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Ontario Food Handler overview

Food handlers study guide: key rules on all 9 topics

Free Ontario Food Handler study guide: 227 key points from the Food Safety: A Guide for Ontario's Foodhandlers in plain words, organised by topic, each topic linked to its practice questions.

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  • 9 topics
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This study guide collects our notes on every topic of the Ontario Food Handler Certification Exam on one page: 227 short points in our own words, grouped by topic and by handbook section. Read it from top to bottom before your first practice test, or jump to a topic from the list below.

Each topic ends with a link to its practice questions, so you can check what you just read straight away, and a link to the official chapter for the full wording. The notes summarise the Food Safety: A Guide for Ontario's Foodhandlers from the Ontario Ministry of Health; they do not replace it, and where our notes and the official source differ, the official source wins.

Study these notes as flashcards →

Foodborne illness and hazards

What foodborne illness is, its symptoms and who is most at risk; chemical, physical, allergen and microbiological hazards; bacteria, viruses, parasites, protozoa, moulds and yeasts; infections versus toxins, spores, carriers, infectious dose and what bacteria need to grow; handling a customer illness complaint.

Practise Foodborne illness and hazards questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Foodborne illness: introduction and symptoms

  • Foodborne illness = getting sick from something you ate or drank; it replaced the older term "food poisoning" because most cases are infections, not poisonings.
  • Contaminants: bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemicals.
  • About 4 million Canadians (1 in 8) a year get a foodborne illness (PHAC 2016 figure quoted in the guide).
  • Higher-risk groups: young children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems.
  • Common symptoms: stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fever. A "24-hour flu" is often foodborne illness.

Causes

  • Onset can be soon after eating or a month or more later; depends on the cause, the person's prior health and the dose eaten.
  • Four causes: chemical, physical, allergens, microbiological.
  • Bacterial illness is the most common type in Ontario.

Chemical hazards

  • Illness caused by chemicals = food poisoning; symptoms are fast, 20 minutes to a few hours.
  • Metal poisoning: acidic foods (juice, maple syrup, tomatoes) dissolve metal; copper beverage lines are fine for water but not acidic or carbonated drinks; cadmium shelving; lead paint on dishes.
  • Intentional additives (colour, thicken, preserve) are safe if used correctly; sulphites, MSG and tartrazine (FD&C Yellow #5) are known to cause reactions.
  • Incidental additives: insecticides, rodenticides, cleaners. Keep chemicals in original containers; any transfer container must be clean, dry and labelled with name and contents. Some cleansers must be rinsed off a counter before food prep.

Physical hazards

  • Dirt, hair, glass, nails, staples, metal.
  • Shield lights over food areas; remove staples/nails from boxes on receiving; never scoop ice with a glass (use a food-grade scoop with a handle); don't chill glasses in ice meant for drinks; don't store toothpicks or non-edible garnishes above food.

Microorganisms

  • Microorganisms that make us sick = pathogens. Contaminated food may look, smell and taste normal.
  • Six types: viruses, protozoa, parasites, yeasts, mould, bacteria.
  • Viruses: 20–100 times smaller than bacteria; do not grow in food (need living cells); hands are the most common route into food; best control = handwashing. Examples: hepatitis A, avian flu, rotavirus.
  • Parasites: from contaminated water, undercooked meat, cross-contamination; do not grow in food; best control = thorough cooking. Trichinosis (pork, wild game); anisakiasis (raw marine fish such as sushi).
  • Protozoa: from contaminated water; survive longer in water than bacteria. Giardiasis ("beaver fever"), cryptosporidiosis.
  • Yeast: spoils food (bubbles, alcohol smell, pink spots, slime); needs sugar and moisture (jellies, honey).
  • Mould: grows on almost any food at any storage temperature; freezing stops growth but does not kill it; toxins (mycotoxins) are under the surface; aflatoxin in nuts/peanut butter, ochratoxin A in grain, coffee, wine. Hard cheese / hard salami may be saved by cutting at least one inch around and under the mould, but throwing mouldy food out is encouraged. "When in doubt, throw it out."

Bacteria, infection, toxins, spores

  • Campylobacter: poultry and meat, rodents, wild birds, pets, untreated water. Listeria: soil. E. coli: animal intestines, spread to meat surfaces at butchering. Clostridium perfringens: cooked beans, gravies, leftovers. Salmonella: raw poultry, also meat, unpasteurized milk, raw eggs.
  • Infection = living bacteria eaten; symptoms usually one or more days later (most within 3 days), usually with fever. Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella.
  • Intoxication = toxin made by bacteria; toxins have no smell or taste; some are not destroyed by cooking; can come from infected cuts, burns, boils. Symptoms same day to a day or two; can last up to two weeks. Botulism (C. botulinum): double vision, paralysis, can be fatal.
  • Spores: resting stage; not destroyed by cooking temperatures or most disinfectants.

Examples of microbiological illness

  • Salmonellosis onset 6–72 h (usually 18–36 h). Staphylococcal intoxication 1–8 h (usually 2–4 h); from noses, skin and infected cuts; custards, cream-filled pastries, ham, potato salads. Trichinosis 4–23 days (usually 9). Hepatitis A 10–50 days (usually 25); shellfish/raw oysters, infected workers. E. coli haemorrhagic colitis 2–6 days; undercooked hamburger.

Carriers, who gets sick, why bacteria are dangerous

  • Carriers can spread germs without symptoms.
  • Infectious dose: Shigella as few as 10 organisms; Campylobacter about 500; Salmonella about 100,000.
  • Bacteria multiply fast at room temperature, are not killed by refrigeration or freezing, and their spores/toxins can survive cooking. Under perfect conditions they double every 10–20 minutes.
  • Needs: time and temperature, oxygen, pH, moisture, protein.

Growth factors and potentially hazardous foods

  • Aerobic bacteria need oxygen (Salmonella); anaerobic grow without it (C. botulinum in badly packaged cans/jars).
  • pH 0–14, 7 neutral; pathogenic bacteria need slightly acidic or higher.
  • Low moisture does not kill bacteria but stops growth; dry foods become hazardous when water is added.
  • Potentially hazardous foods: moist foods with pH above 4.5, dairy, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, some raw produce (bean sprouts, garlic in oil, cut melon) and any dish containing them.

Complaints

  • On a foodborne illness complaint: call the local health unit; record who got sick, what and when they ate, symptoms and when; talk to staff about illness; review preparation; save food samples; do not give medical advice.

Personal hygiene and handwashing

Clean outer clothing, hair restraints, jewellery and nails; when and how to wash hands (the six steps); no-touch techniques and glove use; covering cuts; reporting illness and staying off work until 24 hours after symptoms stop.

Practise Personal hygiene and handwashing questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Uniforms, clothing and aprons

  • People are a major source of foodborne microorganisms, even when they feel well.
  • Food handlers must wear clean outer garments (O. Reg. 493/17 s. 33(1)(c)). Light colours recommended so dirt shows. Change a dirty apron right away.

Hair, hands and nails

  • Average person loses 50–100 hairs a day. Headgear (hats, hairnets) keeps hair out of food and stops people touching their hair.
  • Headgear should cover all hair, off the forehead and back of the neck. Servers who only wait tables may not need it; servers who also prepare food (salads, desserts, ladling soup) do. (Regulation now says: take reasonable precautions so food is not contaminated by hair — s. 33(1)(d).)
  • Avoid hand jewellery and watches (trap dirt). Personal nylon nail brush; keep nails trimmed; avoid nail polish (can chip into food); care for hangnails.

When to wash hands

  • Correct handwashing is the single most effective way to prevent spread of communicable disease.
  • Wash before starting work, before handling food or clean dishes/utensils, and whenever hands are contaminated.
  • After the toilet: germs pass through toilet paper. Hepatitis A virus is in feces in high numbers a week or two before symptoms.
  • After touching nose or mouth, biting nails, smoking, licking fingers, touching hair/beard.
  • Cough or sneeze: into a tissue then wash hands immediately; if no tissue, into the upper sleeve; no cloth handkerchiefs. Food contaminated by a sneeze must be thrown out; surfaces cleaned and sanitized.
  • Other times: raw foods, clearing tables, dirty dishes, garbage, cleaning/mopping, bottoms of boxes, money.

How to wash (six steps)

  • 1 Wet hands with warm water (remove jewellery). 2 Liquid soap. 3 Lather 15–20 seconds: wrists, palms, backs, between fingers. 4 Rinse with warm water without touching the sink. 5 Dry completely with paper towel or air dryer. 6 Turn off the tap with a paper towel.
  • Use a sink used only for handwashing.

No-touch techniques and work habits

  • Use tongs, spoons, scoops, napkins or waxed paper instead of hands, especially for food that will not be cooked again.
  • Gloves pick up germs like hands do: wash before and after gloving; new pair when changing tasks or after contamination; gloves do not replace handwashing.
  • Don't stack plates so hands touch food; never blow into bags; wash hands after clearing tables before handling place settings; never touch inside of glasses or eating surfaces.
  • Avoid combining raw and cooked food work, washing dirty and stacking clean dishes, clearing and resetting tables; if unavoidable, wash hands between tasks.

Gloves, illness, return to work

  • Cut or infection on hand: bandage plus a glove over it until healed; a bandage alone is not enough. This is the only time gloves are required unless employer policy says otherwise.
  • Do not prepare or serve food with diarrhea, vomiting, fever, sore throat, persistent coughing or sneezing; tell the manager/supervisor (also any communicable disease).
  • Return to work only 24 hours after symptoms stop. Some illnesses shed germs up to two weeks before symptoms.

Food handlers

  • Operator must ensure each food handler: no tobacco while handling food; clean, good hygiene; clean outer garments; precautions against hair; wash hands as often as needed; free of infectious agents spread by food; submit to medical exams/tests the MOH requires.
  • A person with a skin disease may not do work involving contact with food without written approval of the medical officer of health (s. 33(2)).
  • Handwashing stations are for employees' handwashing only (s. 7(4)).

Time and temperature control

The 4 °C to 60 °C danger zone, potentially hazardous foods, using and calibrating a probe thermometer, freezer and fridge temperatures, safe thawing methods, preparation at room temperature, and hot, cold and two-hour room-temperature holding.

Practise Time and temperature control questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

The danger zone

  • Danger zone = between 4 °C (40 °F) and 60 °C (140 °F); bacteria grow fastest there.
  • Holding at or above 60 °C stops further growth but does not kill spores or remove toxins; chilling at or below 4 °C slows growth but does not kill bacteria.
  • Regulation: potentially hazardous food must be kept at an internal temperature of 4 °C or lower, or 60 °C or higher (O. Reg. 493/17 s. 27(1)), except up to two hours needed for preparation/processing (s. 27(2)(a)).

Food safety sequence

  • Receiving and storage, freezing, thawing, refrigeration, preparation, cooking, hot/cold holding, cooling, reheating. Not every food goes through every stage.

Probe thermometer and recalibration

  • Food service thermometer with a metal probe; instant-read preferred.
  • Insert into the thickest part (or the centre); wait at least 15 seconds for the reading to steady; record it.
  • Clean and sanitize the probe after each use (alcohol swab or sanitizer).
  • Don't touch the bottom or sides of the container; don't leave it in food cooking in an oven, microwave or on the stove.
  • Recalibrate after an extreme temperature change, if dropped, and regularly. Ice point method: 50/50 crushed ice and water = 0 °C (32 °F); probe not touching sides or bottom; adjust calibration nut until 0 °C.
  • Digital units may have a reset button; if not reading 0 °C try a new battery or repair.
  • If it reads −3 °C in ice water, add 3 °C to every reading (a fridge reading 4 °C is really 7 °C). Off by more than a few degrees = don't trust it.

Freezing

  • Don't refreeze thawed food without cooking it first.
  • Tips: keep doors closed, don't overload, open unlined wire shelves, tight door seals.
  • Regulation: frozen food must be kept frozen until sold or prepared (s. 28).

Thawing

  • Never thaw at room temperature.
  • Four safe methods: in the fridge at 4 °C (safest; about 10 hours per kg / 5 hours per lb); in cold running water in a clean sink (sanitize sink after); as part of cooking (small items); in the microwave only if cooked immediately after.

Refrigeration

  • Condiment (prep-top) fridges struggle to hold temperature: keep lid closed, monitor, move compartments into the main fridge overnight.
  • Regulation: refrigeration and hot-holding equipment must hold the required temperature and contain accurate, easily read indicating thermometers (s. 30).

Food preparation

  • Most bacteria grow fastest at 20–50 °C, especially 37 °C (body temperature).
  • Leaving your station? Put food back in the fridge. Large amounts: small batches, pre-chilled ingredients, pack on ice.

Holding

  • Hot holding at 60 °C (140 °F) or higher at all times; monitor and record with a probe thermometer.
  • Room-temperature holding of potentially hazardous food for immediate eating: no more than two hours; mark the time put out; never mix old food with new — replace the whole pan.
  • Cold holding at 4 °C or lower; don't overfill containers; metal containers conduct cold better than plastic; move to the fridge overnight.

Critical temperatures (appendix)

  • 100 °C destroys bacteria but not all toxins and spores (e.g., Staphylococcus toxin). 60 °C most bacteria won't survive / minimum hot holding. 49 °C rapid growth and toxin production. 37 °C optimal growth. 16 °C some growth may occur. 4 °C maximum for cold holding. −18 °C freezer.
  • Leading cause of foodborne illness: time and temperature abuse.

Receiving and storage

Inspecting deliveries: temperatures, cans, packaging, meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy, MAP and dry goods; rejecting a shipment; storing food off the floor, away from chemicals and in food-grade containers; FIFO stock rotation.

Practise Receiving and storage questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Shipping and receiving

  • Inspect every delivery; food must come from an approved source. Check trucks are clean.
  • Look for: proper shipping temperature; dented or rusty cans; bulging, leaking or stained packages; signs of spoilage or pests (gnawed holes, insect wings); intact labels; best-before date not passed.

Temperatures, water, meat

  • Refrigerated food shipped at 4 °C or lower; frozen at −18 °C or lower. Check the truck's thermometer first, then the product with a probe (or between two packages without puncturing). Reject products that are too warm.
  • Thawed-and-refrozen signs: large ice crystals, solid ice areas, discoloured or dried-out food — reject. A product that arrives thawing must not be refrozen: refrigerate, date and keep thawing, or reject.
  • All water must be potable; ice from an approved source made under sanitary conditions.
  • Only government-inspected meat, poultry and fish/shellfish. Reject meat/poultry that is discoloured, smells strange, or is slimy, sticky or dry.

Fish and shellfish

  • Fish delivered frozen at −18 °C or live at 4 °C.
  • Reject fish with strong fishy/ammonia smell, sunken or cloudy eyes, soft flesh that keeps a fingerprint, or shipping temperature above 4 °C.
  • Clams, mussels, oysters with partly open shells that don't close when tapped are dead — reject. Soft, smelly lobster and shrimp — reject.

Eggs and dairy

  • Eggs from an approved supplier and graded; check inside cartons for cracks, feathers, feces (signs of Grade C, Salmonella risk). Cracked and Grade C eggs can't be used. Liquid eggs pasteurized, packaging intact.
  • Eggs delivered at 4 °C or lower (current regulation: eggs transported and stored at 4 °C or less; ungraded and Grade C eggs prohibited — O. Reg. 493/17 s. 47). Refrigerate on arrival in original containers.
  • Only pasteurized milk and dairy products. Deliver at 4 °C or lower.

MAP and canned foods

  • Modified atmosphere packaging reduces/replaces oxygen; reject packages with holes, tears, bubbles, slime or discolouration; receive at the temperature on the label.
  • No home-canned foods (botulism risk). Never taste a can's contents to test it.
  • Reject swollen, seam-flawed, rusty, dented, leaking, bad-smelling or unlabelled cans. Don't reuse an opened tin can to store or cook food.

Produce and dry goods

  • Reject wilted, mouldy or pest-infested produce. In the fridge, produce goes below ready-to-eat food and above raw meat, poultry and seafood.
  • Dry goods in dry, unbroken packages; dampness or mould = spoilage; holes = possible infestation. Store grain and bulk foods in closed metal or plastic containers.

How to receive / rejecting a shipment

  • Remove staples, nails, fasteners; check against the invoice; get cold items into storage quickly; move all food to storage promptly.
  • Rejecting: separate the rejected food; tell the driver the exact problem; use the purchase agreement; don't discard or let the driver take it until you have a signed adjustment or credit; record it in a delivery log (date, food, package ID, standard not met, adjustment).

Storage and stock rotation

  • Store food in an area used only for food storage, at least 15 cm (6 inches) off the floor, never on the floor.
  • Never store food in washrooms, staff dressing rooms, corridors or furnace rooms. Mops, pails and brooms kept separate.
  • Chemicals never stored with food; keep them in original labelled containers.
  • Food-grade, durable, easy-to-clean containers. Original cardboard (e.g., mushrooms) allowed but not reused for other foods.
  • Don't crowd storage — allow air flow. Low moisture helps prevent mould.
  • FIFO: sort by best-before dates; date items without dates on receipt; new stock behind old. Don't over-order. Keep expired items away from other food if not discarded right away.

O. Reg. 493/17, ss. 23, 29, 31

  • Toxic substances kept in a separate compartment from food, in labelled containers (s. 23).
  • Food liable to inspection must come from an inspected source; purchase records kept on the premises until at least the first anniversary of purchase (s. 29).
  • Racks, shelves and pallets must protect food from contamination and be readily cleanable (s. 31).

Cooking, cooling and reheating

Minimum internal cooking temperatures for poultry, ground meat, pork, fish and food mixtures; the two-stage cooling rule (60 °C to 20 °C in 2 hours, then to 4 °C in 4 more); shallow pans and ice baths; reheating quickly to a safe temperature.

Practise Cooking, cooling and reheating questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Cooking

  • Food mixtures containing hazardous foods: internal 74 °C (165 °F); confirm with a probe for at least 15 seconds.
  • Whole cuts: surface bacteria are killed even if the centre is cooler; ground meat mixes surface bacteria through, so it must be cooked all the way through.
  • Guide table (from raw, held at least 15 seconds): pork 71 °C; whole poultry 82 °C; poultry pieces or ground 74 °C; ground meat other than poultry 71 °C; fish 70 °C; mixtures with poultry, eggs, meat, fish or other PHF 74 °C.

Safe internal cooking temperatures (canada.ca, read 2026-10-16)

  • Ground beef/veal/lamb 71 °C; beef/veal/lamb cuts medium-rare 63 °C, medium 71 °C, well done 77 °C; mechanically tenderized beef 63 °C (turn at least twice).
  • Ground pork and pork cuts 71 °C. Poultry pieces, ground poultry, stuffing, frozen raw breaded chicken products 74 °C; whole poultry 82 °C.
  • Egg dishes 74 °C. Fish 70 °C. Shellfish 74 °C. Leftovers 74 °C. Hot dogs 74 °C.
  • Thermometer through the thickest part, not touching bone; burgers from the side.

Cooling

  • Food must go onto ice or into the fridge before it drops below 60 °C.
  • Two-stage rule: 60 °C to 20 °C within two hours, then 20 °C to 4 °C or less within the next four hours. Cooling too slowly is a leading cause of foodborne illness.
  • Shallow pans 5–7 cm (2–3 in) deep or less, partly covered, on top shelves; stir. Cover tightly, label and date once cooled.
  • Large containers: ice water bath, stirring, ice wand, add ice to the food, divide into small amounts.
  • Food prepared at room temperature (e.g., salads) cooled from 20 °C to 4 °C within four hours.

Reheating

  • Reheat hazardous food to its minimum cooking temperature for at least 15 seconds, reaching it within two hours; use high heat.
  • Bring soups, stews, gravies to a boil; reheat in small amounts.
  • Never reheat in a hot-holding unit (holding oven, steam table, soup urn).
  • Leftovers pass through the danger zone twice; discard leftovers after reheating (no leftovers of leftovers).

Corrective action example

  • Baked chicken held hot: held over two hours below 60 °C → discard; under two hours → reheat to 74 °C for 15 seconds, once only.
  • Food not cooled to 20 °C within two hours → discard.

Cross-contamination and allergens

The three routes of cross-contamination, fridge shelf order, separate or colour-coded equipment, safe display, serving and tasting; priority food allergens, anaphylaxis, allergen contamination and how to answer customers' ingredient questions.

Practise Cross-contamination and allergens questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Cross-contamination

  • Microbiological contamination = spread of harmful microorganisms to food that doesn't naturally contain them (e.g., Salmonella from raw poultry to salad; hepatitis A from an infected handler).
  • Three routes: food to food (raw food or juices touch ready-to-eat food); equipment to food (same equipment for raw and ready-to-eat without cleaning); people to food (hands touch raw then ready-to-eat without washing).

Refrigerate right

  • Raw meat, poultry, seafood on the bottom shelves; cooked and ready-to-eat on upper shelves; raw fruit/vegetables and food to be reheated in the centre. Cover all stored food.
  • If food may be contaminated, throw it away or tell the supervisor.

Display, serving, discarding

  • Never mix old food with new; use new pans and utensils when replacing displayed food; send used pans/utensils to be washed.
  • Use sneeze guards; utensil handles must not touch the food.
  • Serving: single-use bags, wax paper or gloves; cover cutlery and keep unused glasses upside down; use trays; don't touch eating surfaces; hold plates underneath with thumb on the rim.
  • Food served but not eaten must be thrown out; unused single-service items from a table discarded. (Regulation s. 26(3)–(4): served food not re-served, except low-risk food in intact protective packaging.)

Equipment

  • Separate equipment, utensils, boards and prep areas for raw and ready-to-eat food; colour-coded boards help; otherwise wash, rinse and sanitize after each use.
  • Example: knife and board used on raw chicken, wiped with a cloth, then used for lettuce → Salmonella on the salad.
  • Keep sanitizer in a bucket or labelled spray bottle; keep wiping cloths in sanitizer; replace cracked cutting surfaces; take slicers apart to clean after use (clean through the day, fully at day's end); dropped utensil goes to the dish area, not wiped on an apron; clean can opener blades regularly.

Tasting food

  • Use a disposable spoon once, or a clean spoon that goes straight to the dirty dishes, or ladle into a cup and taste with a second spoon. Never fingers; never put a used spoon back in the food.

Allergens (guide) and Health Canada priority allergens

  • About 1 in 13 people (7.5 per cent of Canadians) affected by food allergy.
  • Symptoms: digestive (vomiting, diarrhea), respiratory (coughing, throat swelling, trouble breathing), skin (hives, swelling). Breathing trouble and low blood pressure are most dangerous.
  • Anaphylaxis can start within minutes; epinephrine auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen) at the first sign; person must go to hospital. Call 911.
  • Even a tiny amount can cause a reaction; avoidance is the key.
  • Health Canada priority allergens: eggs, milk, mustard, peanuts, crustaceans and molluscs, fish, sesame seeds, soy, sulphites, tree nuts, wheat and triticale.
  • Restaurants are not required by law to list ingredients like pre-packaged food.
  • Good practices: staff know where ingredient information is; complete, current recipe binder/file; swap allergens where possible (vegetable oil for peanut oil); update charts when recipes change; if unsure of ingredients, say so — don't guess; follow written recipes exactly; tell everyone about recipe changes; a designated employee per shift for allergy questions; ask catered-event organizers about guests' allergies; allergy chart with a disclaimer; post emergency procedures and a list of CPR-trained staff.
  • Allergen contamination: unclean equipment, reused rework dough, wrong labels, unidentified supplier ingredients, misleading names ("Bombay duck" is a fish), carrying too many plates so food touches, touching foods without handwashing between.

Cleaning and sanitizing

The difference between cleaning and sanitizing; chlorine, quat and iodine strengths; 77 °C hot water and 45-second contact; three- and two-compartment sinks; dishwasher temperatures; cutting boards, tables, equipment, handwash sinks, washrooms and garbage.

Practise Cleaning and sanitizing questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Cleaning vs sanitizing

  • Cleaning removes dirt/soil using chemicals and friction: remove debris, clean with chemical + friction, rinse with hot tap water.
  • Food contact surfaces can look clean but still be unsafe → sanitize after cleaning.
  • Sanitizing reduces microorganisms to safe levels. Always clean first; hot water at least 77 °C (170 °F) or a chemical; contact at least 45 seconds; check with test reagents/strips or a thermometer; follow the manufacturer's directions.
  • Too little chemical won't kill germs; too much can cause chemical contamination.
  • Regulation definition: sanitizing reduces microorganisms to a level that won't compromise food safety.

Chemical sanitizers

  • Chlorine 100 ppm: 2 mL of 5% household bleach per litre of water (also Toronto Public Health "Eight steps": 2 mL bleach per 1 L water).
  • Quaternary ammonium ("quats") 200 ppm; may need a rinse per label; may not kill all types of microorganisms.
  • Iodine 25 ppm.
  • Three factors: contact (45 s), selectivity, concentration. Too strong may leave a taste/smell, damage metal, or be a health hazard. Automatic dispensers are best.
  • Sanitize dishes after cleaning, tables between customers, prep areas between different foods.
  • Regulation s. 19: hot water ≥ 77 °C ≥ 45 s; chlorine ≥ 100 ppm at ≥ 24 °C ≥ 45 s; quat ≥ 200 ppm at ≥ 24 °C ≥ 45 s; iodine ≥ 25 ppm at ≥ 24 °C ≥ 45 s; other agents approved by Health Canada, CFIA or MOH, used per instructions, with a test reagent available.

Manual dishwashing

  • Three-compartment sink required for multi-service articles: scrape/pre-rinse; wash (warm water + detergent); rinse in clean water at least 43 °C (110 °F) — leftover detergent weakens sanitizer; sanitize (77 °C water or chemical in water at least 24 °C, 45 s); air dry on a non-porous sloped drainboard — never towel dry.
  • Two-compartment sink: wash and rinse in the first (rinse under running tap), sanitize in the second; only if no multi-service articles (single-service dishes, or large pots too big for the machine). (Reg s. 18.)

Mechanical dishwashers

  • Gauges showing wash and rinse temperatures required.
  • High-temperature machine: rinse at 82 °C (180 °F) or higher for at least 10 seconds; booster if needed.
  • Low-temperature machine: chemical sanitizer in the rinse; test strips available. Don't overcrowd; bowls/cups/glasses open side down; mix cutlery so it doesn't nest.
  • Regulation s. 20: wash water 60–71 °C; rinse ≥ 82 °C for 10 s or chemical; thermometers easily read; NSF-certified commercial machines exempt.

After washing, general cleaning, surfaces, tables, equipment

  • Store clean dishes on cleaned/sanitized surfaces, at least 15 cm off the floor, away from dust/garbage/splashes; only once dry and cool. Discard cracked, chipped or warped dishes. Wash hands before handling clean dishes.
  • Cleaning schedule: each job, who, chemicals/tools, how often, follow-up check.
  • Many small cutting boards better than a few big ones; colour coding (red raw meat, green vegetables, orange bread). Plastic good; hardwood allowed if free of gaps/cracks; wooden surfaces not varnished or sealed; replace badly cracked/gouged boards.
  • Tables cleaned and sanitized between customers with a clean damp cloth or paper towel; cloths used for no other purpose (reg s. 16). Linens changed between settings and laundered.
  • Equipment used continuously at room temperature or with hazardous food (slicers, grinders, food processors): clean and sanitize at least every four hours and between raw and ready-to-eat use.
  • Facility: floors tight, smooth, non-absorbent; walls/ceilings easy to clean; replace water-damaged ceiling tiles.

Washrooms, handwash sink, garbage, animals, layout

  • Washroom fixtures cleaned and sanitized at least once a day and as needed.
  • Handwash sink in each area where food is prepared or utensils washed; hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser, single-use towels (or cloth roller towel plus paper towels). Only for handwashing — no food prep, dishes, dumping pot water or buckets.
  • Garbage: enough containers, emptied when full, lids, cleaned and sanitized; outdoor containers pest-proof; spills cleaned right away. Reg s. 12: removed as often as necessary.
  • Live animals not permitted except service animals and aquatic species in sanitary tanks (reg s. 14 also allows dogs on outdoor patios where no food is prepared).
  • Send plans to the health unit before building or renovating.

O. Reg. 493/17, ss. 21–23

  • Multi-service articles cleaned and sanitized after each use (s. 21(1)).
  • Toxic substances in a separate compartment from food, labelled, and used so as not to contaminate food (s. 23).

Pest control

Signs and habits of cockroaches, flies, stored-product insects and rodents; integrated pest management; pest-proofing and sanitation; safe use of chemical controls; keeping pest control records for one year.

Practise Pest control questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Introduction and cockroaches

  • Pests contaminate food, damage buildings (electrical/fire hazards, holes); greatest threat is spreading disease.
  • Cockroaches live up to two years; a female can lay over 500 eggs; eggs protected by an egg case.
  • Hide where it is dark, warm, moist and hard to clean: behind fridges/stoves, drains, around hot water pipes, motors, under shelf liner/wallpaper, in delivery boxes and bags.
  • Strong oily odour; droppings look like large grains of pepper; lay eggs in corrugated cardboard.
  • Seeing cockroaches in a lit area usually means a serious infestation.

Common types in Ontario

  • German: pale brown/tan, 10–15 mm; motors, cracks, drink machines; reproduces fastest. Oriental: shiny black, 25–32 mm; basements, pipes. American: reddish brown, 34–53 mm; drains, sewers. Brown-banded: like German; dry storage, under tables. Asian: like German but flies; drawn to light.

Flies and other insects

  • Flies breed in garbage and feces; a housefly lays 375–750 eggs; eggs hatch in as little as seven days.
  • Hairy bodies and suction-cup feet carry contaminants; they vomit on solid food to dissolve it and defecate while feeding.
  • Can enter through a pin-head opening.
  • Flour moths and beetles in dry storage: look for insect bodies, wings/webs, clumped food, holes in packaging. Ants nest near stoves and hot water pipes; like greasy and sweet food.

Rodents

  • Damage buildings, chew wires (fire risk); spread disease through urine and feces as they move.
  • Rats avoid poorly set traps; rat bites dangerous; handle dead rats carefully.
  • Active at night; seeing them in daylight = heavy infestation.

Integrated pest management

  • Prevention is easier and cheaper than getting rid of pests.
  • IPM: deny food, water and shelter (sanitation); pest-proof the building; work with a licensed pest control company (for prevention too). Minimize reliance on chemicals.
  • Before spraying, cover food and dishes; after, clean and sanitize all food contact surfaces; never spray during food preparation. Traps, glue boards, baits; follow-up.

Pest proofing and housekeeping

  • Seal gaps and cracks; fix leaky plumbing; screens on windows, doors, vents; plastic strips or air curtains on receiving doors.
  • Don't leave doors open; door sweeps — mice fit through a quarter-inch (about 6 mm) gap, rats through a half-inch.
  • Store food 15 cm off the floor; grains in sealed metal or heavy plastic containers; keep break rooms clean and dry.
  • Don't accept shipments with pest signs; don't keep cardboard (cockroach eggs); clean spills right away; store garbage properly.

Pest control

  • Premises protected against entry of pests and kept free of conditions that lead to harbouring or breeding.
  • Operator keeps records of all pest control measures for at least one year (Toronto Public Health: records on site for the last 12 months).

Legislation and inspections

Federal, provincial and municipal roles; the Health Protection and Promotion Act and public health inspector powers; Ontario Regulation 493/17 duties such as the certified food handler rule, posting inspection results and keeping records; risk-based inspections and HACCP food safety management.

Practise Legislation and inspections questionsFlashcardsOfficial chapter

Food safety legislation (three levels of government)

  • Federal: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA, created April 1997) inspects food federally; main federal law is the Food and Drugs Act (standards for all food produced and sold in Canada).
  • Provincial: Health Protection and Promotion Act, 1990 (HPPA) and the Food Premises Regulation. (The 2017 guide cites O. Reg. 562, since replaced by O. Reg. 493/17.)
  • Municipal: by-laws (licensing, garbage, sewage, building standards, zoning), enforced by by-law officers.

HPPA powers of the MOH and public health inspector

  • Power of entry (s. 41): enter any place of business during normal hours without a warrant.
  • Power of seizure (s. 19): seize anything suspected of being a health hazard for testing.
  • Power of destruction (s. 19): destroy or dispose of food that is a health hazard immediately.
  • Power to make an order (s. 13): verbal or written; can require someone to stop doing something; can close the premises until the hazard is fixed.

Public health inspectors

  • PHIs enforce the HPPA and the Food Premises Regulation through routine inspections; also investigate foodborne illness, complaints, recalls, fires, floods.
  • Immediate health hazard → may close the premise and/or issue tickets under the Provincial Offences Act.
  • Risk assessment at the first inspection each year: high, moderate or low risk → at least three, two or one inspections a year. Factors: compliance history, population served, number of preparation steps, certified food handlers present, food safety plan.

Responsibilities

  • Food safety is everyone's responsibility, owner to dishwasher; food handlers must know and follow the rules.

O. Reg. 493/17 (current)

  • s. 1: "food handler" = anyone employed in a food premise who handles or contacts food or utensils; "food handler training" = training by a board of health or a Ministry-recognized equivalent program; "food service premise" = meals prepared for immediate consumption.
  • s. 5: notice to start operating a food premise includes name, contact information and location.
  • s. 6: post inspection results as the inspector requests.
  • s. 32: operator of a food service premise ensures at least one food handler or supervisor who has completed food handler training is on the premises during every hour of operation.
  • s. 24: no change to sanitary facility floor space, toilets or washbasins without written PHI approval.
  • s. 7(1)(b): no room where food is handled may be used for sleeping.

About DineSafe (2026)

  • Pass (green): minor or no infractions. Conditional Pass: one or more significant infractions; re-inspection within 24–48 hours. Closed: crucial infractions not corrected immediately; Order to Close.
  • Crucial examples: no hot and cold running water, infestation, inadequate refrigeration, sewage back-up, no potable water, contaminated food. Most recent notice must be posted at or near the main entrance.

Food safety management (HACCP)

  • HACCP = Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point; self-inspection system for physical, chemical, biological and allergen hazards; originally developed for NASA.
  • Seven principles: hazard analysis; determine CCPs; set critical limits; monitor; corrective action; verification; documentation/records.
  • Example critical limits: chicken parts to 74 °C; cooling 60→20 °C in 2 h then →4 °C in 4 h; handwashing between raw and ready-to-eat.
  • Monitoring: measurable, recordable, who and how often. Verification: a double check, usually by someone not doing the monitoring, less often than monitoring.
  • Records should be easy to use (logs posted on equipment); hard-to-use records tempt staff to write numbers without measuring.

Written in our own words from: Food Safety: A Guide for Ontario's Foodhandlers

FAQ

Ontario Food Handler study guide: common questions

What is the best way to use this Ontario Food Handler study guide?

Read one topic, then answer that topic's practice questions while the rules are fresh. Note the questions you miss, re-read those notes, and finish with a full practice test across all 9 topics.

Is this the official Ontario Food Handler handbook?

No. It is our own summary of the Food Safety: A Guide for Ontario's Foodhandlers. Use it to review, and use the official handbook when you need the exact wording of a rule.

Can I print the study guide?

Yes, with your browser's print command. For practice questions on paper with an answer key, use our printable questions and answers page instead.

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