Welcome!

The following is a 30 question test of food safety knowledge. Most people finish the test in less than
15 minutes.
You will need to answer more than 24 questions correctly in order to receive a Certificate of
completion. Feel free to use the "Food Safety Training for Pantries" guide as you take this
assessment.
Upon successful completion of this test, you will receive a Training Certificate and be the CT Food
Bank Food Safety Contact for your program. Please make sure all information provided is accurate.
Good Luck!
Program Name:

First Name: Last Name:

Job Title/Position:

Mailing Address:

City/Town: ZIP:

Email Address:

Daytime Phone Number:

Circle the letter of the best response for each of the questions below.
1. Why should pantries focus on food safety?
A. Pantries serve vulnerable populations
B. Pantries use donated product that may be past code date
C. Following food safety procedures reduces organizational liability
D. All of the above

2. What are pathogens?

A. Chemical hazards such as cleaning products
B. Physical hazards such as metal shavings
C. Biological hazards such as bacteria
D. Road hazards such as slow motorists

3. The temperature range where pathogens grow fastest (between 41-135 degrees
Fahrenheit) is known as:
A. The Accelerated Growth Zone
B. The Path of Least Resistance
C. The Temperature Danger Zone
D. The Pathogenic Free Range
4. You should not leave perishable foods (meats, cooked foods, etc.) in the Temperature
Danger Zone for longer than:
A. 20 minutes
B. 1 hour
C. 2 hours
D. 4 hours
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Food Safety

5. Frozen food should not be left in the Temperature Danger Zone for longer than
over the course of its lifetime.
A. 2 hours
B. 4 hours
C. 6 hours
D. 1 day

6. Which of the following is NOT a good storage practice?

A. Keeping lighter fluid above flour that is stored in an airtight container
B. Raising all product at least six inches above the floor
C. Keeping logs of pest inspections that document all necessary treatments
D. Installing a dehumidifier in pantry areas that are excessively humid

7. Which of the following is a good cold storage practice?

A. Recording fridge and freezer temperatures at least once a week
B. Making sure temperatures are within correct ranges
C. Cleaning and/or defrosting units quarterly
D. All of the above

8. When transporting frozen or refrigerated product on warm days, you should:

A. Drive fast to shorten the amount of time food is exposed to the Temp Danger Zone
B. Set your air conditioner on “max” in order to keep product cool
C. Wrap product in an insulating blanket or place it in a cooler
D. Store product in the trunk to keep it out of direct sunlight

9. When maintaining inventory, you should:

A. Stockpile large amounts of food in case of emergencies
B. Open packages and subdivide product into smaller portions for distribution
C. Throw away any product that is past its code date, no matter what
D. Make sure older product is more accessible for distribution than newer product

10. Which of the following should you do when maintaining cold-storage inventory?
A. Pack as much food into the freezer as possible – all the frozen product will help keep food cold in
case the power goes out
B. Go through all frozen inventory at least once a year and throw away the green meat
C. Go through all frozen inventory at least quarterly and throw out product that is 6 months or more
past the “sell-by” date
D. Go through all refrigerated inventory at least quarterly and trap anything that's moving around

Please circle whether the statement is True or False

1. Proper refrigeration temperatures range between 33 – 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
A. True
B. False

2. Food is safely stored in a freezer that holds a temperature of 20 degrees Fahrenheit – the
food feels like it’s frozen solid.
A. True
B. False
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Food Safety

3. All food should be discarded immediately if it is past code date.

A. True
B. False

4. When stocking shelves, it is important to determine and label the last safe date you can
distribute product.
A. True
B. False

5. Canned goods, boxed pastas, rice, and beans can be safely distributed at least a year past
code date.
A. True
B. False

6. Eggs can be used 3-5 months beyond the “sell-by” date.

A. True
B. False

7. Yogurt must be discarded as soon as the “sell-by” date has passed.

A. True
B. False

8. Throw out all cans with dents, no matter where they appear on the can.
A. True
B. False

9. Open boxes of food without an inner bag are safe so long as the top is taped up.
A. True
B. False
Food Safety Training for Pantries - Assessment
10. Frozen beef that is brown is okay to distribute, so long as the packaging remains intact,
blood has not pooled on the bottom of packaging, there is no odor of spoilage, and it is less
than six months past the "sell-by" date.
A. True
B. False

11. Ice crystals on frozen foods mean that it has spoiled and should be thrown away.
A. True
B. False

12. Home-canned fruits should not be accepted if offered as a donation.

A. True
B. False

13. If there’s not enough room in the pantry to store a large donation, it’s okay to bring the
extra home until the next distribution.
A. True
B. False
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Food Safety

14. Receipting donations is too time-consuming to be worth the benefit of tracking down
product recalls or issuing thank you letters to donors.
A. True
B. False

15. Product without a code date but ACCURATELY deemed safe to consume should be
distributed as soon as possible.
A. True
B. False

16. When dealing with donated product, the First in, First out (FIFO) system of product rotation
is the best way to make sure the oldest foods are distributed first.
A. True
B. False

17. Meat that has been in a full but non-functional freezer for less than 4 hours can be refrozen
and later distributed after careful inspection.
A. True
B. False

18. It is safe to thaw frozen meats before distribution because recipients will cook the food in
the next day or two.
A. True
B. False

19. It’s only necessary to check the USDA and FDA websites for product recalls when the local
news station mentions a certain product is affected.
A. True
B. False

20. Pantries need to take extra care handling donated foods because, compared to retail store
product, it is harder to ensure that the chain of food safety has been maintained.
A. True
B. False

Please take a moment to provide some feedback on the Food Safety Training for
Pantries Guide as well as the knowledge assessment:

Please fax back these answer sheet to 203-469-4871, attn: Programs Dept.