New Mexico Food Handler Practice Test 2026: Practice test 2

Practice test 2 of 6 for the New Mexico Food Handler Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Food safety
New Mexico
130 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
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 3 of 25
Under the Food Code, what must at least one supervisor or manager in most food establishments hold?
- A college degree in chemistry
- Food protection manager certification
- A commercial driver's license
- A pest control license
Show answer
Answer: B. Food protection manager certification
The Food Code requires at least one employee with supervisory and management responsibility to be a certified food protection manager.
Question 4 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 5 of 25
Where should cleaning chemicals be stored?
- Below and away from food and food-contact surfaces
- In empty food containers
- Next to the spices
- On a shelf above the prep table
Show answer
Answer: A. Below and away from food and food-contact surfaces
Chemicals should be stored where they cannot drip or spill onto food, such as on a lower shelf in a separate area.
Question 6 of 25
Where should wet wiping cloths be kept between uses?
- On top of the stove
- In a container of sanitizer solution
- In your pocket
- On the cutting board
Show answer
Answer: B. In a container of sanitizer solution
Wiping cloths are stored in sanitizer between uses so germs do not grow on them.
Question 7 of 25
What must food workers wear to keep hair out of food?
- Hair spray
- A hat, hair covering, hairnet or beard restraint
- A headband only
- Nothing, if their hair is short
Show answer
Answer: B. A hat, hair covering, hairnet or beard restraint
The Food Code requires effective hair restraints for food employees who work with exposed food.
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
What is cross-contamination?
- Cooking two foods in the same oven
- The spread of germs from one food or surface to another
- Storing food in a freezer
- Mixing two sauces together
Show answer
Answer: B. The spread of germs from one food or surface to another
Cross-contamination happens when germs move from raw food, dirty hands or dirty surfaces onto food that is ready to eat.
Question 10 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 11 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 12 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 13 of 25
Which is the right way to dry your hands after washing?
- A shared cloth towel
- Your apron
- A single-use paper towel or an air dryer
- The side of your pants
Show answer
Answer: C. A single-use paper towel or an air dryer
Use paper towels or a hand dryer. Aprons and shared towels can put germs back on clean hands.
Question 14 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 15 of 25
A food worker has a small cut on a finger. What should they do?
- Leave it open so it heals faster
- Keep working without telling anyone
- Cover it with a bandage and wear a single-use glove over it
- Cover it with tape only
Show answer
Answer: C. Cover it with a bandage and wear a single-use glove over it
A bandage plus a glove keeps germs from the wound out of food. Tell the person in charge about an infected wound.
Question 16 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 17 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 18 of 25
A pan of chili on the steam table reads 128°F. What is the problem?
- Nothing, any temperature above 100°F is safe
- It is below 135°F, so it is in the danger zone
- It must be frozen right away
- It is too hot and will burn customers
Show answer
Answer: B. It is below 135°F, so it is in the danger zone
Hot held food must stay at 135°F or hotter. At 128°F it is in the danger zone, so follow your manager's corrective action.
Question 19 of 25
A delivery of cold TCS food arrives. What temperature should it be?
- 41°F or colder
- 50°F or colder
- 60°F or colder
- Any temperature, if it is put away quickly
Show answer
Answer: A. 41°F or colder
Check deliveries on arrival. Cold TCS food should be at 41°F or colder, and frozen food should still be frozen.
Question 20 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 21 of 25
Which is a safe way to cool a large pot of soup?
- Leave it on the counter overnight
- Divide it into shallow pans and stir it in an ice bath
- Put the whole pot in the cooler with a tight lid
- Wrap the pot in towels to keep heat in
Show answer
Answer: B. Divide it into shallow pans and stir it in an ice bath
Large, deep containers cool too slowly. Shallow pans, ice baths, ice paddles and blast chillers speed up cooling.
Question 22 of 25
How long should you scrub your hands with soap during handwashing?
- 10 to 15 seconds
- 1 to 2 seconds
- No scrubbing is needed
- 45 to 60 seconds
Show answer
Answer: A. 10 to 15 seconds
Scrub for 10 to 15 seconds, including between fingers, under fingernails and wrists, as part of the 20-second wash.
Question 23 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 24 of 25
Who should apply pesticides in a food establishment?
- A customer who knows about pests
- The newest employee
- A licensed pest control operator
- Any food worker
Show answer
Answer: C. A licensed pest control operator
Pesticides are dangerous chemicals. Use a licensed pest control professional, and never use home-style pesticides.
Question 25 of 25
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.

Related tests