Illinois Food Handler Practice Test 2026: Practice test 4

Practice test 4 of 6 for the Illinois Food Handler Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Food safety
Illinois
130 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
In this handwashing diagram, what is step 6?
- Add soap
- Wet both hands
- Rinse under running water
- Turn off the tap using the paper towel
Show answer
Answer: D. Turn off the tap using the paper towel
Using the paper towel to turn off the tap keeps clean hands from touching the dirty handle.
Question 2 of 25
Why is norovirus a big concern in restaurants?
- It can only be spread by raw chicken
- It only grows in canned food
- Cooking food makes it more dangerous
- It spreads very easily from the hands of sick workers to food
Show answer
Answer: D. It spreads very easily from the hands of sick workers to food
Norovirus is very contagious. Workers with vomiting or diarrhea must stay home, and good handwashing helps stop the spread.
Question 3 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 4 of 25
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 5 of 25
A food worker lives with someone who has just been diagnosed with a foodborne illness. What should the worker do?
- Wash their hands one extra time
- Say nothing unless they feel sick
- Take the next week off without telling anyone
- Tell the person in charge
Show answer
Answer: D. Tell the person in charge
The person in charge needs to know about exposure so they can decide whether the worker must be restricted.
Question 6 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 7 of 25
How high above the floor must food be stored?
- At least 6 inches
- At least 1 inch
- At least 2 feet
- It can be stored on the floor
Show answer
Answer: A. At least 6 inches
The Food Code requires food to be stored at least 6 inches above the floor to protect it from dirt, water and pests.
Question 8 of 25
Which group of people is most likely to get very sick from a foodborne illness?
- Teenagers who play sports
- Healthy adults between 20 and 40 years old
- People who work in restaurants
- Young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems
Show answer
Answer: D. Young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems
These groups are called a highly susceptible population (HSP). Their bodies have a harder time fighting off germs.
Question 9 of 25
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 10 of 25
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 11 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 12 of 25
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 13 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 14 of 25
Which of these is a physical hazard?
- Norovirus on a worker's hands
- Salmonella bacteria on raw chicken
- Sanitizer that splashed into soup
- A piece of broken glass in a salad
Show answer
Answer: D. A piece of broken glass in a salad
A physical hazard is an object, such as glass, metal, a staple or a bandage, that ends up in food.
Question 15 of 25
How close to the true temperature must a food thermometer in Fahrenheit read?
- Within 20°F
- Within 15°F
- Within 10°F
- Within 2°F
Show answer
Answer: D. Within 2°F
The Food Code requires food temperature measuring devices scaled in Fahrenheit to be accurate to within 2°F.
Question 16 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 17 of 25
What should you do to a probe thermometer before and after each use?
- Clean and sanitize it
- Store it in your pocket
- Wipe it on your apron
- Run it under hot water only
Show answer
Answer: A. Clean and sanitize it
Probe thermometers touch food, so they must be cleaned and sanitized to prevent cross-contamination.
Question 18 of 25
Meat that has been injected with a marinade or brine must be cooked to at least what temperature?
- 145°F for 15 seconds
- 155°F for 17 seconds
- 135°F for 15 seconds
- 125°F for 1 minute
Show answer
Answer: B. 155°F for 17 seconds
Injecting or tenderizing pushes germs from the surface into the meat, so it must reach 155°F for 17 seconds.
Question 19 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 20 of 25
What is "active managerial control"?
- Checking temperatures only once a year
- Managers setting procedures, training staff and checking that food safety steps are followed
- A health inspector running the kitchen
- Letting each worker decide their own food safety rules
Show answer
Answer: B. Managers setting procedures, training staff and checking that food safety steps are followed
Active managerial control means managers take charge of food safety with written procedures, training and monitoring.
Question 21 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 22 of 25
Where may food workers eat, drink or smoke?
- At the prep table
- Only in a designated area away from food and equipment
- In the walk-in cooler
- Next to the dish machine
Show answer
Answer: B. Only in a designated area away from food and equipment
Eating, drinking and tobacco use belong in a set area where they cannot contaminate food. Wash hands afterward.
Question 23 of 25
A customer asks if a dish contains peanuts and you are not sure. What should you do?
- Guess based on how the dish looks
- Ask the chef or manager and check the ingredients before answering
- Say no, because most dishes do not have peanuts
- Tell them to pick out any peanuts they see
Show answer
Answer: B. Ask the chef or manager and check the ingredients before answering
Never guess about allergens. Check with the person who knows the recipe and ingredients.
Question 24 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 25 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.

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