SERVSAFE 90 COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ YOPI are people higher at risk for FBI:.
Answer: Young (preschool)OldPregnantImmune-compromised (AIDs,
cancer, taking immune sys weakening drugs, transplant recipients)
◍ A chef wants to put a seared tuna dish on the menu. How can she best
ensure a safe product for service?.
Answer: Order the tuna from an approved and reputable supplier
◍ MSDS.
Answer: Keep _____ for each chemical in a location to all employees on the
job
◍ what should you do when taking a food order from customers who have
concerns about food allergies.
Answer: Describe each menu item to the customer who ask, including any
"secret" ingredients
◍ Ready to eat TCS foods prepped in house must be date marked if it is held
for more than how many hours?.
Answer: 24 Hours
◍ 41-135.
Answer: Danger Zone
◍ What practice should be used to prevent seafood toxins from causing
foodborne illness?.
Answer: Purchasing food from approved , reputable suppliers
◍ An employee is coughing and complaining of experiencing vomiting and
, diarrhea. How should the situation be handled?.
Answer: Send the employee home immediately, and require a note from
their doctor before they return to work
◍ What is the best way to ensure proper personal hygiene in employees?.
Answer: Set up a staff dress code, put it in writing, and enforce it
◍ Top reasons for outbreak.
Answer: 1. Purchasing food from unsafe sources2. Failing to cook food
adequately3. Holding food at incorrect temps4. Contaminated equipment5.
Poor personal hygiene
◍ Room temperature.
Answer: Never thaw food at
◍ 4 main factors for risk of FBI.
Answer: Time-temp abuseCross contaminationPoor personal hygienePoor
cleaning & sanitizing
◍ Flies.
Answer: ___ can carry Shigellosis and typhoid fever
◍ Challenges you'll face as a manager that put operations @ risk for a FBI
outbreak:.
Answer: Time (rushes work = mistakes)Language/culture (barrier & diff in
handling food)Literacy & edu (tough to teach all staff
fairly)PathogensUnapproved suppliers (not practicing food safety)High risk
customers (esp growing elderly pop)Staff turnover (training new = less time
for old)
◍ How long should hands and arms be scrubbed during handwashing?.
Answer: 10-15 seconds
◍ Immersion.
Answer: ___ probe is used for liquids
◍ What is the greatest challenge to water safety?.
Answer: A cross-connection (physical link between safe water & dirty) eg a
, hose left in a mop bucket that overflows so that dirty water backflows up
hose to safe water source.
◍ What is the sanitizer concentration range for chlorine sanitizers?.
Answer: 50-99 ppm
◍ 100F.
Answer: When properly washing hands, water should be
◍ A customer calls to report that they contacted a foodborne-illness after they
ate at your establishment. What information should you get from the
customer?.
Answer: General contact information and a description of what food and
drink the customer consumed
◍ Common FBI symptoms.
Answer: NVD, fever, ab cramps, jaundice
◍ WHAT TO DO IF YOUR FOOD HANDLER HAS JAUNDICE:.
Answer: MUST BE REPORTED TO REGULATORY
AUTHORITIES.EXCLUDE THEM IF HAD JAUNDICE FOR <7
DAYS.MUST HAVE MEDICAL RELEASE & APPROVAL FR LOCAL
REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO RETURN TO WORK.
◍ Chemical contaminants.
Answer: Cleaners, sanitizers, toxic metal from Non Food Service Grade
utensils and cookware, pesticides
◍ What is the minimum internal cooking temp for chicken breasts?.
Answer: 165°F (74 °C) for 15 seconds
◍ Sensing area.
Answer: A bimetallic stemmed thermometer should be immersed in the
product from the tip to the end of the
◍ 14 inches.
Answer: What is the max distance that sneeze guards can be located from
the self service counter to protect food from contamination?
, ◍ 10.
Answer: ___ foot candles are used inside walk-in refrigerators, dry storage
areas, and dining rooms
◍ Restricted.
Answer: Employees with a sore throat with a fever should be ___ from
working with or around food
◍ How long should documentation for both frozen and farm-raised fish be
kept?.
Answer: 90 days from the sale of the fish
◍ What do you do if milk is received at 45*F?.
Answer: Cool it so it reaches 41*F or below in 4 hrs
◍ When should a delivery be inspected?.
Answer: Immediately upon receiving the delivery
◍ Nuts in the shell.
Answer: Which food items can be displayed in a self service area without
the use of packaging, sneeze guards, or a display case to protect them from
contamination?
◍ When heat sanitizing items, they must be submerged in water that is at least
171˚F for at least ______:.
Answer: 30 seconds
◍ What factors influence the effectiveness of a chemical sanitizer?.
Answer: Concentration,temperature,contact time, pH and water hardness.
◍ If you're a manager coming back from a vacay and find unknown food in the
fridge, what should you do?.
Answer: When in doubt, throw it out.Don't bother asking employees. If they
didn't label it, they probably aren't 100% sure about it either.
◍ If a wooden cutting board is used in your facility, it should be made from
which type of wood(s)?.
Answer: Nonporous hardwood, such as oak or maple
STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ YOPI are people higher at risk for FBI:.
Answer: Young (preschool)OldPregnantImmune-compromised (AIDs,
cancer, taking immune sys weakening drugs, transplant recipients)
◍ A chef wants to put a seared tuna dish on the menu. How can she best
ensure a safe product for service?.
Answer: Order the tuna from an approved and reputable supplier
◍ MSDS.
Answer: Keep _____ for each chemical in a location to all employees on the
job
◍ what should you do when taking a food order from customers who have
concerns about food allergies.
Answer: Describe each menu item to the customer who ask, including any
"secret" ingredients
◍ Ready to eat TCS foods prepped in house must be date marked if it is held
for more than how many hours?.
Answer: 24 Hours
◍ 41-135.
Answer: Danger Zone
◍ What practice should be used to prevent seafood toxins from causing
foodborne illness?.
Answer: Purchasing food from approved , reputable suppliers
◍ An employee is coughing and complaining of experiencing vomiting and
, diarrhea. How should the situation be handled?.
Answer: Send the employee home immediately, and require a note from
their doctor before they return to work
◍ What is the best way to ensure proper personal hygiene in employees?.
Answer: Set up a staff dress code, put it in writing, and enforce it
◍ Top reasons for outbreak.
Answer: 1. Purchasing food from unsafe sources2. Failing to cook food
adequately3. Holding food at incorrect temps4. Contaminated equipment5.
Poor personal hygiene
◍ Room temperature.
Answer: Never thaw food at
◍ 4 main factors for risk of FBI.
Answer: Time-temp abuseCross contaminationPoor personal hygienePoor
cleaning & sanitizing
◍ Flies.
Answer: ___ can carry Shigellosis and typhoid fever
◍ Challenges you'll face as a manager that put operations @ risk for a FBI
outbreak:.
Answer: Time (rushes work = mistakes)Language/culture (barrier & diff in
handling food)Literacy & edu (tough to teach all staff
fairly)PathogensUnapproved suppliers (not practicing food safety)High risk
customers (esp growing elderly pop)Staff turnover (training new = less time
for old)
◍ How long should hands and arms be scrubbed during handwashing?.
Answer: 10-15 seconds
◍ Immersion.
Answer: ___ probe is used for liquids
◍ What is the greatest challenge to water safety?.
Answer: A cross-connection (physical link between safe water & dirty) eg a
, hose left in a mop bucket that overflows so that dirty water backflows up
hose to safe water source.
◍ What is the sanitizer concentration range for chlorine sanitizers?.
Answer: 50-99 ppm
◍ 100F.
Answer: When properly washing hands, water should be
◍ A customer calls to report that they contacted a foodborne-illness after they
ate at your establishment. What information should you get from the
customer?.
Answer: General contact information and a description of what food and
drink the customer consumed
◍ Common FBI symptoms.
Answer: NVD, fever, ab cramps, jaundice
◍ WHAT TO DO IF YOUR FOOD HANDLER HAS JAUNDICE:.
Answer: MUST BE REPORTED TO REGULATORY
AUTHORITIES.EXCLUDE THEM IF HAD JAUNDICE FOR <7
DAYS.MUST HAVE MEDICAL RELEASE & APPROVAL FR LOCAL
REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO RETURN TO WORK.
◍ Chemical contaminants.
Answer: Cleaners, sanitizers, toxic metal from Non Food Service Grade
utensils and cookware, pesticides
◍ What is the minimum internal cooking temp for chicken breasts?.
Answer: 165°F (74 °C) for 15 seconds
◍ Sensing area.
Answer: A bimetallic stemmed thermometer should be immersed in the
product from the tip to the end of the
◍ 14 inches.
Answer: What is the max distance that sneeze guards can be located from
the self service counter to protect food from contamination?
, ◍ 10.
Answer: ___ foot candles are used inside walk-in refrigerators, dry storage
areas, and dining rooms
◍ Restricted.
Answer: Employees with a sore throat with a fever should be ___ from
working with or around food
◍ How long should documentation for both frozen and farm-raised fish be
kept?.
Answer: 90 days from the sale of the fish
◍ What do you do if milk is received at 45*F?.
Answer: Cool it so it reaches 41*F or below in 4 hrs
◍ When should a delivery be inspected?.
Answer: Immediately upon receiving the delivery
◍ Nuts in the shell.
Answer: Which food items can be displayed in a self service area without
the use of packaging, sneeze guards, or a display case to protect them from
contamination?
◍ When heat sanitizing items, they must be submerged in water that is at least
171˚F for at least ______:.
Answer: 30 seconds
◍ What factors influence the effectiveness of a chemical sanitizer?.
Answer: Concentration,temperature,contact time, pH and water hardness.
◍ If you're a manager coming back from a vacay and find unknown food in the
fridge, what should you do?.
Answer: When in doubt, throw it out.Don't bother asking employees. If they
didn't label it, they probably aren't 100% sure about it either.
◍ If a wooden cutting board is used in your facility, it should be made from
which type of wood(s)?.
Answer: Nonporous hardwood, such as oak or maple
