Arizona Food Handler Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

Practice test 3 of 6 for the Arizona Food Handler Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Food safety
Arizona
132 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
What is the difference between cleaning and sanitizing?
- They mean the same thing
- Cleaning kills germs; sanitizing removes dirt
- Cleaning removes food and dirt; sanitizing reduces germs to safe levels
- Sanitizing is only for floors
Show answer
Answer: C. Cleaning removes food and dirt; sanitizing reduces germs to safe levels
Clean first with soap and water, then sanitize with heat or an approved chemical.
Question 2 of 25
Where should you place the tip of a probe thermometer to check a piece of meat?
- Touching the bottom of the pan
- Touching the bone
- Just under the surface
- In the center of the thickest part
Show answer
Answer: D. In the center of the thickest part
The thickest part heats last. Bones and pans can give a false reading.
Question 3 of 25
What is a foodborne illness?
- A sickness caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or drinks
- A stomach ache caused by eating too quickly
- A skin rash caused by touching cleaning chemicals
- An allergy to the smell of cooking food
Show answer
Answer: A. A sickness caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or drinks
A foodborne illness happens when someone eats or drinks food that carries harmful germs, toxins or chemicals.
Question 4 of 25
In this fridge diagram, why is raw fish (marker 4) stored above raw poultry (marker 6)?
- Fish is heavier than poultry
- Fish needs a lower cooking temperature than poultry
- Fish should always be eaten first
- Poultry needs to be colder than fish
Show answer
Answer: B. Fish needs a lower cooking temperature than poultry
Raw foods are stored by cooking temperature: those needing the lowest cooking temperature go higher, and poultry (165°F) goes on the bottom.
Question 5 of 25
Under the Food Code, cold food can be held without temperature control for up to 6 hours if what is true?
- It starts at 41°F or colder and never goes above 70°F
- It is served only to adults
- It is covered with plastic wrap
- It starts at room temperature and is stirred often
Show answer
Answer: A. It starts at 41°F or colder and never goes above 70°F
The 6-hour option for cold food only works if the food starts at 41°F or colder and stays at 70°F or below.
Question 6 of 25
Which tool should be used to scoop ice for drinks?
- A clean ice scoop with a handle
- Bare hands
- A coffee mug
- A drinking glass
Show answer
Answer: A. A clean ice scoop with a handle
Glasses can break in the ice and hands carry germs. Use a scoop and store it so the handle does not touch the ice.
Question 7 of 25
Under the Food Code, cooked food must cool from 135°F to 70°F within how long?
- 4 hours
- 8 hours
- 6 hours
- 2 hours
Show answer
Answer: D. 2 hours
The first stage of cooling, from 135°F to 70°F, must happen within 2 hours because germs grow fastest in this range.
Question 8 of 25
Chicken salad was made on Monday. Monday counts as day 1. What is the last day it can be served?
- Wednesday
- Sunday
- The next Monday
- Saturday
Show answer
Answer: B. Sunday
Day 1 is Monday, so day 7 is Sunday. After that, the food must be thrown out.
Question 9 of 25
Which of these is a TCS food that must be kept cold once prepared?
- A whole uncut apple
- A bag of sugar
- Cut melon
- A loaf of bread
Show answer
Answer: C. Cut melon
Once melons are cut, germs can grow on the moist flesh, so cut melon must be kept at 41°F or colder.
Question 10 of 25
What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for ground beef in the Food Code?
- 135°F for 15 seconds
- 155°F for 17 seconds
- 145°F for 15 seconds
- 130°F for 1 second
Show answer
Answer: B. 155°F for 17 seconds
Ground meat such as hamburgers and sausage must reach 155°F for 17 seconds, because grinding spreads germs through the meat.
Question 11 of 25
Can single-use gloves be washed and used again?
- No, throw them away after one use
- Yes, if they are washed with soap
- Yes, if they are rinsed in sanitizer
- Yes, but only on the same day
Show answer
Answer: A. No, throw them away after one use
Single-use gloves are used once and then thrown away.
Question 12 of 25
What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for poultry, such as chicken and turkey?
- 145°F
- 165°F
- 135°F
- 155°F
Show answer
Answer: B. 165°F
Poultry must reach 165°F. Higher temperatures are also safe, but 165°F is the minimum.
Question 13 of 25
Which food should never be served undercooked to a highly susceptible population, such as in a nursing home?
- Fully cooked hard-boiled eggs
- Toast
- Raw or undercooked eggs
- Canned peaches
Show answer
Answer: C. Raw or undercooked eggs
Highly susceptible populations should not be served undercooked meat, fish or eggs, raw oysters, raw sprouts, or unpasteurized milk or juice.
Question 14 of 25
Which item is approved as a sanitizer in many food establishments?
- Chlorine bleach mixed to the right strength
- Hot tap water at 100°F
- Dish soap
- Vinegar from the kitchen
Show answer
Answer: A. Chlorine bleach mixed to the right strength
Common approved sanitizers include chlorine bleach, quaternary ammonium (quat) and iodine, used at the right concentration.
Question 15 of 25
What is the correct order for cleaning and sanitizing a food-contact surface?
- Sanitize, wash, rinse, towel-dry
- Wash, rinse, sanitize, air-dry
- Rinse, sanitize, wash, air-dry
- Wash, sanitize, rinse, towel-dry
Show answer
Answer: B. Wash, rinse, sanitize, air-dry
Sanitizer does not work well on dirty surfaces, so wash and rinse first, then sanitize and let it air-dry.
Question 16 of 25
Which jewelry may a food worker wear on the hands and arms while preparing food?
- A plain ring, such as a wedding band
- A bracelet
- A watch
- A ring with stones
Show answer
Answer: A. A plain ring, such as a wedding band
The Food Code allows only a plain ring, and medically necessary devices, on the hands and arms.
Question 17 of 25
A worker at a nursing home kitchen has a sore throat with a fever. What should happen?
- They can work if they wear a mask
- They should be excluded from working with food
- They can work if they drink hot tea
- They can work with raw food only
Show answer
Answer: B. They should be excluded from working with food
Sore throat with fever leads to exclusion when the worker serves a highly susceptible population, such as a nursing home.
Question 18 of 25
Where should raw poultry be stored in a refrigerator with ready-to-eat food?
- On the bottom shelf
- Above the salad
- Next to the cooked food
- On the top shelf
Show answer
Answer: A. On the bottom shelf
Raw poultry needs the highest cooking temperature, so it goes lowest. That way its juices cannot drip onto other food.
Question 19 of 25
Within how long must leftovers be reheated to 165°F for hot holding?
- 4 hours
- 2 hours
- 6 hours
- 8 hours
Show answer
Answer: B. 2 hours
Reheating must be done quickly, within 2 hours, so the food does not sit in the danger zone.
Question 20 of 25
In a three-compartment sink, what is in the third compartment?
- Soapy wash water
- Clear rinse water
- Sanitizer
- Ice
Show answer
Answer: C. Sanitizer
The three compartments are used to wash, rinse and sanitize, in that order.
Question 21 of 25
Who should a food worker tell when they are sick?
- The delivery driver
- A regular customer
- No one, if they feel well enough
- The person in charge
Show answer
Answer: D. The person in charge
Food workers must report certain symptoms and diagnoses to the person in charge so the right action can be taken.
Question 22 of 25
A cook has had diarrhea since last night. What should happen?
- They can work at the grill but not the salad station
- They can work if they wash their hands more
- They can work if they wear gloves
- They must not work with food until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours
Show answer
Answer: D. They must not work with food until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours
Workers with vomiting or diarrhea are excluded from work and can return once symptoms have been gone for at least 24 hours.
Question 23 of 25
In this cooling diagram, what does marker 2 show?
- Holding food at 135°F
- Cooling from 70°F to 41°F within the next 4 hours
- Reheating food to 165°F
- Cooling from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours
Show answer
Answer: B. Cooling from 70°F to 41°F within the next 4 hours
Marker 2 is the second stage: from 70°F down to 41°F within 4 more hours, so the total is no more than 6 hours.
Question 24 of 25
Which of these is a chemical hazard?
- Cleaning liquid that drips onto food
- A hair in the soup
- A metal twist tie in a bag of bread
- Bacteria on raw ground beef
Show answer
Answer: A. Cleaning liquid that drips onto food
Cleaners, sanitizers and pesticides are chemical hazards. Store them below and away from food.
Question 25 of 25
Which of these is one of the major food allergens?
- Chicken
- Sesame
- Corn
- Rice
Show answer
Answer: B. Sesame
Sesame became the ninth major food allergen in the United States in 2023.

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