Ontario Food Handler: Time and temperature control

All 37 questions in this test

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

1. A pot of chili is held at 62 °C. What does this temperature do?

   1. Removes any toxins present
   2. Kills all spores in the chili
   3. Lets bacteria grow slowly
   4. Stops further bacterial growth

2. Why should wood not be used inside refrigerators?

   1. Mould is likely to grow on it
   2. Wood scratches metal shelves
   3. Wood makes the fridge too heavy
   4. Wood absorbs too much cold

3. When is it acceptable to thaw food in a microwave?

   1. When it will be served cold later
   2. When it is a large roast
   3. When it is going back in the fridge
   4. When it will be cooked right away

4. At about what temperature do bacteria grow best?

   1. 4 °C, fridge temperature
   2. 37 °C, body temperature
   3. 60 °C, hot holding
   4. -18 °C, freezer temperature

5. Where should you put the probe when checking a roast's temperature?

   1. In the juices beside the roast
   2. Touching the bottom of the pan
   3. In the thickest part of the food
   4. Just under the surface

6. Which practice helps a refrigerator keep food cold?

   1. Packing it as full as possible
   2. Leaving the door open while loading
   3. Using open, unlined wire shelves
   4. Lining shelves with cardboard

7. What temperature should a thermometer read in a 50/50 mix of crushed ice and water?

   1. -18 °C (0 °F)
   2. 10 °C (50 °F)
   3. 0 °C (32 °F)
   4. 4 °C (40 °F)

8. Under Ontario's Food Premises Regulation, a potentially hazardous food on display must have an internal temperature of what?

   1. Any temperature for up to 6 hours
   2. 4 °C or lower, or 60 °C or higher
   3. 10 °C or lower, or 50 °C or higher
   4. Room temperature if it is covered

9. After inserting a probe thermometer, how long should you wait before reading it?

   1. At least 15 seconds
   2. About 1 second
   3. Until the food cools
   4. Exactly 5 minutes

10. A digital thermometer reads 2 °C in an ice slush and has no reset button. What should you try first?

    1. Tap it until it reads zero
    2. Run it through the dishwasher to reset the sensor
    3. Keep using it as it is
    4. Replace the battery or have it repaired

11. How often should you check a fridge's built-in thermometer against your probe thermometer?

    1. Every hour of the day
    2. Only after a power failure
    3. Once a week
    4. Once a year

12. What does chilling food to 4 °C or colder do to bacteria?

    1. Destroys any toxins already made
    2. Slows their growth but does not kill them
    3. Turns bacteria into harmless spores
    4. Kills all bacteria within a day

13. Potentially hazardous food for immediate eating is held at room temperature. What is the time limit?

    1. Two hours
    2. Four hours
    3. Until closing time
    4. Six hours

14. What must every refrigerator and hot-holding unit for potentially hazardous food contain?

    1. An accurate, easy-to-read indicating thermometer
    2. A lock that only the manager can open
    3. A light that flashes when it is opened
    4. A printed menu of what is stored inside

15. Most bacteria grow fastest in which temperature range?

    1. 0 °C to 4 °C
    2. -18 °C to 0 °C
    3. 20 °C to 50 °C
    4. 60 °C to 74 °C

16. The regulation allows potentially hazardous food outside 4–60 °C during preparation for how long at most?

    1. Four hours
    2. Two hours
    3. Six hours
    4. Thirty minutes

17. What is the recommended way to calibrate a probe thermometer?

    1. The ice point method
    2. Comparing it with the oven dial
    3. Holding it under hot tap water
    4. Leaving it in the fridge overnight

18. What is the maximum temperature for a refrigerator holding potentially hazardous food?

    1. 4 °C (40 °F)
    2. 0 °C (32 °F)
    3. 7 °C (45 °F)
    4. 10 °C (50 °F)

19. You thaw shrimp in the sink. How must this be done?

    1. In hot water to speed it up
    2. Under cold running water, then sanitize the sink
    3. In warm standing water for an hour
    4. In the handwash sink with the plug in, then drained

20. Your thermometer reads -3 °C in ice water and you can't adjust it yet. The fridge reads 4 °C. What is the real temperature?

    1. -3 °C
    2. 1 °C
    3. 7 °C
    4. 4 °C

21. At what temperature must frozen food be kept?

    1. 0 °C (32 °F) or lower
    2. 4 °C (40 °F) or lower
    3. -5 °C (23 °F) or lower
    4. -18 °C (0 °F) or lower

22. A box of chicken thawed by mistake. What does the guide say about putting it back in the freezer?

    1. Refreeze it raw, as long as it is within 24 hours
    2. Refreeze it right away
    3. Cook it first, then it can be frozen
    4. Rinse it, then refreeze it

23. Which thawing method is the safest?

    1. In the refrigerator at 4 °C
    2. In a sink of warm water
    3. Next to the stove
    4. On the counter overnight

24. What should happen to the food compartments of a sandwich-prep condiment fridge overnight?

    1. Store them on the counter, covered
    2. Put them in the freezer every night
    3. Move them into the main part of the fridge
    4. Leave them in the prep top with the lid up

25. Where should the thermometer be placed inside a freezer or fridge?

    1. At the very back, right next to the cooling fan
    2. Inside a box of frozen food
    3. On the bottom shelf, at the back
    4. In the warmest spot, near the door and top

26. You must leave your prep station for a while in the middle of cutting deli meat. What should you do with the meat?

    1. Leave it, since you'll return soon
    2. Move it next to the oven
    3. Put it back in the refrigerator
    4. Cover it with a towel on the counter

27. About how long does it take to thaw food in a refrigerator?

    1. About 2 days per kilogram
    2. About 30 minutes per kilogram
    3. About 10 hours per kilogram
    4. About 1 hour per kilogram

28. Why is thawing a frozen turkey on the counter unsafe?

    1. It makes the meat too dry
    2. The inside thaws before the outside, so it cooks unevenly
    3. It uses up too much counter space
    4. The outside sits in the danger zone for hours

29. When should a probe thermometer be recalibrated?

    1. Only when the inspector asks
    2. Only once it stops working
    3. After it has been dropped
    4. Whenever the battery is new

30. In Fahrenheit, the danger zone runs between which two temperatures?

    1. 32 °F and 100 °F
    2. 40 °F and 140 °F
    3. 0 °F and 40 °F
    4. 140 °F and 212 °F

31. What is the temperature danger zone for food?

    1. Between 0 °C and 4 °C
    2. Between -18 °C and 0 °C
    3. Between 4 °C and 60 °C
    4. Between 60 °C and 100 °C

32. What must you do to a probe thermometer after each use?

    1. Store it in the food it measured
    2. Wipe it on your apron
    3. Rinse it in the handwash sink
    4. Clean and sanitize the probe

33. According to the guide, what is the leading cause of foodborne illness?

    1. Too many customers at once
    2. Using plastic food containers
    3. Dirty floors and walls
    4. Time and temperature abuse

34. What is the minimum temperature for hot holding food on a buffet?

    1. 45 °C (113 °F)
    2. 50 °C (122 °F)
    3. 40 °C (104 °F)
    4. 60 °C (140 °F)

35. A tray of sandwiches has been out for 90 minutes. Why shouldn't you top it up with fresh ones?

    1. Fresh sandwiches spoil the old ones by touching them
    2. You could no longer track the two-hour limit
    3. It makes the tray too heavy
    4. Customers prefer smaller trays

36. You are making a large batch of chicken salad at room temperature. Which practice helps keep it safe?

    1. Leave the mayonnaise out to soften
    2. Work in small batches with pre-chilled ingredients
    3. Prepare it next to the warm grill
    4. Make it all at once and chill the whole batch later

37. Why does the guide suggest metal containers for cold-holding hazardous food?

    1. Metal is cheaper than plastic
    2. Metal never needs to be washed
    3. Metal conducts cold better than plastic
    4. Metal stops all bacteria growing