Food Protection Manager Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

1. Question 1 of 25

   Which of these is a highly susceptible population under the Food Code?

   • ACollege students at a food truck
   • BResidents of a nursing home
   • CHotel guests at a breakfast buffet
   • DOffice workers eating lunch at a cafe
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Residents of a nursing home

   Highly susceptible populations include people in nursing homes, hospitals, child or adult day care and similar facilities that provide care.

2. Question 2 of 25

   A ground beef patty cannot be held at 155°F for 17 seconds. Which time and temperature also meets the Food Code?

   • A130°F for 1 minute
   • B140°F for 15 seconds
   • C135°F for 30 seconds
   • D145°F for 3 minutes
   Show answer

   Answer: D. 145°F for 3 minutes

   The Food Code table for ground meats gives 145°F for 3 minutes, 150°F for 1 minute, 155°F for 17 seconds or 158°F for less than 1 second.

3. Question 3 of 25

   A whole beef roast reaches an internal temperature of 130°F. How long must it stay at that temperature?

   • A15 seconds
   • B112 minutes
   • C4 minutes
   • D10 minutes
   Show answer

   Answer: B. 112 minutes

   The Food Code roast table requires 112 minutes at 130°F. Higher temperatures need less time, such as 4 minutes at 145°F.

4. Question 4 of 25

   When may a restaurant serve an undercooked whole-muscle, intact beef steak?

   • AOnly when it is served on the children's menu
   • BWhenever the customer asks, in any facility
   • COnly when it was frozen first
   • DWhen the population is not highly susceptible, the steak is labeled as intact and its surface reaches 145°F with a color change
   Show answer

   Answer: D. When the population is not highly susceptible, the steak is labeled as intact and its surface reaches 145°F with a color change

   The Food Code allows this only outside highly susceptible settings, for steaks labeled as whole-muscle intact beef, cooked on all outer surfaces to at least 145°F.

5. Question 5 of 25

   Can an undercooked hamburger be offered from a children's menu under the Food Code?

   • ANo, not even with a consumer advisory
   • BYes, if the patty reaches 130°F inside
   • CYes, if the menu carries a consumer advisory
   • DYes, if the child's parent places the order
   Show answer

   Answer: A. No, not even with a consumer advisory

   Raw or undercooked animal foods may be served on request with a consumer advisory, but the Food Code does not allow an undercooked ground meat item like a rare burger from a children's menu.

6. Question 6 of 25

   Which freezing method meets the Food Code for destroying parasites in fish served raw?

   • AChilling at 32°F for 7 days
   • BFreezing at 0°F for 24 hours
   • CFreezing at -31°F until solid, then storing at -31°F for 15 hours
   • DFreezing at 10°F for 3 days
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Freezing at -31°F until solid, then storing at -31°F for 15 hours

   Approved options are -4°F for 7 days, or freezing at -31°F until solid and then holding at -31°F for 15 hours or at -4°F for 24 hours.

7. Question 7 of 25

   Which fish may be served raw without first being frozen for parasite destruction?

   • AWild mackerel
   • BWild cod
   • CWild-caught salmon
   • DYellowfin tuna
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Yellowfin tuna

   Certain tuna species, including yellowfin, bigeye and albacore, are exempt. Molluscan shellfish and some farm-raised fish are also exempt.

8. Question 8 of 25

   A pot of soup is at 135°F at 1:00 p.m. By what time must it reach 41°F or lower?

   • A3:00 p.m.
   • B9:00 p.m.
   • C5:00 p.m.
   • D7:00 p.m.
   Show answer

   Answer: D. 7:00 p.m.

   Cooked food must cool from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and to 41°F within 6 hours in total, so the deadline is 7:00 p.m.

9. Question 9 of 25

   Milk is lawfully received at a temperature above 41°F. What must happen next?

   • AIt must be thrown out right away
   • BIt can be stored at room temperature
   • CIt must be cooled to 41°F or lower within 4 hours
   • DIt must be frozen for 7 days
   Show answer

   Answer: C. It must be cooled to 41°F or lower within 4 hours

   When the law allows TCS food to arrive above 41°F, it must be cooled to 41°F or lower within 4 hours of receiving.

10. Question 10 of 25

    Leftover stew is reheated in a microwave for hot holding. What does the Food Code require?

    • AHeat it for exactly 30 seconds
    • BHeat it until the edges bubble
    • CHeat it to 135°F and serve right away
    • DHeat it to 165°F, rotate or stir it, then cover it and let it stand for 2 minutes
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Heat it to 165°F, rotate or stir it, then cover it and let it stand for 2 minutes

    Food reheated in a microwave for hot holding must reach 165°F, be stirred or turned, and stand covered for 2 minutes.

11. Question 11 of 25

    A restaurant wants to use time instead of temperature to control TCS food. What must it have?

    • ANothing beyond a good memory
    • BA note from the food supplier
    • CA sign on the front door
    • DWritten procedures prepared in advance, kept on site and shown to the regulator on request
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Written procedures prepared in advance, kept on site and shown to the regulator on request

    Time as a public health control needs written procedures in advance, kept at the establishment and available to the regulatory authority.

12. Question 12 of 25

    Under the 4-hour time control rule, what must happen to food that is not marked with a time?

    • AIt must be reheated to 135°F
    • BIt can be served for 2 more hours
    • CIt must be thrown out
    • DIt can be returned to the cooler
    Show answer

    Answer: C. It must be thrown out

    Food under time control must be marked with the time 4 hours after it leaves temperature control. Unmarked food, or food past the limit, must be discarded.

13. Question 13 of 25

    In a facility serving a highly susceptible population, which food may NOT be held using time alone as the control?

    • ABaked potatoes
    • BRaw eggs
    • CCooked rice
    • DSliced melon
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Raw eggs

    The Food Code does not allow time as a public health control for raw eggs in facilities serving highly susceptible populations.

14. Question 14 of 25

    Two date-marked ingredients are mixed into a new salad. Which date does the salad keep?

    • ANo date is needed for mixed foods
    • BThe date of the earliest-prepared ingredient
    • CThe date the salad was made
    • DThe date of the newest ingredient
    Show answer

    Answer: B. The date of the earliest-prepared ingredient

    When ingredients are combined, the mixture must keep the date marking of the earliest-prepared or first-opened ingredient.

15. Question 15 of 25

    Which opened commercial product does NOT need date marking under the Food Code?

    • ACooked rice made in house
    • BA hard cheese such as parmesan
    • CSliced deli turkey from a plant
    • DFresh tuna salad made in house
    Show answer

    Answer: B. A hard cheese such as parmesan

    Hard cheeses with 39% moisture or less are exempt from date marking after opening. Many cultured dairy and shelf-stable cured products are exempt too.

16. Question 16 of 25

    A manufacturer's food-safety use-by date is earlier than your 7-day date mark. Which date applies?

    • ANeither: the food can be kept 14 days
    • BWhichever date the cook chooses
    • CThe manufacturer's use-by date
    • DYour 7-day date mark
    Show answer

    Answer: C. The manufacturer's use-by date

    Your date marking cannot go past a manufacturer's use-by date when that date is based on food safety.

17. Question 17 of 25

    A case of frozen fish arrives with signs it thawed and refroze, such as large ice crystals. What should you do?

    • AReject it, because it shows evidence of temperature abuse
    • BAccept it, because it is frozen now
    • CAccept it and freeze it again
    • DThaw it and sell it right away
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Reject it, because it shows evidence of temperature abuse

    Frozen food must arrive frozen, and TCS food must show no evidence of previous temperature abuse, so the delivery should be rejected.

18. Question 18 of 25

    A shipment of raw oysters arrives without the required shellstock tags. What is the right corrective action?

    • AServe the oysters cooked only
    • BAccept it and write your own tags
    • CAccept it if the oysters look fresh
    • DReject the shipment
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Reject the shipment

    FDA's manual gives rejecting raw oysters without the required tags as an example of a corrective action at receiving.

19. Question 19 of 25

    A hospital kitchen makes hollandaise sauce for patients. What eggs must it use?

    • ARaw shell eggs from any farm
    • BPasteurized eggs or egg products
    • CAny eggs, if the sauce is kept warm
    • DEggs older than 30 days
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Pasteurized eggs or egg products

    In facilities serving highly susceptible populations, pasteurized eggs must replace raw eggs in foods such as hollandaise, Caesar dressing and meringue.

20. Question 20 of 25

    A menu marks raw oysters with an asterisk. What must the asterisk link to?

    • AA footnote that the item is served raw or undercooked, plus a reminder about the risk
    • BThe price of the item
    • CThe chef's name
    • DA list of daily specials
    Show answer

    Answer: A. A footnote that the item is served raw or undercooked, plus a reminder about the risk

    The consumer advisory has a disclosure, such as an asterisk with a footnote, and a reminder statement about the risk of eating raw or undercooked animal foods.

21. Question 21 of 25

    When did sesame become the ninth major food allergen in the Food Code?

    • AIt is not a major food allergen
    • BJanuary 1, 2023
    • CJanuary 1, 2010
    • DJanuary 1, 2030
    Show answer

    Answer: B. January 1, 2023

    FDA's summary of changes for the 2022 Food Code says sesame was added as the ninth major food allergen, effective January 1, 2023.

22. Question 22 of 25

    A chlorine sanitizer is mixed at 50 to 99 mg/L and has a pH of 8 or less. What is its minimum temperature?

    • A55°F
    • B171°F
    • C120°F
    • D75°F
    Show answer

    Answer: D. 75°F

    In the Food Code chlorine table, a 50 to 99 mg/L solution needs at least 75°F at pH 8 or less, or 100°F at pH 10 or less.

23. Question 23 of 25

    What is the minimum contact time for a quaternary ammonium sanitizer under the Food Code?

    • A7 seconds
    • B10 minutes
    • C1 hour
    • D30 seconds
    Show answer

    Answer: D. 30 seconds

    Chemical sanitizers other than chlorine need at least 30 seconds of contact. Chlorine needs at least 10 seconds, or 7 seconds in some conditions.

24. Question 24 of 25

    In a hot water dish machine, what utensil surface temperature shows that sanitizing worked?

    • A160°F
    • B212°F
    • C140°F
    • D120°F
    Show answer

    Answer: A. 160°F

    For mechanical hot water sanitizing, the utensil surface must reach 160°F, checked with an irreversible registering temperature indicator.

25. Question 25 of 25

    What did the 2026 Food Code add for chemical sanitizers other than chlorine, iodine or quaternary ammonium?

    • AA maximum temperature of 32°F
    • BA rule that they can only be used outdoors
    • CA minimum temperature of 75°F
    • DA ban on all such sanitizers
    Show answer

    Answer: C. A minimum temperature of 75°F

    Section 4-501.114(E) in the 2026 Food Code sets a minimum temperature of 75°F for other chemical sanitizers.

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