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Practice and exam technique

Free practice questions, and how to tell a good one

Compiled by the Sitonce editorial team from the FDA Food Code and the accredited providers listed belowUpdated 4 min readFacts verified 1 September 2026
The short answer

A free question bank is worth using when each explanation says why the wrong answers are wrong and cites the Food Code provision. One that only marks right and wrong teaches an answer key, which does not transfer to a different form.

There is a lot of free practice material for this exam. Quality varies more than price suggests, so here is the test, and five questions to try.

The test for any bank

  • Does each explanation say why the wrong answers are wrong, not just which is right?
  • Does it cite a Food Code provision, or at least name the rule?
  • Are the wrong options plausible - real numbers in the wrong place - rather than obviously absurd?
  • Does it list six Big 6 pathogens and nine major allergens? A five or an eight means it is out of date.

That fourth check takes ten seconds and eliminates a surprising number of sources.

Question 1

Which food is not a TCS food?

  1. Cut cantaloupe
  2. Baked potato
  3. Whole raw carrot
  4. Cooked rice
Answer: C. A whole raw carrot is low in moisture at its surface and intact, so it does not support rapid pathogen growth. Cut melon, baked potatoes and cooked rice are all TCS - the first because cutting exposes moist flesh, the second and third because cooking added moisture.
Question 2

How long may ready-to-eat TCS food be held at 41°F before it must be discarded?

  1. 3 days
  2. 5 days
  3. 7 days
  4. 10 days
Answer: C. Seven days, counting the day of preparation as day one. Holding it colder does not extend the period, because the control is time rather than temperature - Listeria grows slowly even at refrigeration temperature.
Question 3

Which action best prevents cross-contact for a customer with a peanut allergy?

  1. Removing visible peanuts from the dish
  2. Rinsing the utensils under hot water
  3. Preparing the dish with clean equipment in a separate area
  4. Cooking the dish to a higher temperature
Answer: C. Allergen protein is not destroyed by heat and is not removed by rinsing or by picking pieces out. Separation using washed equipment is the only control. Options A and D are both offered because they feel like reasonable kitchen responses.
Question 4

A food employee has an open sore on their hand that is draining. What applies?

  1. They may work with a glove over an impermeable bandage
  2. They must be excluded from the establishment
  3. They must be restricted from food and food-contact surfaces
  4. They may work if the sore is on the non-dominant hand
Answer: C. An infected wound or lesion containing pus that cannot be adequately covered results in restriction. Option A describes the correct handling for a coverable wound, which is why it is the most tempting distractor here.
Question 5

What is the minimum water temperature at a handwashing sink?

  1. 70°F
  2. 85°F
  3. 100°F
  4. 110°F
Answer: C. 38°C (100°F) minimum at the handwashing sink. 110°F is the minimum for manual warewashing wash water, which is why it appears here - the same pattern of a real number in the wrong place.

Using free questions well

Answer before reading the explanation, every time. Then, for each miss, write down the provision rather than the letter.

The exam draws different questions from the same rules, so only the rule transfers. Learning that C was right teaches you nothing about the next form.

Common questions

Are free food manager practice questions any good?

It depends on the explanations. A bank that says why the wrong answers are wrong and cites the provision is useful; one that only marks right and wrong teaches an answer key that does not transfer.

How do you spot an out-of-date question bank?

Check whether it lists six Big 6 pathogens including non-typhoidal Salmonella, and nine major allergens including sesame. A five or an eight means it predates changes now examined.

Is a whole carrot a TCS food?

No. It is intact and low in surface moisture. Cutting it, or cooking it, changes that - which is why cut melon and cooked rice are TCS and their raw whole forms are not.

How should you review a missed question?

Write down the provision or rule you got wrong, not the correct letter. Different forms draw different questions from the same rules, so only the rule transfers.

What is the minimum handwashing water temperature?

38°C (100°F). The 110°F figure that often appears as a distractor is the minimum for manual warewashing wash water, not for handwashing.

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