Food Safety Manager Certification Exam Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering essential terms, definitions, parameters, and standards for the Food Safety Manager Certification Exam.

Foodborne Illness

A disease transmitted to people through food.

Foodborne-Illness Outbreak

An incident in which two or more people have the same symptoms after eating the same food, an investigation is conducted by state and local regulatory authorities, and the outbreak is confirmed by laboratory analysis.

TCS Food

Food requiring time and temperature control for safety to limit pathogen growth, including dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, cooked potatoes, cooked rice, soy products, bean sprouts, cut tomatoes/melons, and garlic and oil mixtures.

Ready-to-Eat Food

Food that can be eaten without further preparation, washing, or cooking, such as cooked food, washed fruits and vegetables, deli meat, bakery items, sugar, spices, and seasonings.

High-Risk Populations

Groups of people who are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses, specifically elderly people, preschool-age children, and people with compromised immune systems.

Microorganism

A small, living organism that can be seen only with a microscope.

Pathogen

A harmful microorganism that makes people sick when eaten or produces toxins that cause illness.

Temperature Danger Zone

The temperature range between 41°F and 135°F (5°C and 57°C) in which bacteria grow rapidly.

FAT TOM

An acronym for the six conditions bacteria need to grow rapidly: Food, Acidity, Temperature, Time, Oxygen, and Moisture.

Salmonella Typhi

A bacteria sourced from people, linked to ready-to-eat food and beverages, prevented by handwashing and cooking food to minimum internal temperatures.

Shigella spp.

A bacteria sourced from human feces, linked to produce and TCS food touched by hands, prevented by excluding food handlers with diarrhea and controlling flies.

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

A bacteria sourced from the intestines of cattle, linked to ground beef and produce, prevented by excluding food handlers with diarrhea and preventing cross-contamination.

Hepatitis A

A virus sourced from human feces, linked to ready-to-eat food and shellfish, prevented by excluding staff with Hepatitis A or jaundice, washing hands, and buying shellfish from reputable suppliers.

Norovirus

A highly contagious virus sourced from human feces, linked to ready-to-eat food and shellfish, prevented by excluding staff with Norovirus or vomiting/diarrhea and practicing proper handwashing.

Histamine

A seafood toxin produced on certain fish (such as tuna, bonito, and mahi-mahi) when they are time-temperature abused.

Toxic Metal Poisoning

Chemical contamination that occurs when acidic food is prepared or stored using kitchenware made of copper, pewter, zinc, or galvanized metal.

A.L.E.R.T.

An FDA food defense tool used to prevent deliberate food contamination: Assure safe sources, Look at facility security, know Employees, keep Reports accessible, and address Threats.

Food Allergen

A naturally occurring protein in a food or ingredient that some people are sensitive to.

Anaphylaxis

A severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction caused by exposure to a food allergen.

Hand Antiseptics

Liquids or gels used to reduce pathogens on skin that must comply with CFR and FDA standards and must NEVER be used in place of handwashing.

Food Handler Illness Guidelines (Exclude vs Restrict)

Restriction limits a worker from handling food (used for sore throat and fever unless serving high-risk populations); Exclusion prohibits a worker from entering the operation (used for vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, or diagnosed foodborne illness).

Cross-Contamination

The transfer of pathogens from one surface or food item to another.

Time-Temperature Abuse

Allowing food to remain in the temperature danger zone of 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C), promoting pathogen growth.

Bimetallic Stemmed Thermometer

The most basic type of thermometer used in foodservice, measuring temperatures through a metal stem from 0°F to 220°F.

Time-Temperature Indicator (TTI)

A device attached to food packaging by suppliers that monitors time and temperature and changes color if the food has been exposed to unsafe conditions.

Key Drop Delivery

An after-hours delivery made when the operation is closed, where the supplier is given access to place products directly into correct storage areas.

Shellstock Identification Tag

A required documentation tag attached to containers of live shellfish indicating harvest location and date, which must be kept on file for 90 days from the date the last shellfish was used.

Date Marking

A label on ready-to-eat TCS food held longer than 24 hours indicating when it must be sold, eaten, or discarded; max storage is 7 days at 41°F (5°C) or lower.

FIFO (First-In, First-Out)

A stock rotation method where items with the earliest use-by or expiration dates are stored in front of items with later dates and used first.

Minimum Internal Cooking Temperature

The required internal temperature food must reach and hold for a specific amount of time to ensure harmful microorganisms are destroyed.

Variance

A document issued by a regulatory authority that waives or changes a food safety requirement for specialized processing methods, such as curing, ROP packaging, or sprouting seeds.

Two-Stage Cooling Process

The required method for cooling food: from 135°F to 70°F (57°C to 21°C) within 2 hours, and then from 70°F to 41°F (21°C to 5°C) within the next 4 hours, not to exceed 6 hours total.

Sneeze Guard

A protective barrier installed over self-service display areas located 14 inches (36 cm) above the counter and extending 7 inches (18 cm) beyond the food.

Active Managerial Control

The manager's proactive responsibility to anticipate, prevent, and control the five primary risk factors for foodborne illness.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)

A written, facility-specific food safety management system based on identifying and controlling biological, chemical, or physical hazards at specific points along the flow of food.

Cross-Connection

A physical link between safe, drinkable water and non-potable or wastewater lines.

Backflow

The dangerous reverse flow of contaminants through a cross-connection into the drinkable water supply.

Air Gap

An obstructionless vertical distance through the free atmosphere between a water supply outlet and a potentially contaminated source, used to prevent backflow.

Imminent Health Hazard

A significant threat or danger to health requiring immediate correction or operation closure, such as power outages, fires, floods, or sewage backups.

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing

Cleaning removes food debris and dirt from surfaces, whereas sanitizing reduces pathogens on clean surfaces to safe levels.

Master Cleaning Schedule

A detailed operational plan identifying what must be cleaned, who must clean it, when it should be cleaned, and how it should be cleaned.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Mandatory documentation supplied by chemical manufacturers listing hazard information, safe usage guidelines, and emergency first-aid measures for chemicals.