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Ontario Food Handler study materials
Ontario Food Handler study resources

Ontario Food Handler practice questions

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Question 1Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler has a cut on their finger while preparing sandwiches. What is the most appropriate action according to Ontario food safety requirements?

  1. Wash hands and continue preparing food without covering the cut
  2. Cover the cut with a waterproof bandage and a single-use glove before continuing Correct answer.
  3. Stop all work permanently and leave the premises
  4. Apply a cloth bandage and continue with bare hands

Explanation

Open cuts and wounds can harbour pathogens that contaminate food, so any lesion must be completely covered with a waterproof bandage, and a single-use glove or finger cot should be worn over it when handling food. This creates a barrier that prevents blood and bacteria from contacting the food.

Question 2Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

What is the correct internal cooking temperature for a whole chicken to ensure it is safe to eat?

  1. 60°C (140°F)
  2. 52°C (125°F)
  3. 63°C (145°F)
  4. 74°C (165°F) Correct answer.

Explanation

Poultry must reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) to destroy pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. This is one of the higher minimum cooking temperatures because poultry is a high-risk food.

Question 3Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Which of the following best describes a potentially hazardous food?

  1. A food that is dry and low in moisture
  2. A food that is high in acid and stored at room temperature
  3. A food that is frozen solid and never thawed
  4. A food that supports rapid growth of pathogens due to moisture and protein Correct answer.

Explanation

Potentially hazardous foods are those that can support the growth of disease-causing microorganisms, typically because they are moist, protein-rich, and have a pH near neutral. Examples include meat, dairy, eggs, and cooked rice.

Question 4Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

What is the danger zone for bacterial growth in foods?

  1. Between 74°C and 100°C (165°F and 212°F)
  2. Between -18°C and 0°C (0°F and 32°F)
  3. Between 60°C and 74°C (140°F and 165°F)
  4. Between 4°C and 60°C (40°F and 140°F) Correct answer.

Explanation

The danger zone is the temperature range in which bacteria multiply most rapidly, generally 4°C to 60°C (40°F to 140°F). Potentially hazardous foods should be kept out of this range as much as possible.

Question 5Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Which of the following is an example of a physical food safety hazard?

  1. A piece of broken glass in a salad Correct answer.
  2. Salmonella bacteria on raw chicken
  3. Cleaning chemical residue on a plate
  4. Mould growing on bread

Explanation

Physical hazards are foreign objects such as glass, metal, plastic, or stones that can cause injury or illness when consumed. Broken glass in a salad is a clear physical contaminant.

Question 6Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler is experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. What should they do according to Ontario food safety rules?

  1. Report to the supervisor and stay away from food handling duties Correct answer.
  2. Work only in the dishwashing area
  3. Take an anti-diarrheal medication and keep working
  4. Wear gloves and continue working as normal

Explanation

Food handlers with gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea must report their condition to their supervisor and be excluded from handling food and food-contact surfaces. These symptoms can indicate a communicable illness that could be transmitted through food.

Question 7Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

What is the primary purpose of handwashing in a food handling setting?

  1. To remove visible dirt only
  2. To satisfy customers that staff are clean
  3. To keep hands soft and prevent dryness
  4. To reduce microorganisms on the hands and prevent contamination of food Correct answer.

Explanation

Proper handwashing physically removes and reduces microorganisms on the hands, preventing them from being transferred to food, utensils, and surfaces. This is one of the most important controls against foodborne illness.

Question 8Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Which of the following foods is most commonly associated with Bacillus cereus food poisoning?

  1. Hard-boiled eggs kept refrigerated
  2. Raw oysters
  3. Cooked rice left at room temperature Correct answer.
  4. Pasteurized milk

Explanation

Bacillus cereus spores can survive cooking and grow when cooked rice is cooled slowly or held at room temperature. Reheating does not reliably destroy the toxin that causes illness.

Question 9Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A restaurant receives a shipment of frozen fish that has partially thawed and refrozen, showing large ice crystals and damaged packaging. What is the best action?

  1. Rinse the fish and place it in the display case
  2. Cook the fish thoroughly and sell it at a discount
  3. Accept the fish and refreeze it immediately
  4. Reject the shipment and document the issue Correct answer.

Explanation

Signs of temperature abuse such as large ice crystals, damaged packaging, or thawing and refreezing indicate the product may be unsafe. The correct action is to reject the delivery and record the reason.

Question 10Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

What is the minimum internal temperature required for reheating previously cooked food for hot holding?

  1. 74°C (165°F) Correct answer.
  2. 82°C (180°F)
  3. 60°C (140°F)
  4. 66°C (150°F)

Explanation

Previously cooked food that is reheated for hot holding must reach at least 74°C (165°F) for at least 15 seconds. This ensures any bacteria that may have grown during cooling or storage are destroyed.

Question 11Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Which practice best prevents cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat food?

  1. Rinsing the cutting board with water between uses
  2. Using the same cutting board after wiping it with a dry cloth
  3. Using separate colour-coded cutting boards and utensils for raw and ready-to-eat foods Correct answer.
  4. Storing raw meat above ready-to-eat food in the cooler

Explanation

Separate colour-coded equipment prevents raw meat juices from transferring pathogens to ready-to-eat foods. Raw and ready-to-eat foods should also be stored separately, with raw meat below ready-to-eat items.

Question 12Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

How should a food handler properly cool a large pot of hot soup?

  1. Add ice directly to the soup and stir
  2. Divide it into shallow containers and use an ice bath or rapid cooling equipment Correct answer.
  3. Place it in the refrigerator in a deep, covered pot
  4. Leave it on the counter overnight to cool slowly

Explanation

Food must be cooled rapidly to prevent prolonged time in the danger zone. Dividing into shallow containers and using an ice bath or blast chiller helps the food pass through the danger zone quickly.

Question 13Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Which of the following is the most likely source of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in a food facility?

  1. Unwashed produce
  2. Undercooked poultry
  3. Canned goods stored in a dry warehouse
  4. Deli meats and soft cheeses stored under refrigeration Correct answer.

Explanation

Listeria can grow at refrigeration temperatures and is commonly associated with ready-to-eat foods such as deli meats, soft cheeses, and smoked fish. This makes it a particular concern in refrigerated ready-to-eat environments.

Question 14Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler uses a probe thermometer to check the temperature of a hamburger patty. What should be done between checking raw and cooked food?

  1. Wipe the probe with a dry paper towel
  2. Rinse the probe with warm water only
  3. Wash, rinse, and sanitize the probe Correct answer.
  4. Continue using the probe without cleaning

Explanation

A thermometer probe must be washed, rinsed, and sanitized between uses, especially after contacting raw food, to prevent cross-contamination. Cleaning only with a dry towel or water does not remove or kill bacteria.

Question 15Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

What is the correct concentration for a chlorine sanitizing solution used on food-contact surfaces?

  1. 200 ppm
  2. 1000 ppm
  3. 500 ppm
  4. 100 ppm Correct answer.

Explanation

A common approved chlorine sanitizer concentration for food-contact surfaces is 100 ppm, which is effective without being excessive. Sanitizer test strips should be used to verify the concentration.

Question 16Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A caterer is holding hot food on a buffet. What is the minimum temperature the food must be maintained at?

  1. 50°C (122°F)
  2. 66°C (150°F)
  3. 60°C (140°F) Correct answer.
  4. 74°C (165°F)

Explanation

Hot foods must be held at or above 60°C (140°F) to keep them out of the danger zone and slow bacterial growth. Temperatures below this allow pathogens to multiply.

Question 17Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Which of the following best describes how viruses such as norovirus are transmitted in food service?

  1. Through insect bites during storage
  2. Through bacterial spores surviving cooking
  3. Through chemical reactions between foods
  4. Through an infected food handler contaminating food with unwashed hands Correct answer.

Explanation

Norovirus is highly contagious and is commonly spread when an infected food handler touches food or surfaces with unwashed hands. Proper handwashing and exclusion of ill workers are key controls.

Question 18Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

What should a food handler do first when they notice a mouse dropping in a bag of flour?

  1. Store the flour in the cooler to kill any pests
  2. Sift the flour and use it for baked goods
  3. Scoop out the droppings and continue using the flour
  4. Discard the flour and report the pest sighting to the supervisor Correct answer.

Explanation

Rodent droppings indicate a pest infestation and potential contamination with pathogens such as Salmonella. The affected food must be discarded and the sighting reported so pest control measures can be implemented.

Question 19Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Which of the following is a critical control point in a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan?

  1. Decorating a cake
  2. Taking a customer's order
  3. Receiving a delivery of dry goods
  4. Cooking poultry to 74°C (165°F) Correct answer.

Explanation

A critical control point is a step where a control measure can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a significant hazard to an acceptable level. Cooking poultry to a safe internal temperature is a classic critical control point because it destroys pathogens.

Question 20Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

An inspector finds that a food handler is wearing nail polish and artificial nails while preparing salads. Why is this a concern?

  1. They are only a concern if the handler has long hair
  2. They improve hand hygiene by sealing the nails
  3. Nail polish and artificial nails can chip off and become physical contaminants and can harbour bacteria Correct answer.
  4. They are acceptable if the handler wears gloves over them

Explanation

Nail polish and artificial nails can chip into food as physical hazards and can trap bacteria underneath, making them difficult to clean. Food handlers should keep nails short, clean, and free of polish or artificial enhancements.

Question 21Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler finishes handling raw chicken and then immediately prepares a sandwich with bare hands after rinsing their hands with water. What is the primary risk?

  1. Cross-contamination with Salmonella from the raw chicken Correct answer.
  2. The handler may develop an allergy
  3. The sandwich may cool too quickly
  4. The sandwich may be too dry

Explanation

Rinsing with water alone does not remove or kill pathogens such as Salmonella that may be on the hands after handling raw chicken. Proper handwashing with soap and warm water is required before handling ready-to-eat food.

Question 22Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Which of the following best explains why Clostridium perfringens is associated with cooked foods held at warm temperatures?

  1. It only grows in foods stored below 4°C (40°F)
  2. It is destroyed by holding food at 37°C (98°F)
  3. It requires oxygen to grow
  4. It forms spores that survive cooking and germinate when food is held in the danger zone Correct answer.

Explanation

Clostridium perfringens forms heat-resistant spores that can survive cooking. When cooked food is held at warm temperatures within the danger zone, the spores germinate and the bacteria multiply, producing illness when consumed.

Question 23Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food establishment uses a two-compartment sink. Which sequence correctly describes manual dishwashing when a three-compartment sink is not available?

  1. Rinse, sanitize, then wash
  2. Wash in detergent, then sanitize in the second compartment
  3. Wash in detergent, rinse, then sanitize in the second compartment Correct answer.
  4. Sanitize first, then wash and rinse

Explanation

When using a two-compartment sink, items are washed in detergent in the first compartment, rinsed, and then sanitized in the second compartment. Rinsing before sanitizing removes detergent residue that could reduce sanitizer effectiveness.

Question 24Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler is diagnosed with hepatitis A. What is the appropriate response under Ontario food safety requirements?

  1. Take a vitamin supplement and continue working
  2. Continue working if gloves are worn
  3. Report to the supervisor and be excluded from food handling until cleared Correct answer.
  4. Work only with packaged foods

Explanation

Hepatitis A is a communicable disease that can be transmitted through food, so an infected food handler must report the diagnosis and be excluded from food handling until medically cleared. Public health authorities may also require notification.

Question 25Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

Why is vacuum-packaged chilled fish a particular concern for Clostridium botulinum?

  1. The anaerobic environment allows the bacteria to grow if temperature control fails Correct answer.
  2. The packaging adds moisture that encourages mould
  3. Vacuum packaging destroys all competing bacteria
  4. The packaging raises the pH of the fish

Explanation

Clostridium botulinum is anaerobic, meaning it grows in the absence of oxygen, and vacuum packaging removes oxygen from the package. If temperature control fails, the bacteria can grow and produce toxin, which is why strict refrigeration is essential.

Question 26Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler is preparing a beef stew and needs to know the minimum internal cooking temperature for the meat. According to Ontario food safety standards, what is the minimum internal temperature that the beef must reach?

  1. 63°C (145°F)
  2. 71°C (160°F)
  3. 74°C (165°F) Correct answer.
  4. 60°C (140°F)

Explanation

Whole cuts of beef must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) and allowed to rest for at least three minutes. However, when beef is ground or used in a dish like stew where it is mechanically tenderized or comminuted, it must be cooked to 71°C (160°F). For poultry, stuffed meats, and any dish containing poultry, the required temperature is 74°C (165°F). The question specifies a beef stew, which is a mixed dish; if it contains any poultry or is made with ground beef, the higher temperature applies. To be safe and consistent with Ontario regulations, the minimum for a beef stew that may include ground meat or poultry is 74°C (165°F).

Question 27Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler is about to sanitize a food-contact surface using a chlorine solution. Which concentration of chlorine is appropriate for a no-rinse sanitizing solution?

  1. 200 ppm
  2. 1000 ppm
  3. 400 ppm
  4. 100 ppm Correct answer.

Explanation

For a no-rinse sanitizing solution, chlorine should be mixed at 100 ppm (parts per million) for food-contact surfaces. This concentration is strong enough to kill most bacteria but low enough to be safe without rinsing. Higher concentrations are used for specific purposes but require rinsing and are not suitable for no-rinse applications on food-contact surfaces.

Question 28Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler is diagnosed with an infection caused by Salmonella Typhi. According to Ontario food safety regulations, what is the food handler's obligation?

  1. Take antibiotics and return to work after 24 hours
  2. Wear gloves at all times while working
  3. Report the illness to the local health unit and exclude themselves from food handling duties Correct answer.
  4. Continue working but avoid handling ready-to-eat foods

Explanation

Food handlers diagnosed with an enteric illness such as typhoid fever (Salmonella Typhi) must report the illness to the medical officer of health and must be excluded from food handling until they are cleared by the health unit. This is required because typhoid fever is highly communicable and can be spread through food. Continuing to work, even with gloves, or returning after antibiotics without clearance, poses a serious risk to public health.

Question 29Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food handler is preparing a large batch of chicken salad. The recipe calls for cooked chicken, mayonnaise, and chopped vegetables. Which practice best reduces the risk of Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning in this salad?

  1. Using bare hands to mix the salad
  2. Adding the mayonnaise while the chicken is still hot
  3. Chilling the cooked chicken rapidly before mixing Correct answer.
  4. Keeping the ingredients at room temperature during preparation

Explanation

Staphylococcus aureus can be introduced into food by food handlers and multiplies rapidly at room temperature. To reduce the risk, cooked ingredients should be cooled rapidly and the salad should be prepared and held at safe temperatures. Mixing with bare hands or allowing ingredients to sit at room temperature increases the chance of contamination and growth. Adding mayonnaise to hot chicken would raise the salad's temperature and promote bacterial growth.

Question 30Foodborne Illness and Food Safety Hazards

A food establishment is reviewing its food safety plan. Which of the following best explains why ground beef is considered a higher-risk food than whole muscle beef for causing foodborne illness?

  1. Ground beef is more likely to be contaminated with viruses from the butcher
  2. Ground beef has a larger surface area and is more likely to be contaminated with bacteria from the animal's intestines Correct answer.
  3. Ground beef is often stored at higher temperatures than whole cuts
  4. Ground beef has a lower pH that supports bacterial growth

Explanation

When beef is ground, the exterior surface of the meat, which may carry bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 from the animal's intestines, is mixed throughout the product. This increases the surface area and distributes bacteria internally, so the meat must be cooked thoroughly to a higher internal temperature than whole muscle cuts. Whole cuts have bacteria mainly on the surface, which are killed during cooking. The other options do not accurately describe the primary risk factors for ground beef.

Question 31Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

Under Ontario food handler requirements, when must a food handler wash their hands?

  1. Once every two hours regardless of the tasks performed
  2. Only at the start of a shift and again before going home
  3. Only after using the washroom and after handling raw meat
  4. Before starting work and after any activity that could contaminate hands Correct answer.

Explanation

Hands must be washed before beginning food work and again whenever they may have become contaminated, such as after washroom use, handling raw meat, coughing, or touching the face. Washing at fixed intervals alone does not satisfy the requirement because contamination events, not the clock, determine when washing is needed.

Question 32Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

What is the correct handwashing procedure for a food handler?

  1. Rinse hands with warm water, dry with a shared cloth towel, and continue working
  2. Apply hand sanitizer over visibly soiled hands and rub until dry
  3. Wet hands, apply soap, scrub for at least 15 seconds, rinse, and dry with a single-use towel Correct answer.
  4. Wash only the palms quickly under cold water and shake dry

Explanation

Proper handwashing requires wetting hands, applying soap, scrubbing all surfaces including between fingers and under nails for at least 15 seconds, rinsing under running water, and drying with a single-use towel. Sanitizer is not a substitute when hands are visibly soiled, and shared cloth towels can recontaminate clean hands.

Question 33Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A cook finishes trimming raw chicken and immediately begins assembling a ready-to-eat salad. What must happen first?

  1. Rinse gloves under the tap and continue
  2. Wash hands thoroughly, then put on fresh gloves if gloves are used Correct answer.
  3. Wipe hands on a clean apron and continue
  4. Change gloves only, without washing hands

Explanation

Raw poultry can carry pathogens such as Salmonella, so hands must be washed after handling it before touching ready-to-eat food. If gloves were worn, they must be removed and hands washed before new gloves are put on, since gloves can become contaminated just like bare hands.

Question 34Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

Which practice best prevents contamination from a food handler's hands during food preparation?

  1. Wearing the same pair of disposable gloves for an entire shift
  2. Using hand lotion before handling food to keep skin smooth
  3. Keeping fingernails short, clean, and free of polish and artificial nails Correct answer.
  4. Wearing rings and bracelets so hands can be wiped on them

Explanation

Short, clean nails without polish or artificial nails reduce the places where dirt and bacteria can collect and are less likely to break off into food. Jewellery traps soil and makes thorough handwashing difficult, and gloves worn for a whole shift become heavily contaminated.

Question 35Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A food handler has a small cut on their finger. What is the appropriate action before continuing food preparation?

  1. Cover the cut with a waterproof bandage and, if on the hand, wear a glove over it Correct answer.
  2. Leave the cut uncovered so it can dry in the air
  3. Cover the cut with a cloth bandage and continue bare-handed
  4. Apply hand cream and continue without covering the cut

Explanation

Cuts and wounds must be completely covered with a waterproof bandage to keep blood and wound fluids out of food. When the wound is on the hand, a single-use glove worn over the bandage provides an additional barrier and allows the handler to keep working safely.

Question 36Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

Which situation requires a food handler to wash their hands before continuing work?

  1. After walking past a dining table without touching it
  2. After looking at a customer across the counter
  3. After coughing into their hands Correct answer.
  4. After reading a printed recipe taped to the wall

Explanation

Coughing into hands deposits respiratory secretions that can carry pathogens onto food, so hands must be washed immediately afterward. Merely reading a wall-mounted recipe or looking at a customer does not contaminate the hands and does not trigger a wash.

Question 37Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A food handler uses the washroom. Which action meets Ontario requirements before returning to food work?

  1. Wipe hands on a paper towel and put on gloves
  2. Rinse hands briefly in cold water and dry on their uniform
  3. Wash hands with soap and warm water, then dry with a single-use towel Correct answer.
  4. Use hand sanitizer only and return to work

Explanation

After using the washroom, hands must be washed with soap and warm running water and dried with a single-use towel before returning to food handling. Sanitizer alone, brief rinsing, or wiping without washing does not remove faecal contamination reliably.

Question 38Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

Why is a designated handwashing sink required in a food premises?

  1. To keep handwashing separate from food preparation and dishwashing sinks Correct answer.
  2. To allow staff to wash utensils quickly during service
  3. So employees can rinse vegetables before preparation
  4. To provide a place to store cleaning chemicals

Explanation

A dedicated handwashing sink, supplied with soap and single-use towels, prevents hands from being washed in sinks used for food or utensils, which could spread contamination. Using food preparation or dishwashing sinks for hands can contaminate those surfaces and whatever is placed in them.

Question 39Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A food handler is wearing disposable gloves while preparing sandwiches. When must the gloves be changed?

  1. Whenever the gloves feel warm
  2. Only after handling raw meat and never at other times
  3. Only at the end of the shift
  4. After touching money, a phone, or their face, and before handling ready-to-eat food again Correct answer.

Explanation

Gloves must be changed whenever they become contaminated, such as after touching money, a phone, the face, or raw food, and hands should be washed before new gloves are put on. Gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene and must not be worn from one contaminated task to a clean one.

Question 40Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

Which item is acceptable for drying hands at a handwashing station?

  1. A reused dish towel
  2. A single-use paper towel Correct answer.
  3. A cloth apron
  4. A shared cloth roller towel

Explanation

Single-use paper towels dry hands without transferring microorganisms from one person or use to the next. Shared cloth towels, aprons, and reused dish towels can harbour and spread bacteria to clean hands.

Question 41Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A food handler has long artificial nails and nail polish. Why is this a concern in food handling?

  1. Artificial nails and polish can chip into food and harbour bacteria under the nail Correct answer.
  2. They cause food to spoil more quickly
  3. They interfere with the ability to hold utensils
  4. They make gloves fit too tightly

Explanation

Artificial nails and polish can break off into food and create hard-to-clean spaces where bacteria collect, so they are not permitted for food handlers. The concern is contamination of food, not grip, glove fit, or spoilage speed.

Question 42Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A food handler sneezes and covers the sneeze with their forearm. What should they do next?

  1. Wipe the forearm with a towel and continue
  2. Continue working because the hands were not used
  3. Put on gloves over the sleeve and continue
  4. Wash hands before returning to food handling Correct answer.

Explanation

Even when sneezing into a sleeve, respiratory droplets can reach the hands during the motion, so hands should be washed before returning to food. Continuing without washing risks transferring pathogens to food or equipment.

Question 43Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

Which behaviour is acceptable for a food handler during food preparation?

  1. Chewing gum while preparing salads
  2. Tasting food with a utensil and then stirring with the same utensil
  3. Smoking in a designated area away from food and washing hands before returning Correct answer.
  4. Drinking from an open cup placed beside the cutting board

Explanation

Smoking is permitted only in designated areas away from food and food contact surfaces, and hands must be washed before returning to food work. Eating, drinking, and chewing gum in food preparation areas are not permitted because they can contaminate food and hands.

Question 44Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

What is the minimum length of time hands should be scrubbed with soap during handwashing?

  1. At least 15 seconds Correct answer.
  2. At least 5 minutes
  3. At least 1 minute
  4. At least 2 seconds

Explanation

Hands should be lathered and scrubbed for at least 15 seconds to allow soap to lift and remove microorganisms from all surfaces of the hands. Scrubbing for only a few seconds is too brief, while a full minute is not required by the standard.

Question 45Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A food handler removes their gloves after handling raw fish. What must they do before putting on new gloves?

  1. Rinse the gloves under running water and continue
  2. Wash hands with soap and water, then dry them Correct answer.
  3. Wipe the gloves on a clean cloth and reuse them
  4. Put new gloves on directly over the old ones

Explanation

Gloves can become contaminated just like bare hands, so after removing them the handler must wash and dry their hands before applying new gloves. Reusing, layering, or merely rinsing gloves does not remove contamination from the hands.

Question 46Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

Which personal item should be removed before beginning food preparation?

  1. Anti-slip shoes
  2. A wristwatch Correct answer.
  3. A clean apron
  4. A hairnet

Explanation

Wristwatches and other jewellery trap soil and make thorough hand and wrist washing difficult, so they must be removed before food work. Shoes, hairnets, and clean aprons are required or acceptable items of protective clothing.

Question 47Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A food handler has diarrhoea and vomiting. What is the correct action according to food safety principles?

  1. Take an anti-diarrhoeal medication and continue working
  2. Continue working if hands are washed frequently
  3. Report the symptoms to the supervisor and stay away from food handling Correct answer.
  4. Wear gloves and continue preparing food

Explanation

Gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting can indicate an infectious illness that may be transmitted through food, so the handler must report to the supervisor and be excluded from food handling. Frequent handwashing or gloves do not make it safe to work while ill.

Question 48Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

What should a food handler do if they develop a sore throat and fever while working?

  1. Take off their apron and keep preparing food
  2. Drink hot water and continue working
  3. Report to the supervisor, who will determine whether exclusion is required Correct answer.
  4. Continue working but avoid talking to coworkers

Explanation

Symptoms such as sore throat and fever may indicate an illness that could be transmitted to food, so the handler should report to the supervisor for an assessment. The supervisor decides whether the handler must be excluded or restricted based on the symptoms and duties.

Question 49Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

Which action best prevents contamination when a food handler must handle both raw meat and ready-to-eat food?

  1. Handle both at the same time to save time
  2. Handle raw meat first, wash hands and change gloves, then handle ready-to-eat food Correct answer.
  3. Handle raw meat with gloves and ready-to-eat food bare-handed without washing
  4. Handle ready-to-eat food first, then raw meat, using the same gloves

Explanation

Organizing work so raw food is handled first, followed by handwashing and a glove change before ready-to-eat food, prevents pathogens from raw meat reaching food that will not be cooked. Handling ready-to-eat food first with the same gloves risks cross-contamination from later raw meat contact.

Question 50Personal Hygiene and Handwashing

A food handler is about to start their shift after arriving from home. What should they do before handling food?

  1. Apply hand sanitizer and begin
  2. Wash hands, put on a clean apron, and restrain hair Correct answer.
  3. Rinse hands with water only and begin
  4. Put on gloves immediately and begin

Explanation

Before starting work, a food handler should wash their hands, put on clean outer clothing such as an apron, and restrain hair to prevent contamination of food. Gloves alone, water-only rinsing, or sanitizer alone do not meet the hand hygiene requirement.