1. Chilled food should be kept at:
A) 8 °C or below · B) 5 °C or below · C) 10 °C or below · D) Room temperature if covered
Answer: B) 5 °C or below.
The FSAI teaches that bacteria are most active between 5 °C and 63 °C. Chilled food stays below that range.
2. Hot food on a hot hold or bain-marie should be kept:
A) Warm to the touch · B) Above 63 °C · C) At 50 °C · D) Above 40 °C
Answer: B) Above 63 °C.
63 °C is the top of the danger zone. Below it, bacteria can start to grow again.
3. A chilled delivery arrives warm and the box is torn. What do you do?
A) Put it in the fridge quickly · B) Accept it and use it first · C) Do not accept it and tell your supervisor · D) Sign for it and complain later
Answer: C) Do not accept it and tell your supervisor.
Checking deliveries is a Level 1 skill. Warm chilled food or damaged packaging is a reason to refuse it.
4. Where should you wash your hands?
A) In the food prep sink · B) In the hand-wash basin · C) In the pot wash · D) Anywhere with hot water
Answer: B) In the hand-wash basin.
The food sink is for food. Washing hands there can put bacteria on the next thing you rinse.
5. You wear disposable gloves. Which is correct?
A) Gloves replace hand washing · B) One pair lasts the whole shift · C) Wash hands first and change gloves when you change task · D) Rinse the gloves between tasks
Answer: C) Wash hands first and change gloves when you change task.
Gloves pick up bacteria just like hands. They help only if they are clean and changed often.
6. Which is a high-risk activity?
A) Stacking tins in the dry store · B) Slicing cooked ham for sandwiches · C) Carrying sealed boxes · D) Peeling potatoes for boiling
Answer: B) Slicing cooked ham for sandwiches.
Cooked ham is ready to eat. Nothing will kill bacteria added at this stage, so hygiene must be strict.
7. You wake up with a fever and a sore throat. What do you do?
A) Go to work and wear a mask · B) Tell your manager before your shift and do not handle food · C) Work but avoid tasting food · D) Say nothing if you feel able
Answer: B) Tell your manager before your shift and do not handle food.
Fever with a sore throat is one of the symptoms to report. Your manager decides when you can work near food.
8. How should you cool a large pot of cooked rice?
A) Leave it on the counter overnight · B) Put the full pot in the fridge while hot · C) Spread it on shallow trays and chill it as soon as it is cool · D) Cover it and leave it by the window
Answer: C) Spread it on shallow trays and chill it as soon as it is cool.
Shallow trays cool food faster, so it spends less time between 5 °C and 63 °C.
9. A label on prepared food in the fridge should show:
A) Only the chef's name · B) What it is, the date it was made and its use-by date · C) Only the price · D) Nothing, if it is used today
Answer: B) What it is, the date it was made and its use-by date.
Clear labels make stock rotation work and stop old food being served.
10. What does "forward flow" mean in a kitchen?
A) Food moves from delivery to service without going backwards · B) Staff walk in one direction only · C) Cleaning starts at the front door · D) Orders are cooked in strict queue
Answer: A) Food moves from delivery to service without going backwards.
Forward flow keeps raw food, rubbish and dirty equipment away from food that is ready to serve.
11. Which may you wear while handling open food?
A) A watch · B) Rings and bracelets · C) A hairnet or hat covering all your hair · D) False nails if they are short
Answer: C) A hairnet or hat covering all your hair.
Jewellery, watches and false nails hold bacteria and can fall into food. Some workplaces allow a plain band: follow their rules.
12. You thaw raw chicken in the microwave. What next?
A) Put it back in the fridge for tomorrow · B) Cook it straight away · C) Leave it on the counter to finish thawing · D) Refreeze what you do not need
Answer: B) Cook it straight away.
Microwave thawing warms parts of the food. Use it only when you will cook the food at once, and never refreeze thawed food unless it has been cooked.
Ready for the course?
The course has 10 short modules and its own test, with different questions. Pass it, pay €9.50 and download your certificate with a QR code.