California Food Handler Card Practice Test 2026: Practice test 6

Practice test 6 of 6 for the California Food Handler Card Practice Test: 20 more questions with answers and explanations.

Food safety
California
132 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 20
Under time as a public health control, how long can TCS food be kept without temperature control before it must be served or thrown out?
- 4 hours
- 8 hours
- 24 hours
- 12 hours
Show answer
Answer: A. 4 hours
When a written plan uses time instead of temperature, the food is marked and must be used or discarded within 4 hours.
Question 2 of 20
Where may a restaurant get its food?
- From an approved, licensed source
- From a worker's home kitchen
- From a customer who brings it in
- From any roadside stand
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Answer: A. From an approved, licensed source
Food must come from approved sources that follow food safety laws. Food made in a private home is not allowed unless the law permits it.
Question 3 of 20
What is the minimum total time for washing your hands?
- 10 seconds
- 20 seconds
- 5 seconds
- 2 minutes
Show answer
Answer: B. 20 seconds
The whole handwashing process should take at least 20 seconds.
Question 4 of 20
What is the temperature danger zone in the FDA Food Code?
- 32°F to 41°F
- 41°F to 135°F
- 0°F to 32°F
- 135°F to 212°F
Show answer
Answer: B. 41°F to 135°F
Germs grow fastest between 41°F and 135°F, so TCS food should spend as little time as possible in this range.
Question 5 of 20
Food-contact surfaces that are in constant use must be cleaned and sanitized at least every how many hours?
- 4 hours
- 8 hours
- 12 hours
- 24 hours
Show answer
Answer: A. 4 hours
Clean and sanitize surfaces that touch food at least every 4 hours while in use, and whenever they may be contaminated.
Question 6 of 20
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 7 of 20
When should sanitizer solution in a bucket be changed?
- Never, it lasts forever
- When it is dirty, cloudy or too weak
- Once a week
- Only when it runs out
Show answer
Answer: B. When it is dirty, cloudy or too weak
Food and dirt use up sanitizer. Replace it when it looks dirty or tests too weak.
Question 8 of 20
A food worker has nail polish and is preparing exposed food. What does the Food Code require?
- They must wear intact single-use gloves
- They must work only at the register
- They must wash their hands for 2 minutes
- Nothing, nail polish is always allowed
Show answer
Answer: A. They must wear intact single-use gloves
Nail polish and fake nails can chip into food or hide dirt. They are allowed only if the worker wears intact gloves.
Question 9 of 20
What is the safest choice if you are not sure whether food is safe?
- Throw it out
- Freeze it and serve it later
- Taste it to check
- Serve it quickly
Show answer
Answer: A. Throw it out
"When in doubt, throw it out." Tasting cannot tell you whether food has harmful germs.
Question 10 of 20
In this diagram, what does marker 3 show?
- The chicken should be cut after the salad on the same board
- The salad must be cut on the red board
- The knives can be shared if they are wiped
- Raw chicken, its juices and its knife must never touch the salad
Show answer
Answer: D. Raw chicken, its juices and its knife must never touch the salad
Marker 3 is the crossed-out arrow: nothing from the raw chicken board should reach the ready-to-eat salad.
Question 11 of 20
What is the total time allowed to cool cooked food from 135°F to 41°F?
- 6 hours
- 8 hours
- 4 hours
- 2 hours
Show answer
Answer: A. 6 hours
Food must reach 70°F within 2 hours and 41°F within a total of 6 hours.
Question 12 of 20
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
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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 13 of 20
Under the Food Code, a handwashing sink must provide water at what temperature?
- At least 100°F
- At least 165°F
- At least 70°F
- At least 135°F
Show answer
Answer: A. At least 100°F
Handwashing sinks must supply warm water at 100°F or more.
Question 14 of 20
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 15 of 20
A customer has trouble breathing after eating. They say they have a food allergy. What should you do first?
- Offer them a free dessert
- Give them a glass of water and wait
- Call 911 right away
- Tell them to drive to a clinic
Show answer
Answer: C. Call 911 right away
A severe allergic reaction can be life-threatening. Call 911 immediately.
Question 16 of 20
In this diagram, which marker shows where the tip of the probe should be?
- Marker 2
- Marker 3
- Marker 1
- Marker 4
Show answer
Answer: C. Marker 1
Marker 1 is the center of the thickest part. Markers 2 and 3 are the bone and the tray, which the probe must not touch.
Question 17 of 20
What is jaundice?
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes
- A rash on the hands
- A runny nose
- A painful sore throat
Show answer
Answer: A. Yellowing of the skin or eyes
Jaundice can be a sign of hepatitis A. A worker with jaundice must not work with food and the health department must be told.
Question 18 of 20
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 19 of 20
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 20 of 20
What is one of the best ways to keep pests out?
- Keep garbage cans open
- Leave food uncovered overnight
- Leave the back door open for fresh air
- Keep doors and windows closed or screened and seal holes
Show answer
Answer: D. Keep doors and windows closed or screened and seal holes
Deny pests access, food and shelter: seal openings, cover food and keep garbage in tightly covered cans.

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