The Food Code, area by area

All eight content areas, and the temperatures the whole exam turns on.

The food manager exam blueprint: all eight areas and what each is worthThe exam covers eight areas across 80 questions, all drawn from the FDA Food Code. Contamination and cross-contamination carries 15 questions and pers…
The temperatures the food manager exam actually testsHot holding is 57°C (135°F) or above, cold holding 5°C (41°F) or less, and shell eggs 7°C (45°F) ambient air. Those three provisions cut across every …
Preventing contamination: the biggest content area on the examFifteen of the eighty questions, more than any other area. It splits into protecting food-contact surfaces, no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foo…
Employee health: the area candidates revise least and lose most onFourteen of the eighty questions, and the area candidates revise least. It covers employee health policy, handwashing, glove use, behaviors around eat…
Active managerial control, and what the exam means by itThirteen of the eighty questions. It is the management layer above the individual rules: having a food safety plan, training staff, recognizing foodbo…
The flow of food: purchasing, receiving, storing and servingTen of the eighty questions, split evenly across purchasing and receiving, storage and display, service and self-service, transport and delivery, and …
Cleaning and sanitizing: two different jobs, nine questionsNine of the eighty questions, split across writing cleaning procedures, storing the chemicals and tools, and carrying the procedures out. Cleaning rem…
Facilities, equipment and utilities: five questions, cheaply earnedFive of the eighty questions, one in each of facility design, water and waste, ventilation, lighting and equipment. It is the smallest area with hard …
Pest control: three questions, and how to get all threeThree of the eighty questions, the smallest area on the exam. All three come from one sub-area: implementing pest control prevention. Deny access, den…
The Big 6: the illnesses a food worker has to reportNorovirus, Hepatitis A, Shigella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Salmonella Typhi and non-typhoidal Salmonella. A food employee diagnosed with any of …
TCS foods: which ones, and why the category existsTime and Temperature Control for Safety foods support rapid pathogen growth, so every holding, cooling and date-marking rule attaches to them. Meat, p…
Cooking temperatures: the four numbers and what belongs to eachFour minimum internal temperatures: 74°C (165°F) for poultry and stuffed foods, 68°C (155°F) for ground meat and eggs held for service, 63°C (145°F) f…
The two-stage cooling rule, and why it is two stagesCool from 57°C to 21°C (135°F to 70°F) within 2 hours, then from 21°C to 5°C (70°F to 41°F) within a further 4 hours - six hours in total. Food that h…
Reheating: 165°F within two hours, and the exceptionsFood reheated for hot holding goes to 74°C (165°F) within 2 hours, however it was originally cooked. Commercially processed food opened and reheated f…
The four approved ways to thaw foodFour methods: under refrigeration at 5°C (41°F) or below, submerged under running water at 21°C (70°F) or below, in a microwave followed immediately b…
Hot holding and cold holding: 135°F, 41°F, and the danger zoneHot TCS food is held at 57°C (135°F) or above and cold TCS food at 5°C (41°F) or below. Between those is the temperature danger zone, where pathogens …
Date marking: seven days, and how to count themReady-to-eat TCS food held for more than 24 hours must be marked with a discard date. Seven days at 5°C (41°F) or below, counting the day of preparati…
The nine major allergens, and why cross-contact is differentMilk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. Sesame became the ninth on 1 January 2023 under the FASTER Act…
Handwashing: the twenty seconds, and everything around themTwenty seconds in total, with 10 to 15 seconds of vigorous scrubbing, using water at 38°C (100°F) or above at a sink used only for handwashing. Hand a…
Gloves and bare-hand contact: what the rule actually saysFood employees may not touch ready-to-eat food with bare hands. Single-use gloves, tongs, deli tissue and spatulas are all accepted barriers. Gloves a…
Exclusion or restriction: the distinction the exam keeps askingExclusion means the employee may not be in the establishment at all. Restriction means they may work but not with food or food-contact surfaces. Vomit…
What the person in charge must report, and to whomA food employee reports symptoms and diagnoses to the person in charge. The person in charge reports jaundice and any Big 6 diagnosis to the regulator…
The clean-up plan the Food Code requires you to write firstThe Food Code requires a written procedure for cleaning up vomiting and diarrhoeal events, in place before one happens. It covers containment, protect…
The three-compartment sink, step by stepScrape, wash at 43°C (110°F) minimum, rinse in clean water, sanitize either chemically or by immersion at 77°C (171°F) for 30 seconds, then air dry. T…
Sanitizer concentrations: three chemicals, three rangesChlorine at 50 to 100 ppm with 7 seconds contact at 100 ppm and 24°C (75°F). Quaternary ammonium at 200 to 400 ppm per the label, 30 seconds. Iodine a…
Dishmachines: high temperature, chemical, and what the gauge is not telling youA high-temperature machine must reach 71°C (160°F) measured at the utensil surface, which is not what the front gauge shows - an irreversible temperat…
Thermometers: which type, where to put it, how to calibrate itFood thermometers must be accurate to ±1°C (±2°F) and calibrated using the ice-point method - an ice slurry at 0°C (32°F). Thin foods need a thermocou…
Receiving: the temperatures to accept and the reasons to rejectCold TCS food at 5°C (41°F) or below, hot at 57°C (135°F) or above, shell eggs at 7°C (45°F) ambient air, frozen food frozen solid. Rejection happens …
Storage order: why poultry goes on the bottom shelfTop to bottom: ready-to-eat food, seafood, whole cuts of beef and pork, ground meat, then poultry. The order follows required cooking temperature, low…
FIFO: stock rotation, and where it stops being enoughFirst In, First Out means older stock is used before newer stock, arranged so the oldest is easiest to reach. It is a rotation method, not a safety li…
Dry storage: temperature, humidity, and what does not belong in thereDry storage runs between about 10°C and 21°C (50°F to 70°F) with controlled humidity, everything at least 15 cm (6 inches) off the floor and away from…
Cross-contact and cross-contamination are not the same thingCross-contamination transfers a pathogen, and cooking usually destroys it. Cross-contact transfers an allergen protein, cooking does not destroy it, a…
The consumer advisory: disclosure and reminder, both requiredAn establishment serving raw or undercooked animal food must provide both a disclosure, identifying which items they are, and a reminder that eating t…
HACCP in seven principles, without the jargonConduct a hazard analysis, determine critical control points, establish critical limits, establish monitoring, establish corrective actions, establish…
Critical control points and critical limits, worked through a dishA critical control point is a step where control is essential because nothing downstream will catch the failure. A critical limit is the measurable bo…
When you need a variance, and what one actually isA variance is written approval from the regulatory authority to deviate from a Food Code requirement. Six special processes generally need one plus a …
Reduced-oxygen packaging and the botulism problemReduced-oxygen packaging covers vacuum packing, modified atmosphere and sous vide. Removing oxygen removes competing organisms and favors Clostridium …
Using time instead of temperature: the four-hour and six-hour rulesTime alone may replace temperature control for up to 4 hours from when food leaves temperature control, after which it is discarded. A 6-hour option a…
Water supply, backflow and the hose in the mop bucketWater must come from an approved source. Backflow is prevented by an air gap - twice the diameter of the supply inlet and never less than 2.5 cm (1 in…
Plumbing: the sinks, the drains, and which one is for whatA commercial kitchen needs separate sinks for handwashing, warewashing, food preparation and mop water. Using one for another purpose is a violation, …
Sewage and waste: the rules, and the one that closes a kitchenWaste is stored in durable, cleanable, leak-proof receptacles, covered outside, and removed often enough to prevent odor and pests. A sewage backup in…
Garbage handling: the routine that keeps pests outWaste receptacles must be durable, leak-proof, non-absorbent and cleanable, emptied before they overflow, covered outside, and stored on a cleanable s…
Lighting: ten, twenty, fifty foot-candlesTen foot-candles in walk-ins and dry storage measured 75 cm (30 inches) above the floor, 20 in handwashing, warewashing, toilet and buffet areas, and …
Ventilation: hoods, filters and the condensation problemVentilation must remove grease, steam, smoke, heat, odor and condensation so they do not accumulate on surfaces or drip into food. Filters are cleanab…
Floors, walls and ceilings: smooth, durable, easily cleanableFloors, walls and ceilings in food preparation, warewashing and storage areas must be smooth, durable and easily cleanable. Coving closes the floor-to…
The handwashing sink itself: where, what on it, and kept clearA handwashing sink needs water at 38°C (100°F) minimum, soap, a drying method, and a waste receptacle. It must be conveniently located, used only for …
Chemicals: stored below food, labeled, and used to the labelPoisonous or toxic materials are stored below and away from food, equipment, utensils and single-use articles. Working containers carry the common nam…
Physical hazards: glass, metal, bone and jewelryPhysical hazards are foreign objects that can injure - glass, metal, plastic, bone, stones, jewelry, fingernails, hair and bandages. Prevention is lar…
The three hazard types, and why the framework is worth learningBiological hazards are pathogens and toxins from living organisms. Chemical hazards are cleaning agents, pesticides and naturally occurring toxins. Ph…
Imminent health hazards: the five situations that close a kitchenFire, flood, extended power loss, sewage backflow, misuse of poisonous materials and an apparent foodborne illness outbreak are imminent health hazard…
What a health inspector actually looks atInspections concentrate on the five risk factors most often linked to foodborne illness: food from unsafe sources, inadequate cooking, improper holdin…
The person in charge: present, knowledgeable, and accountableThe person in charge must be present during all hours of operation, able to demonstrate knowledge of foodborne illness prevention, and responsible for…
Food defense: protecting food from deliberate harmFood defense protects food from deliberate contamination, as distinct from food safety, which addresses accidental contamination. The FDA ALERT framew…
Food trucks and temporary events: the same rules, harderMobile units and temporary events follow the same Food Code with fewer resources. They need a handwashing sink with warm water, potable and waste wate…
Catering: the transport gap nobody plans forFood transported off site stays under temperature control throughout, in covered insulated containers, with temperatures checked and recorded on arriv…
Buffets and self-service: shields, clean plates, and supervisionSelf-service areas need food shields, utensils with handles kept out of the food, a clean plate for each return trip, and monitoring by a member of st…
Ice is food: handling, scoops and the machineIce is a food. It is made from potable water, handled only with a scoop or tongs stored outside the machine, and ice used to cool food or containers i…
Highly susceptible populations: the rules that get stricterEstablishments serving highly susceptible populations may not offer raw or undercooked animal food or raw seed sprouts, must use pasteurized eggs and …
Washing produce: what it does, and what it does notProduce is washed in running potable water, in a food preparation sink, without detergent or soap. Washing reduces surface contamination; it does not …
Shellstock tags: ninety days, and why they existShellstock tags remain attached to the container until it is empty, are then marked with the date the last shellfish was served, and are kept for 90 d…
Freezing fish for parasite destruction: the two optionsFish served raw or undercooked must be frozen at -20°C (-4°F) or below for 168 hours, or at -35°C (-31°F) until solid and then held at -35°C (-31°F) f…
Eggs: 145°F, 155°F, and why pooling changes everythingEggs cooked to order for immediate service reach 63°C (145°F); eggs cooked and held for service reach 68°C (155°F). Pooled eggs spread contamination f…
Why a burger cooks hotter than a steakWhole muscle is contaminated on its surface only, so searing addresses it at 63°C (145°F). Grinding mixes that surface through the entire product, rem…
Microwaves: 165°F, covered, rotated, and two minutes standingFood cooked in a microwave must reach 74°C (165°F), be covered during cooking, be rotated or stirred partway through, and stand for 2 minutes afterwar…
Non-continuous cooking: the sixty-minute ruleNon-continuous cooking is permitted where the initial heating is no more than 60 minutes, the food is immediately cooled by the standard rules, stored…
Food shields: where they are required and how they are positionedUnpackaged food on display must be protected by a food shield positioned to intercept the direct line between a customer's mouth and the food, or by a…
Wiping cloths: in the bucket, not on the counterCloths used on food-contact surfaces are stored in sanitizer solution at the correct concentration between uses, in a labeled container. Cloths for ot…
Single-use items: stored, handled and never reusedSingle-use and single-service articles are used once and discarded. They are stored in the original package or a covered container, off the floor, and…
Reading the signs: how to tell what you haveRodents leave droppings, gnaw marks, greasy rub marks along walls and nesting material. Cockroaches leave an oily odor, egg cases and pepper-like drop…
Integrated pest management: prevention first, chemicals lastIntegrated pest management combines denying access, denying food water and shelter, continuous monitoring, and professional treatment as the last step…
Pesticides: licensed operators, label use, and covered foodPesticides in a food establishment are applied by a licensed pest control operator, used strictly according to the label, and stored with other poison…
Training and records: what a manager has to be able to showStaff must be trained on the practices relevant to their role, in a language they understand, with the training documented. Records an inspector expec…
Corrective actions: decided before the shift, not during itHot food below 135°F for under 2 hours is reheated to 165°F; over 2 hours it is discarded. Cold food above 41°F for under 4 hours returns to refrigera…
Norovirus: the outbreak most likely to be yoursNorovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurants. It spreads from infected workers to ready-to-eat food, needs only a tiny…
How often things get cleaned, and what decides itFood-contact surfaces in continuous use with TCS food at room temperature are cleaned and sanitized every 4 hours. Also between raw and ready-to-eat u…