CP-FS Practice Test Exam 3-5 (2025/2026)
1. Which bacterium is most commonly associated with undercooked
ground beef?
A. Listeria monocytogenes
B. Salmonella Typhi
C. Escherichia coli O157:H7
D. Bacillus cereus
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: E. coli O157:H7 is linked to undercooked ground beef; it
causes hemorrhagic colitis.
2. The infectious dose of Norovirus is approximately:
A. 10–100 viral particles
B. 1,000–10,000 viral particles
C. 100,000–1,000,000
D. 1 million+
✓ Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Norovirus is highly contagious; as few as 10–100 particles
can cause infection.
3. Which pathogen is capable of growth at refrigeration
temperatures (below 4°C/40°F)?
A. Clostridium botulinum
B. Staphylococcus aureus
C. Listeria monocytogenes
D. Salmonella spp.
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Listeria is psychrotrophic; it grows at refrigerated temps,
making ready-to-eat foods risky.
4. The most common viral cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. is:
A. Hepatitis A
B. Norovirus
C. Rotavirus
D. Astrovirus
,✓Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Norovirus causes over 50% of all foodborne outbreaks.
5. Which toxin is heat-stable and produced by Staphylococcus
aureus?
A. Botulinum toxin
B. Enterotoxin
C. Shiga toxin
D. Cytotoxin
✓ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: S. aureus enterotoxin is heat-stable; cooking does not
destroy it.
**6.Clostridium perfringens is often associated with:
A. Rice dishes
B. Raw oysters
C. Large roasts or gravy held at unsafe temps
D. Soft cheeses
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: C. perfringens spores survive cooking; germinate during
slow cooling in bulk meats.
**7.Bacillus cereus emetic syndrome is linked primarily to:
A. Cooked rice
B. Deli meats
C. Unpasteurized milk
D. Canned vegetables
✓ Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Emetic toxin (cereulide) forms in starchy foods like fried
rice held at room temp.
**8.Vibrio vulnificus infection is associated with:
A. Undercooked chicken
B. Raw or undercooked shellfish
C. Contaminated lettuce
D. Unpasteurized juice
,✓Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Vibrio species are found in warm coastal waters; raw
oysters are a common vehicle.
**9.Clostridium botulinum spores are destroyed by:
A. Boiling for 10 minutes
B. Freezing
C. Acidic pH below 4.6
D. Commercial canning (121°C/250°F under pressure)
✓ Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Botulism spores require moist heat at 121°C (250°F) for 3
min (e.g., pressure canning).
10. Which parasite is associated with raw or undercooked
freshwater fish?
A. Trichinella spiralis
B. Taenia saginata
C. Anisakis simplex
D. Cryptosporidium parvum
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Anisakis is a nematode found in marine/freshwater fish;
causes anisakiasis.
**11.Campylobacter jejuni is commonly found in:
A. Raw poultry
B. Canned corn
C. Powdered milk
D. Acidic fruits
✓ Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Campylobacter colonizes poultry; cross-contamination is
a major risk.
12. The infectious dose of Shigella is:
A. Very low (10–100 cells)
B. Moderate (1,000–10,000)
C. High (100,000+)
D. Variable by strain
, ✓Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Shigellosis requires as few as 10–200 organisms due to
acid resistance.
13. Which virus requires a month-long incubation before jaundice
appears?
A. Norovirus
B. Hepatitis E
C. Hepatitis A
D. Rotavirus
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hepatitis A average incubation 28 days (range 15–50
days).
14. The D-value of a microbe at 70°C is:
A. Time to kill 90% of population at 70°C
B. Temperature to kill 100% in 1 min
C. Decimal reduction time at 70°C
D. Both A and C
✓ Correct Answer: D
Rationale: D-value = time at a given temp to reduce population by 1
log (90%).
15. Which pathogen is NOT typically transmitted by fecal-oral route?
A. Norovirus
B. Listeria monocytogenes
C. Hepatitis A
D. Shigella
✓ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Listeria is transmitted via contaminated RTE foods, soil, or
unpasteurized dairy, not primarily fecal-oral.
**16.Yersinia enterocolitica is associated with:
A. Raw pork
B. Canned tuna
C. Sprouts
D. Chocolate milk
1. Which bacterium is most commonly associated with undercooked
ground beef?
A. Listeria monocytogenes
B. Salmonella Typhi
C. Escherichia coli O157:H7
D. Bacillus cereus
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: E. coli O157:H7 is linked to undercooked ground beef; it
causes hemorrhagic colitis.
2. The infectious dose of Norovirus is approximately:
A. 10–100 viral particles
B. 1,000–10,000 viral particles
C. 100,000–1,000,000
D. 1 million+
✓ Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Norovirus is highly contagious; as few as 10–100 particles
can cause infection.
3. Which pathogen is capable of growth at refrigeration
temperatures (below 4°C/40°F)?
A. Clostridium botulinum
B. Staphylococcus aureus
C. Listeria monocytogenes
D. Salmonella spp.
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Listeria is psychrotrophic; it grows at refrigerated temps,
making ready-to-eat foods risky.
4. The most common viral cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. is:
A. Hepatitis A
B. Norovirus
C. Rotavirus
D. Astrovirus
,✓Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Norovirus causes over 50% of all foodborne outbreaks.
5. Which toxin is heat-stable and produced by Staphylococcus
aureus?
A. Botulinum toxin
B. Enterotoxin
C. Shiga toxin
D. Cytotoxin
✓ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: S. aureus enterotoxin is heat-stable; cooking does not
destroy it.
**6.Clostridium perfringens is often associated with:
A. Rice dishes
B. Raw oysters
C. Large roasts or gravy held at unsafe temps
D. Soft cheeses
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: C. perfringens spores survive cooking; germinate during
slow cooling in bulk meats.
**7.Bacillus cereus emetic syndrome is linked primarily to:
A. Cooked rice
B. Deli meats
C. Unpasteurized milk
D. Canned vegetables
✓ Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Emetic toxin (cereulide) forms in starchy foods like fried
rice held at room temp.
**8.Vibrio vulnificus infection is associated with:
A. Undercooked chicken
B. Raw or undercooked shellfish
C. Contaminated lettuce
D. Unpasteurized juice
,✓Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Vibrio species are found in warm coastal waters; raw
oysters are a common vehicle.
**9.Clostridium botulinum spores are destroyed by:
A. Boiling for 10 minutes
B. Freezing
C. Acidic pH below 4.6
D. Commercial canning (121°C/250°F under pressure)
✓ Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Botulism spores require moist heat at 121°C (250°F) for 3
min (e.g., pressure canning).
10. Which parasite is associated with raw or undercooked
freshwater fish?
A. Trichinella spiralis
B. Taenia saginata
C. Anisakis simplex
D. Cryptosporidium parvum
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Anisakis is a nematode found in marine/freshwater fish;
causes anisakiasis.
**11.Campylobacter jejuni is commonly found in:
A. Raw poultry
B. Canned corn
C. Powdered milk
D. Acidic fruits
✓ Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Campylobacter colonizes poultry; cross-contamination is
a major risk.
12. The infectious dose of Shigella is:
A. Very low (10–100 cells)
B. Moderate (1,000–10,000)
C. High (100,000+)
D. Variable by strain
, ✓Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Shigellosis requires as few as 10–200 organisms due to
acid resistance.
13. Which virus requires a month-long incubation before jaundice
appears?
A. Norovirus
B. Hepatitis E
C. Hepatitis A
D. Rotavirus
✓ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hepatitis A average incubation 28 days (range 15–50
days).
14. The D-value of a microbe at 70°C is:
A. Time to kill 90% of population at 70°C
B. Temperature to kill 100% in 1 min
C. Decimal reduction time at 70°C
D. Both A and C
✓ Correct Answer: D
Rationale: D-value = time at a given temp to reduce population by 1
log (90%).
15. Which pathogen is NOT typically transmitted by fecal-oral route?
A. Norovirus
B. Listeria monocytogenes
C. Hepatitis A
D. Shigella
✓ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Listeria is transmitted via contaminated RTE foods, soil, or
unpasteurized dairy, not primarily fecal-oral.
**16.Yersinia enterocolitica is associated with:
A. Raw pork
B. Canned tuna
C. Sprouts
D. Chocolate milk
