created for
city, country, state, and tribal agencies (regulate foodservice for:
•restaurants and retail food stores
•vending operations
•schools and day care centers
•hospitals and nursing homes)
•provide technical support and training for industry and regulatory industries
✔✔USDA role - ✔✔•regulates and inspects meat, poultry, and eggs
• regulates food that crosses state boundaries or involves more than one state
✔✔CDC and PHS role - ✔✔•assist FDA, USDA, and state and local health departments
•conduct research into the causes of foodborne-illness outbreaks
•assist in investigating outbreaks
,✔✔state and local regulatory authorities - ✔✔•write or adopt code that regulates retail
and foodservice operations (may differ from Food Code because these agencies aren't
required to adopt it)
Regulatory authorities responsibilities:
•inspecting operations
•enforcing regulations
•investigating complaints and illnesses
•issuing licenses and permits
•approving construction
•reviewing and approving HACCP plans
✔✔What is a contaminate? - ✔✔•the presence of harmful substances in food
•can be biological, chemical, or physical
•most cause foodborne illnesses while the others result in physical injury
✔✔Where do contaminates come from? - ✔✔•many are found in the animals we use for
food
•air, contaminated water, and dirt
• some occur naturally in food (bones in fish)
✔✔How does food become contaminated? - ✔✔Usually it's contaminated accidentally
because most
contaminants get into food and onto food-contact surfaces because of the way
people handle it.
✔✔What is the fecal-oral route of contamimation? - ✔✔When food handlers (who don't
wash their hands after using the restroom) contaminate food and surfaces with feces
from their fingers. Once the contaminated food is eaten, a foodborne illness may result
✔✔How do food handlers pass on contaminants when they are in contact with a person
who is ill? - ✔✔•From person to person
•Through sneezing or vomiting onto
food or food-contact surfaces
•From touching dirty food-contact surfaces and equipment, and then touching food
✔✔How can simple mistakes result on contamination? - ✔✔•allowing ready-to-eat food
to touch surfaces that have come in contact with raw meat, seafood, and poultry can
lead to contamination
•storing food incorrectly or cleaning produce incorrectly can lead to contamination
•failure to spot signs of pests in the establishment, because pests are a major source of
disease
✔✔What are microorganisms? - ✔✔small, living organisms that can be seen
only through a microscope
,✔✔What are pathogens? - ✔✔Harmful microorganisms that make you sick when you
eat them or produce poisons (or toxins) that make you sick
✔✔What is the first step to preventing foodborne-illness outbreaks? - ✔✔understanding
biological contaminants
✔✔What are the four types of pathogens? - ✔✔bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi
(includes mold and yeast)
✔✔How many pathogens can cause a foodborne illness? - ✔✔Over 40 different kinds
of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and molds can occur in food and cause a foodborne
illness
✔✔What is the Big Six? - ✔✔The 6 pathogens that have been singled out by the FDA
for being highly contagious and can cause severe illness
✔✔Which 6 pathogens are in the Big Six? - ✔✔•Shigella spp.
•Salmonella Typhi
•Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS)
•Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (E. Coli)
•Hepatitis A
•Norovirus
✔✔2 Toxins from Fish - ✔✔Ciguatoxin: Grouper, Barracuda, Amberjack, Snapper
Histamine: Tuna, Bonito, Makerel, Mahimahi
✔✔Symtoms of toxins - ✔✔Immediate reaction: Reversal of hot and cold sensations,
reddening of face and neck, sweating, headache, burning sensation in mouth, nausea,
vomiting, tingling, joint and muscle pain.
✔✔Parasite: Giardia duodenalis - ✔✔Parasite found in the feces of infected people.
Incorrectly treated water, and produce are commonly linked foods.
Symptoms: Fever, Diarrhea, Abdominal cramps, Nausea
✔✔What are the common symptoms for a foodborne illness? - ✔✔•Diarrhea
•Vomiting
•Fever Dizziness
•Nausea
•Abdominal cramps
•Jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and eyes)
✔✔What is the onset time of the illness? - ✔✔•how quickly foodborne-illness symptoms
appear in a person
•depends on the type of foodborne illness
• can range from 30 min. to six weeks
, •how severe the illness is can range from mild diarreah to death
✔✔What are the basic characteristics of Bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses? - ✔✔•
Location (found almost everywhere including our bodies)
• Detection (can't be seen, smelled, or tasted)
•Growth ( if FAT TOM conditions are right, bacteria will grow in rapid numbers)
•Prevention (control time and temperature)
✔✔What is FAT TOM? - ✔✔It stands for all the conditions Bacteria needs to grow
✔✔What does the F in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Food (most bacteria need nutrients to
survive, and TCS food supports the growth of bacteria better than other types of food)
✔✔What does the A in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Acidity (Bacteria grow best in food that
contains little or no acid as in food that is neutral or slightly acidic (14 is highly alkaline)
✔✔What does the first T in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Temperature (Bacteria grows
rapidly in the temperature range of 41 degrees farenheit (5 degrees Celcius)- 135
degrees farenheit (57 degrees Celcius) and more rapidly between 70 degrees Farenheit
(21 degrees Celcius) and 125 degrees Farenheit (52 degrees Celcius). Bacteria growth
is limited when food is held above or below temperature danger zone.
✔✔What is the second T in FAT TOM? - ✔✔Time (The more time bacteria spend in the
temperature danger zone, the more opportunity they have to grow to unsafe levels)
✔✔What does the O in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Oxygen (Some bacteria need oxygen
to grow while other grow when oxygen isn't there)
✔✔What does the M in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Moisture ( Bacteria grows well in food
with high levels of moisture. The water activity scale ranges from 0.0-1.0. The higher the
value, the more avaible moisture in the food.)
✔✔What is the temperature danger zone - ✔✔The temperature range of 41oF (5oC) to
135oF (57oC) where bacteria rapidly grow
✔✔What is water activity - ✔✔the amount of moisture available in food for bacteria
growth (aw)
✔✔Which four bacteria has the FDA identified as highly contagious and can cause
severe illness - ✔✔•Salmonella Typhi
•Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS)
•Shigella spp.
•Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC)
Food handlers with illnesses from these bacteria may NEVER work while they are sick
SOLUTION GRADED A+
✔✔What is the second group of people that have a high risk of getting a foodborne
illness? - ✔✔Preschool-age children (Very young children have not built up strong
immune systems)
✔✔What is the third group of people that have a high risk of getting a foodborne illness?
- ✔✔People with compromised immune systems
(•People with cancer or on chemotherapy)
•People with HIV/AIDS
•Transplant recipients
•People taking certain medications
✔✔Training and Monitoring - ✔✔Staff should be trained when they are first hired and on
an ongoing basis. Your entire staff needs general food safety knowledge and
knowledge on specific tasks performed on the job. Staff need to be retrained in food
safety regularly, and document when a food handler completes this training. Once staff
are trained, monitor them.
✔✔Government agencies helping - ✔✔The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and
the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspect food and perform other critical duties.
State and local regulatory authorities create regulations and inspect operations.
Agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US
Public Health Service (PHS) help as well.
✔✔FDA Role - ✔✔•inspects all food except meat, poultry, and eggs
•regulates food transported across state lines
•issues a Food Code (provides recommendations for food safety regulations/ created for
city, country, state, and tribal agencies (regulate foodservice for:
•restaurants and retail food stores
•vending operations
•schools and day care centers
•hospitals and nursing homes)
•provide technical support and training for industry and regulatory industries
✔✔USDA role - ✔✔•regulates and inspects meat, poultry, and eggs
• regulates food that crosses state boundaries or involves more than one state
✔✔CDC and PHS role - ✔✔•assist FDA, USDA, and state and local health departments
•conduct research into the causes of foodborne-illness outbreaks
•assist in investigating outbreaks
,✔✔state and local regulatory authorities - ✔✔•write or adopt code that regulates retail
and foodservice operations (may differ from Food Code because these agencies aren't
required to adopt it)
Regulatory authorities responsibilities:
•inspecting operations
•enforcing regulations
•investigating complaints and illnesses
•issuing licenses and permits
•approving construction
•reviewing and approving HACCP plans
✔✔What is a contaminate? - ✔✔•the presence of harmful substances in food
•can be biological, chemical, or physical
•most cause foodborne illnesses while the others result in physical injury
✔✔Where do contaminates come from? - ✔✔•many are found in the animals we use for
food
•air, contaminated water, and dirt
• some occur naturally in food (bones in fish)
✔✔How does food become contaminated? - ✔✔Usually it's contaminated accidentally
because most
contaminants get into food and onto food-contact surfaces because of the way
people handle it.
✔✔What is the fecal-oral route of contamimation? - ✔✔When food handlers (who don't
wash their hands after using the restroom) contaminate food and surfaces with feces
from their fingers. Once the contaminated food is eaten, a foodborne illness may result
✔✔How do food handlers pass on contaminants when they are in contact with a person
who is ill? - ✔✔•From person to person
•Through sneezing or vomiting onto
food or food-contact surfaces
•From touching dirty food-contact surfaces and equipment, and then touching food
✔✔How can simple mistakes result on contamination? - ✔✔•allowing ready-to-eat food
to touch surfaces that have come in contact with raw meat, seafood, and poultry can
lead to contamination
•storing food incorrectly or cleaning produce incorrectly can lead to contamination
•failure to spot signs of pests in the establishment, because pests are a major source of
disease
✔✔What are microorganisms? - ✔✔small, living organisms that can be seen
only through a microscope
,✔✔What are pathogens? - ✔✔Harmful microorganisms that make you sick when you
eat them or produce poisons (or toxins) that make you sick
✔✔What is the first step to preventing foodborne-illness outbreaks? - ✔✔understanding
biological contaminants
✔✔What are the four types of pathogens? - ✔✔bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi
(includes mold and yeast)
✔✔How many pathogens can cause a foodborne illness? - ✔✔Over 40 different kinds
of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and molds can occur in food and cause a foodborne
illness
✔✔What is the Big Six? - ✔✔The 6 pathogens that have been singled out by the FDA
for being highly contagious and can cause severe illness
✔✔Which 6 pathogens are in the Big Six? - ✔✔•Shigella spp.
•Salmonella Typhi
•Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS)
•Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (E. Coli)
•Hepatitis A
•Norovirus
✔✔2 Toxins from Fish - ✔✔Ciguatoxin: Grouper, Barracuda, Amberjack, Snapper
Histamine: Tuna, Bonito, Makerel, Mahimahi
✔✔Symtoms of toxins - ✔✔Immediate reaction: Reversal of hot and cold sensations,
reddening of face and neck, sweating, headache, burning sensation in mouth, nausea,
vomiting, tingling, joint and muscle pain.
✔✔Parasite: Giardia duodenalis - ✔✔Parasite found in the feces of infected people.
Incorrectly treated water, and produce are commonly linked foods.
Symptoms: Fever, Diarrhea, Abdominal cramps, Nausea
✔✔What are the common symptoms for a foodborne illness? - ✔✔•Diarrhea
•Vomiting
•Fever Dizziness
•Nausea
•Abdominal cramps
•Jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and eyes)
✔✔What is the onset time of the illness? - ✔✔•how quickly foodborne-illness symptoms
appear in a person
•depends on the type of foodborne illness
• can range from 30 min. to six weeks
, •how severe the illness is can range from mild diarreah to death
✔✔What are the basic characteristics of Bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses? - ✔✔•
Location (found almost everywhere including our bodies)
• Detection (can't be seen, smelled, or tasted)
•Growth ( if FAT TOM conditions are right, bacteria will grow in rapid numbers)
•Prevention (control time and temperature)
✔✔What is FAT TOM? - ✔✔It stands for all the conditions Bacteria needs to grow
✔✔What does the F in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Food (most bacteria need nutrients to
survive, and TCS food supports the growth of bacteria better than other types of food)
✔✔What does the A in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Acidity (Bacteria grow best in food that
contains little or no acid as in food that is neutral or slightly acidic (14 is highly alkaline)
✔✔What does the first T in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Temperature (Bacteria grows
rapidly in the temperature range of 41 degrees farenheit (5 degrees Celcius)- 135
degrees farenheit (57 degrees Celcius) and more rapidly between 70 degrees Farenheit
(21 degrees Celcius) and 125 degrees Farenheit (52 degrees Celcius). Bacteria growth
is limited when food is held above or below temperature danger zone.
✔✔What is the second T in FAT TOM? - ✔✔Time (The more time bacteria spend in the
temperature danger zone, the more opportunity they have to grow to unsafe levels)
✔✔What does the O in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Oxygen (Some bacteria need oxygen
to grow while other grow when oxygen isn't there)
✔✔What does the M in FAT TOM stand for? - ✔✔Moisture ( Bacteria grows well in food
with high levels of moisture. The water activity scale ranges from 0.0-1.0. The higher the
value, the more avaible moisture in the food.)
✔✔What is the temperature danger zone - ✔✔The temperature range of 41oF (5oC) to
135oF (57oC) where bacteria rapidly grow
✔✔What is water activity - ✔✔the amount of moisture available in food for bacteria
growth (aw)
✔✔Which four bacteria has the FDA identified as highly contagious and can cause
severe illness - ✔✔•Salmonella Typhi
•Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS)
•Shigella spp.
•Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC)
Food handlers with illnesses from these bacteria may NEVER work while they are sick
