Alberta Food Handler: Cleaning and sanitizing

All 16 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. In what order are dishes and utensils properly cleaned?

   1. Remove debris, wash, rinse, then sanitize
   2. Wash, sanitize, then add debris back
   3. Sanitize first, then rinse, then wash with soap
   4. Rinse, sanitize, then towel dry

2. A plastic cutting board has deep scratches that cannot be cleaned. What should be done?

   1. Cover the scratches with tape
   2. Resurface it, or throw it out if it cannot be resurfaced
   3. Wash it in cold water only
   4. Keep using it, but only for cutting raw meat and poultry

3. What chlorine strength does the Food Code give for sanitizing dishes by hand?

   1. Any strength, as long as it smells of bleach
   2. 100 to 200 mg/L for at least 2 minutes
   3. 5 to 10 mg/L for at least 10 seconds
   4. 500 to 1,000 mg/L for a quick dip

4. What must a commercial food establishment's written sanitation procedures include?

   1. Every cleaning and sanitizing agent used, with its concentration
   2. The brand names of all the food products that the kitchen buys
   3. The work schedule and wages of each employee
   4. A map of the dining room and seating plan

5. In a three-compartment sink, what is the second sink used for?

   1. Rinsing in clean water at 45 °C or hotter
   2. Soaking dishes in cold, soapy water
   3. Sanitizing in very hot water at 90 °C
   4. Storing clean dishes until service

6. In most hot-water dishwashing machines, what is the final sanitizing rinse temperature?

   1. 100 °C for at least 5 minutes
   2. 60 °C for at least 1 minute
   3. 45 °C for at least 10 seconds
   4. 82 °C for at least 10 seconds

7. When is a food-contact surface effectively sanitized under the Food Code?

   1. When germs are reduced by 5 log (99.999 per cent)
   2. When the surface looks shiny and smells clean
   3. When the surface feels dry to the touch
   4. When it has been wiped twice with a damp cloth and left to dry

8. How often must a deli slicer used all day at room temperature be cleaned and sanitized?

   1. At least every four hours
   2. Once at the end of the day
   3. Once a week on Mondays
   4. Only when it looks dirty

9. How can staff check that a dishwasher's chemical sanitizer is at the right strength?

   1. Look at the colour of the dishes
   2. Smell the water after each cycle to judge its strength
   3. Use sanitizer test strips and keep records
   4. Taste a drop of the rinse water

10. How many times may a single-service utensil, such as a plastic fork, be used?

    1. Twice
    2. Until it breaks
    3. For one full shift
    4. Once

11. What is the minimum temperature for the wash water in the first sink of a three-compartment sink?

    1. 20 °C
    2. 82 °C
    3. 45 °C
    4. 30 °C

12. What strength of quaternary ammonium sanitizer does the Food Code allow in a three-compartment sink?

    1. Exactly 25 mg/L, at 10 °C or more
    2. Any strength the staff prefer to use
    3. At least 1,000 mg/L, at room temperature
    4. Not higher than 200 mg/L, at 45 °C or more

13. When sanitizing with hot water in the third sink, what is required?

    1. At least 100 °C for at least 10 minutes
    2. At least 45 °C for at least 10 seconds
    3. At least 60 °C for at least 30 seconds
    4. At least 77 °C for at least 2 minutes

14. How should sanitized utensils be dried?

    1. Air-dried
    2. Blown with a hair dryer
    3. Dried with a tea towel
    4. Dried on an apron

15. Which wood may be used for a cutting board under the Food Code?

    1. Bamboo or any wood, as long as it is painted
    2. Hard maple or a similar hard, close-grained wood
    3. Any soft wood such as pine or spruce
    4. Plywood sealed with an ordinary coat of furniture varnish

16. What is the difference between cleaning and sanitizing?

    1. Cleaning removes soil; sanitizing cuts germs to a safe level
    2. They are two names for exactly the same step
    3. Cleaning is done weekly; sanitizing only yearly
    4. Sanitizing removes grease and stains; cleaning is what kills the germs