Certified Professional Food Safety (CP-FS) Exam (with
Complete Solutions)
Four phases of bacterial presence in food correct answers 1. Lag Phase, 2. Log Phase, 3.
Stationary Phase, 4. Death Phase
Log phase correct answers Most essential phase of bacterial presence in food due to the fastest
increase in populations
Lag phase correct answers Time/temp play an important role in keeping bacteria in this phase
(where numbers are less dangerous and growth is slowed)
Norwalk virus correct answers Rarely a pathogen associated with shellfish
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Vibrio spp (a bacteria) correct answers 2 common pathogens
associated with shellfish
6 - 7 weeks correct answers Incubation period for Hep A can be up to ___ to ___ weeks
Document retention rationale for shellfish correct answers 6 - 7 week Hep A incubation period is
part of this rationale for retaining shellstock tags for 90 days beyond the date of harvest. Batches
should not be mixed. Time allows for the presentation of any Hep Aand gives infor on tracking
the location and source of the outbreak.
Pathogens found in soil correct answers Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium
perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes. To a lesser extent: Salmonella spp, Yersinia enterocolitica
Cooked Rice correct answers Food typically associated with an outbreak of Bacillus Cereus
Staphylococcus aureus correct answers 50 - 70% of people are carriers of this pathogen
Upper respiratory tract; also frequently found in pimples, burns, sores, other skin lesions correct
answers Location in the body where Staph is typically found
Cause of Staph foodborne illness correct answers Toxins formed by bacteria and not the live
bacteria that cause the illness. Possible to have the bacteria without toxins. Staph bacteria in the
upper respiratory tract may not cause illness, but bacterial Staph toxins in the gastro intestinal
tract in the same person may cause illness.
Foods typically associated with Listeriosis outbreak correct answers Unpasteurized milk and
associated milk products (raw milk cheese); prepared and chilled RTE foods like some soft
cheeses, deli meats, hot dogs, pate; raw veggies (makes sense given Listeria can be present in
soil); pouttry, meat and seafood
Salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7 correct answers Pathogens associated with unpasteurized juices
, Aerobic bacteria correct answers require oxygen for survival and for multiplication sufficient to
cause disease
Anaerobic bacteria correct answers bacteria that do not require oxygen to survive
Facultative correct answers organism that can survive with or without oxygen
Which describes most foodborne pathogens: aerobic, anaerobic or facultative? correct answers
Facultative (word means "to make do")
Most famous anaerobe correct answers Clostridium botulinum (cousin of this, also an anaerobe,
is Clostridium perfringens)
Clostridium botulinum correct answers Microbe of greatest concern in packaging situations
(where normal oxygen ambience of 21% is altered)
ROP, MAP and Vacuum sous vide Packaging correct answers HACCP plans that must reflect
elements that prevent the proliferation of Clostridium botulinum and its toxins
Type of foodborne illness - Clostridium botulinum correct answers Intoxication, not infection
ROP food correct answers Must have one or more characteristics to assure not likely to support
the growth of Clostridium botulinum
0.91 aw correct answers Maximum water activity for ROP food
4.6 correct answers Maximum pH of ROP food
41F correct answers Maximum temp of ROP food
14 days from processing to consumption correct answers Maximum shelf life for ROP foods.
First day counts as day 1.
Type of fish that can be ROP correct answers Fish frozen before, during and after packaging
FATTOM stands for what? correct answers Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen,
Moisture
Toxins correct answers Not destroyed by cooking or freezing
Five symptoms must be reported to food service supervisor and/or may determine whether a
person is allowed to work around food correct answers 1. Diarrhea
2. vomitting
3. Fever
4. Sore throat with fever
Complete Solutions)
Four phases of bacterial presence in food correct answers 1. Lag Phase, 2. Log Phase, 3.
Stationary Phase, 4. Death Phase
Log phase correct answers Most essential phase of bacterial presence in food due to the fastest
increase in populations
Lag phase correct answers Time/temp play an important role in keeping bacteria in this phase
(where numbers are less dangerous and growth is slowed)
Norwalk virus correct answers Rarely a pathogen associated with shellfish
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Vibrio spp (a bacteria) correct answers 2 common pathogens
associated with shellfish
6 - 7 weeks correct answers Incubation period for Hep A can be up to ___ to ___ weeks
Document retention rationale for shellfish correct answers 6 - 7 week Hep A incubation period is
part of this rationale for retaining shellstock tags for 90 days beyond the date of harvest. Batches
should not be mixed. Time allows for the presentation of any Hep Aand gives infor on tracking
the location and source of the outbreak.
Pathogens found in soil correct answers Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium
perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes. To a lesser extent: Salmonella spp, Yersinia enterocolitica
Cooked Rice correct answers Food typically associated with an outbreak of Bacillus Cereus
Staphylococcus aureus correct answers 50 - 70% of people are carriers of this pathogen
Upper respiratory tract; also frequently found in pimples, burns, sores, other skin lesions correct
answers Location in the body where Staph is typically found
Cause of Staph foodborne illness correct answers Toxins formed by bacteria and not the live
bacteria that cause the illness. Possible to have the bacteria without toxins. Staph bacteria in the
upper respiratory tract may not cause illness, but bacterial Staph toxins in the gastro intestinal
tract in the same person may cause illness.
Foods typically associated with Listeriosis outbreak correct answers Unpasteurized milk and
associated milk products (raw milk cheese); prepared and chilled RTE foods like some soft
cheeses, deli meats, hot dogs, pate; raw veggies (makes sense given Listeria can be present in
soil); pouttry, meat and seafood
Salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7 correct answers Pathogens associated with unpasteurized juices
, Aerobic bacteria correct answers require oxygen for survival and for multiplication sufficient to
cause disease
Anaerobic bacteria correct answers bacteria that do not require oxygen to survive
Facultative correct answers organism that can survive with or without oxygen
Which describes most foodborne pathogens: aerobic, anaerobic or facultative? correct answers
Facultative (word means "to make do")
Most famous anaerobe correct answers Clostridium botulinum (cousin of this, also an anaerobe,
is Clostridium perfringens)
Clostridium botulinum correct answers Microbe of greatest concern in packaging situations
(where normal oxygen ambience of 21% is altered)
ROP, MAP and Vacuum sous vide Packaging correct answers HACCP plans that must reflect
elements that prevent the proliferation of Clostridium botulinum and its toxins
Type of foodborne illness - Clostridium botulinum correct answers Intoxication, not infection
ROP food correct answers Must have one or more characteristics to assure not likely to support
the growth of Clostridium botulinum
0.91 aw correct answers Maximum water activity for ROP food
4.6 correct answers Maximum pH of ROP food
41F correct answers Maximum temp of ROP food
14 days from processing to consumption correct answers Maximum shelf life for ROP foods.
First day counts as day 1.
Type of fish that can be ROP correct answers Fish frozen before, during and after packaging
FATTOM stands for what? correct answers Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen,
Moisture
Toxins correct answers Not destroyed by cooking or freezing
Five symptoms must be reported to food service supervisor and/or may determine whether a
person is allowed to work around food correct answers 1. Diarrhea
2. vomitting
3. Fever
4. Sore throat with fever
