Food Safety Technician Prometric exam questions with answers

1. Question 1Food Equipment and Utensilsmedium

   How can a probe thermometer be checked for accuracy in the kitchen?

   1. ACompare its reading with the temperature display on the oven used for roasting
   2. BCheck that the battery indicator is lit and that the display responds quickly
   3. CPlace it in a slurry of crushed ice and clean water; a correct probe reads 0 degrees C
   4. DWipe the probe with a sanitiser wipe and note whether the reading changes
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: C. Place it in a slurry of crushed ice and clean water; a correct probe reads 0 degrees C

   The ice-point method gives a known reference of 0 degrees C. An oven display is a different instrument that may itself be wrong, a battery indicator says nothing about accuracy, and wiping only cleans the probe.

   Reference: FDA Food Code (2022), thermometer calibration

2. Question 2Food Materialshard

   A home-based seller bottles green beans in jars processed in boiling water for 20 minutes and sells them unrefrigerated. Why is this method unsafe?

   1. ABoiling water for 20 minutes fails to kill the vegetative bacteria that are normally present on fresh beans
   2. BVitamin C is lost during processing, so the beans lose their nutritional value and are mislabelled
   3. CAcid in the beans slowly corrodes the metal lids and releases harmful metals into the jar
   4. DSpores of Clostridium botulinum survive 100 degrees C and form toxin in a low-acid, airless jar
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. Spores of Clostridium botulinum survive 100 degrees C and form toxin in a low-acid, airless jar

   Low-acid vegetables need pressure processing at about 116 to 121 degrees C to destroy botulinum spores, which survive boiling water. In the airless jar they germinate and form toxin. Vitamin loss is a quality matter, boiling does kill vegetative cells, and green beans are low in acid rather than strongly acidic.

   Reference: Forsythe SJ, The Microbiology of Safe Food, 3rd ed. (2020)

3. Question 3Food Materialsmedium

   Which of these foods is least likely to support the growth of pathogenic bacteria if kept at room temperature for several hours?

   1. ACooked lentils with a little oil stirred through them
   2. BCut melon pieces left in an open container on the bench
   3. CCooked rice kept in a covered dish on the serving counter
   4. DSealed dry crackers with a water activity of about 0.3
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. Sealed dry crackers with a water activity of about 0.3

   Bacteria need available water, and pathogens generally cannot grow below a water activity of about 0.85. Dry crackers are far below this. Cooked rice, cut melon and cooked lentils are moist, low in acid and nutrient-rich, so they are time and temperature controlled foods.

   Reference: Jay JM, Loessner MJ, Golden DA, Modern Food Microbiology, 7th ed. (2005)

4. Question 4Food Poisoningmedium

   Which habit is most closely linked with human brucellosis in the region?

   1. AEating dates that have been washed in tap water before serving
   2. BEating thoroughly cooked rice that is served hot with meat
   3. CDrinking raw animal milk or eating fresh cheese made from it
   4. DDrinking bottled water that is sold in sealed bottles in shops
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: C. Drinking raw animal milk or eating fresh cheese made from it

   Brucella spreads to people mainly through raw milk and soft cheese from infected animals. Dates, bottled water and cooked rice are not typical sources.

   Reference: Heymann DL (ed), Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, 20th ed. (2015)

5. Question 5Geographic Locationeasy

   A company plans a new central kitchen. Which site is most suitable?

   1. AA plot beside a landfill, because waste can be removed easily and cheaply
   2. BA plot with piped water and drainage, away from waste, smoke and flood risk
   3. CA low plot next to an irrigation channel, so that water is close at hand
   4. DA plot beside a livestock market, so that fresh produce and meat are delivered nearby
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. A plot with piped water and drainage, away from waste, smoke and flood risk

   Food premises should not be placed where contamination, pests, pollution or flooding are likely. Markets with animals, channels that flood and landfills all raise the risk of pests and contamination of the premises.

   Reference: Codex Alimentarius, General Principles of Food Hygiene, CXC 1-1969 (Rev. 2020), establishment location

6. Question 6Food Qualitymedium

   A packet of fried snacks has a rancid smell although it has not passed its date. What is the usual cause?

   1. AThe Maillard browning reaction between sugars and proteins
   2. BGrowth of Salmonella in the frying oil during storage
   3. CEnzymatic browning of the potato slices after cutting
   4. DOxidation of fats by oxygen, light and heat
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. Oxidation of fats by oxygen, light and heat

   Rancidity is chemical oxidation of fats, slowed by airtight, opaque packing and antioxidants. Salmonella does not cause rancid smell, and browning reactions affect colour.

   Reference: Jay JM, Loessner MJ, Golden DA, Modern Food Microbiology, 7th ed. (2005)

7. Question 7Sterilisation and Sanitationhard

   A sanitiser label specifies a two-minute contact time, but staff spray the surface and wipe it dry immediately. What is the effect?

   1. AKill is reduced because the surface was not kept wet for the contact time
   2. BKill is improved because wiping removes the chemical and the loosened soil
   3. CThe sanitiser becomes toxic once it is wiped and left to dry on the bench
   4. DNo effect, because spraying delivers the full dose instantly to the surface
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. Kill is reduced because the surface was not kept wet for the contact time

   Chemical sanitisers need the labelled contact time to reach full kill. Wiping dry early removes product before it has worked. The other statements are wrong.

   Reference: FDA Food Code (2022)

8. Question 8Sterilisation and Sanitationeasy

   Why must a worktop be cleaned with detergent before it is sanitised?

   1. ACleaning is required to remove odour so that staff feel comfortable using the area
   2. BFood residue and grease inactivate chemical sanitisers and shield bacteria from contact
   3. CDetergent leaves a thin film on the surface that keeps bacteria from settling
   4. DSanitiser needs a dry surface, so the bench must first be wiped dry with a cloth
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. Food residue and grease inactivate chemical sanitisers and shield bacteria from contact

   Organic soil neutralises chemical sanitisers and protects microbes from contact. Detergent film does not repel bacteria, sanitisers work on wet clean surfaces, and cleaning is for removing soil, not odour.

   Reference: FDA Food Code (2022)

9. Question 9Geographic Locationmedium

   Which floor finish is most suitable in a food preparation room?

   1. ASmooth, non-absorbent flooring sloped to floor drains, with coved wall joints
   2. BCeramic tiles with wide grooved joints to give staff a safer, non-slip footing
   3. CRough sealed concrete that is resealed once a year and swept after each shift
   4. DTimber boards that are sanded each week and wiped with a damp cloth each day
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. Smooth, non-absorbent flooring sloped to floor drains, with coved wall joints

   Floors must be impervious and easy to clean and drain. Wide grooves, porous timber and rough concrete hold moisture and food residue, which feed bacteria and pests.

   Reference: Codex Alimentarius, General Principles of Food Hygiene, CXC 1-1969 (Rev. 2020)

10. Question 10Geographic Locationmedium

    Rodent droppings are found in a dry store. What is the best first step in control?

    1. APlace rodenticide bait on the shelves between the stored foods to kill them quickly
    2. BSeal entry points and remove food and harbourage, then call a licensed pest control contractor
    3. CFog the store each night with the food left on the shelves to reach the corners
    4. DSpray insecticide over the stored foods overnight so that the store is treated fully
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: B. Seal entry points and remove food and harbourage, then call a licensed pest control contractor

    Lasting control depends on proofing and removing food and shelter, with treatment by a licensed contractor. Baits and sprays placed among open or packaged food risk chemical contamination and do nothing about how pests got in.

    Reference: Codex Alimentarius, General Principles of Food Hygiene, CXC 1-1969 (Rev. 2020)

11. Question 11Policies and Regulationsmedium

    What is the relationship between good hygiene practices and a HACCP plan?

    1. AGood hygiene practices are the base, and HACCP controls significant hazards beyond them
    2. BHACCP replaces the need for good hygiene practices once the plan has been approved by auditors
    3. CGood hygiene practices begin once a HACCP audit has been completed and the certificate issued
    4. DHACCP applies to exported products, and good hygiene practices apply to local products
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. Good hygiene practices are the base, and HACCP controls significant hazards beyond them

    Prerequisite programmes such as cleaning, pest control and training control general hazards, and HACCP is built on them to manage significant hazards at critical control points.

    Reference: Codex Alimentarius, General Principles of Food Hygiene, CXC 1-1969 (Rev. 2020)

12. Question 12Workforceeasy

    A cook has a small cut on a finger. What is the correct way to continue working?

    1. ACover it with a plain cloth bandage that is changed at the start of the shift
    2. BCarry on working with no cover once the bleeding has stopped and the cut is clean
    3. CWear a disposable glove over the cut with no dressing underneath it
    4. DCover it with a waterproof coloured dressing and a glove, or reassign the cook
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: D. Cover it with a waterproof coloured dressing and a glove, or reassign the cook

    Wounds carry Staphylococcus aureus. A waterproof, coloured dressing can be seen if it falls into food, and a glove over it keeps it in place. Cloth is not waterproof, a glove alone can leak, and an uncovered wound is a risk.

    Reference: Codex Alimentarius, General Principles of Food Hygiene, CXC 1-1969 (Rev. 2020)

13. Question 13Sterilisation and Sanitationmedium

    Which statement about pasteurised milk is correct?

    1. AIt is sterile and can be kept at room temperature for six months in a sealed carton
    2. BA sealed bottle needs no cold storage until it is opened by the customer at home
    3. CBacterial spores are destroyed by pasteurisation, so spoilage does not develop afterwards
    4. DIt is not sterile, so spoilage organisms and spores survive and it needs refrigeration
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: D. It is not sterile, so spoilage organisms and spores survive and it needs refrigeration

    High-temperature short-time pasteurisation at about 72 degrees C for 15 seconds kills pathogens such as Brucella and Salmonella but not all spoilage organisms or spores. Long shelf life at room temperature needs ultra-high temperature treatment and aseptic packing.

    Reference: Jay JM, Loessner MJ, Golden DA, Modern Food Microbiology, 7th ed. (2005)

14. Question 14Sterilisation and Sanitationmedium

    A cleaner keeps a chlorine sanitiser bucket in use for a whole shift, and the cloth is visibly dirty. What is best practice?

    1. AReplace the solution often and check its strength with test strips before each use
    2. BAdd bleach by eye when the smell fades, to restore the chlorine strength
    3. CAdd more water when the solution looks dirty to dilute the food soil
    4. DKeep the same solution until the shift ends, so that costs are kept low
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. Replace the solution often and check its strength with test strips before each use

    Chlorine is used up by food soil and loses strength, so solutions are changed regularly and strength is verified with test strips. Diluting weakens it, adding bleach by eye risks wrong strength, and keeping it all shift leaves an ineffective solution.

    Reference: FDA Food Code (2022), chemical sanitisation

15. Question 15Workforcemedium

    Repeated outbreaks of typhoid-like illness trace back to a cook who has never had symptoms. What is the best explanation?

    1. AA chronic cold that spreads respiratory germs onto the food he prepares
    2. BAn allergy to ingredients that he handles each day and then passes to others
    3. CHe is an asymptomatic carrier who sheds Salmonella Typhi in his stool
    4. DToxin that has accumulated on his hands after many years of kitchen work
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: C. He is an asymptomatic carrier who sheds Salmonella Typhi in his stool

    Some people carry Salmonella Typhi in the gallbladder and shed it without symptoms. Toxins on hands, allergy and a cold do not produce repeated enteric fever outbreaks.

    Reference: Heymann DL (ed), Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, 20th ed. (2015)

Last reviewed September 2026. Questions are original and written to the published exam blueprint; they are not taken from any real paper.