Canada Exam Prep
MAPAQ Food Handler overview

MAPAQ Food Handler: Cooling, reheating, tartares and sushi

Two-stage cooling from 60 °C to 21 °C and 4 °C, cooling methods, reheating to 74 °C or 63 °C for 3 minutes, and the rules for tartares, sushi rice and parasite-killing freezing.

  • 12 questions
  • Topic drill
0/12
Cooling, reheating, tartares and sushi · Question 1Score 0/0

Can ground meat be used to make a tartare?

Study reference: MAPAQ Guide to good hygiene and food safety practices and quebec.ca (Oct 2026), Ch. 7 Cooling and reheating — Guide, Cooling; Reheating; Tartares and sushi

All 12 questions in this test

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

  1. Can ground meat be used to make a tartare?

    1. Yes, if it is very fresh and bought the same day
    2. Yes, if it is well salted and seasoned
    3. No, ground meat must be well cooked
    4. Yes, if it was frozen first for a few days

  2. Should containers be sealed tightly while food is cooling?

    1. No, but only for desserts
    2. Yes, to avoid odours
    3. No, so the heat can escape
    4. Yes, to keep the moisture in

  3. What is the maximum time allowed for reheating?

    1. Under 6 hours
    2. There is no limit
    3. Under 2 hours
    4. Under 12 hours

  4. Can cold soup be reheated directly in the soup well at the service counter?

    1. Yes, as long as it is stirred every now and then
    2. Yes, if the soup is served within the hour
    3. No, hot-holding equipment must not be used for reheating
    4. Yes, if the soup well is set to its highest setting

  5. What is the maximum time for cooked food to drop from 60 °C to 21 °C?

    1. 6 hours
    2. 2 hours
    3. 4 hours
    4. 30 minutes

  6. Which method helps cool a large pot of sauce quickly?

    1. Seal it tightly and leave it on the stove
    2. Let it cool on the counter overnight
    3. Put the whole pot in the freezer without stirring
    4. Divide it into shallow containers

  7. Which precaution does the guide recommend for meat used in tartare?

    1. Grind it finely in a food processor
    2. Keep it at room temperature
    3. Trim a thin layer off the outside
    4. Soak it in water for an hour

  8. What is the maximum time for internal temperature to drop from 60 °C to 4 °C?

    1. 24 hours
    2. 12 hours
    3. 2 hours
    4. 6 hours

  9. Under what condition can sushi rice be kept at room temperature?

    1. If it is made with brown rice instead of white rice
    2. If it is covered with a clean damp cloth all day
    3. If acidified to pH 4.2 and held no more than 16 hours
    4. If it is all served within 48 hours of cooking

  10. To kill parasites, how must most fish for sushi be treated before preparation?

    1. Refrigerated 24 hours at 4 °C
    2. Rinsed in salt water for an hour
    3. Frozen at -20 °C for at least 7 days
    4. Marinated in lemon juice

  11. To what temperature must a cooked, chilled stew be reheated for hot holding?

    1. 40 °C, just long enough to serve
    2. 74 °C, or 63 °C for 3 minutes
    3. 50 °C for 10 minutes
    4. 60 °C for 1 minute

  12. Within what time must a tartare be eaten after it is prepared?

    1. 48 hours
    2. 24 hours
    3. 72 hours
    4. One week

Cooling, reheating, tartares and sushi: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Cooling

  • Cool PHF as fast as possible to 0–4 °C.
  • Internal temperature must fall from 60 °C to 4 °C in under 6 hours, including 60 °C to 21 °C in under 2 hours.
  • Methods: portion food; cut large pieces of meat; use large shallow containers; ice-water bath while stirring; blast chiller; cooling paddle; do not seal containers while cooling; let air circulate in the fridge.

Reheating

  • Cooked, chilled PHF reheated for hot holding must reach at least 63 °C for 3 minutes or 74 °C in every part, within 2 hours.
  • Hot-holding equipment (steam table warmers, soup wells) must not be used to reheat.
  • Microwave reheating: 74 °C throughout, stir or turn, then leave covered 2 minutes.

Tartares and sushi

  • Always some risk; at-risk people should avoid them.
  • Use excellent, very fresh meat or fish; prepare the same day; eat a tartare within 24 hours of preparation.
  • Trim a thin outer layer; use intact, non-tenderized pieces; never use ground meat.
  • Sushi rice kept at room temperature must be acidified to a target pH of 4.2 and held at most 16 hours; otherwise refrigerate it.
  • Most fish for tartare or sushi must be frozen at -20 °C for at least 7 days to kill parasites; some tuna species and farmed fish such as salmon are exempt.

Study the Cooling, reheating, tartares and sushi rules as flashcards →

Other topics

Full practice tests