• 152 questions

Food Manager Practice Test

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A whole pork roast reaches 145°F. What holding time does the 3-401.11(B) chart give for that temperature?

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the FDA, any health department or any food manager exam program. Bank checked September 18, 2026.

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All 152 questions

Person in charge 14

  • A sales representative asks for a short tour of the kitchen. What does 2-103.11(B) allow? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-103.11(B)
  • A supplier makes key-drop deliveries while the establishment is closed. What must the person in charge ensure under 2-103.11(F)? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-103.11(F)
  • Annex 4 lists five foodborne illness risk factors drawn from CDC surveillance. Which of these is one of them? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4
  • Employee food safety training must include food allergy awareness under 2-103.11(O). What does that awareness cover? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-103.11(O)
  • For chemical sanitizing, what does 2-103.11(L) say the person in charge ensures employees routinely monitor? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-103.11(L)
  • How does Annex 4 of the Food Code describe active managerial control? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4
  • How does section 2-103.11 expect the person in charge to make sure TCS food is cooked to the required temperatures? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-103.11(G)
  • How does the Food Code define the person in charge? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Person in charge
  • One permit holder runs two separately permitted departments on the same premises. When may a single person in charge cover both under 2-101.11(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-101.11(B)
Show all 152 questions (143 more)

Person in charge, continued

  • Section 2-102.12 says the person in charge shall be a certified food protection manager. How does the Code say that status is shown? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-102.12(A)
  • Under 2-103.11(P), how must food employees and conditional employees be told of their duty to report health information? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-103.11(P)
  • What must the person in charge make sure customers are told about return trips to a salad bar or buffet? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-103.11(M)
  • Which establishments may the regulatory authority exempt from the 2-102.12 requirement for a certified food protection manager? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-102.12(B)
  • Which of these is one of the three ways a person in charge can demonstrate knowledge under section 2-102.11? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-102.11(A)

Employee health 17

  • A cook at a hospital reports a sore throat with fever. What does 2-201.12(H) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(H)
  • A dietary aide in a nursing home kitchen is diagnosed with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli but has no symptoms. What does 2-201.12(F) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(F)
  • A food employee ate at an event where the food was prepared by a person ill with Norovirus. Within what period of the last exposure must this be reported under 2-201.11(A)(4)? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.11(A)(4)
  • A food employee is diagnosed with hepatitis A virus but never develops symptoms. What does 2-201.12(B) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(B)(3)
  • A food employee is diagnosed with nontyphoidal Salmonella and has no symptoms. What does 2-201.12(G) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(G)
  • A food employee is diagnosed with Norovirus but has no symptoms. The restaurant does not serve a highly susceptible population. What does 2-201.12(D) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(D)
  • A healthy food employee reports that a household member was diagnosed with Shigella. In which establishment does 2-201.12(J) require the employee to be restricted? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(J)
  • A job applicant who has received a conditional offer reports a Shigella diagnosis. What does 2-201.11(C) say? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.11(C)
  • A line cook reports diarrhea that began last night. There is no diagnosis, and the restaurant does not serve a highly susceptible population. What does 2-201.12(A) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(A)
  • A prep cook has an open, draining infected cut on the forearm that is not properly covered. What does 2-201.12(I) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(I)
  • An employee reports having had Typhoid fever two months ago and did not receive antibiotic therapy. The employee feels well. What does 2-201.12(C) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(C)
  • An employee was excluded for vomiting with no diagnosis. Under 2-201.13(A)(1), how long must the employee be free of symptoms before returning, absent medical documentation? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.13(A)(1)
  • What cover lets an employee with a pus-containing cut on a finger keep working with food under 2-201.13(I)? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.13(I)
  • What is the reporting window for exposure to hepatitis A virus under 2-201.11(A)(4)? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.11(A)(4)
  • When must the person in charge notify the regulatory authority about a food employee's health under 2-201.11(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.11(B)
  • Whose approval does the person in charge need before reinstating an employee who was excluded or restricted after a Norovirus diagnosis? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.13(D)
  • With regulatory authority approval, an employee excluded for jaundice may be reinstated once the employee has been jaundiced for more than how long? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.13(B)

Hands and gloves 6

  • A cook sprinkles cheese with bare hands onto a vegetable pizza that contains no raw animal food and is about to be baked. When does 3-301.11(D) allow this? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-301.11(D)
  • An approved bare-hand contact procedure must use two or more listed control measures. Which pair comes from the list in 3-301.11(E)(6)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-301.11(E)(6)
  • Before employees may touch exposed ready-to-eat food with bare hands under 3-301.11(E), what must the permit holder obtain first? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-301.11(E)(1)
  • Slash-resistant gloves with a rough, absorbent surface are used for cutting. With which food may they be in direct contact under 3-304.15? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-304.15
  • What must the written procedures for an approved bare-hand contact procedure list? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-301.11(E)(2)
  • Which establishment can never use the approved bare-hand contact procedure for ready-to-eat food? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-301.11(E) and 3-801.11(D)

Sources and receiving 13

  • A chef wants to serve mushrooms that a local forager picked in the wild. What does 3-201.16 require? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-201.16(A)
  • A container of raw oysters arrives with no tag or label. What does 3-202.18(C) say can happen to it? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-202.18(C)
  • A one-gallon package of shucked oysters arrives. Which date must its label carry under 3-202.18(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-202.18(A)
  • A restaurant wants to serve raw fish that is not an exempt species. Which sourcing option does 3-201.11(D) accept? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-201.11(D)
  • How long are molluscan shellfish tags, labels or invoices retained after the recorded date under 3-203.12(C)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-203.12(C)
  • How long must shellstock tags or labels stay attached to the container under 3-203.12(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-203.12(A)
  • Milk arrives at 45°F, a temperature the law governing its distribution allows. What does 3-202.11(B) say? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-202.11(B)
  • Molluscan shellfish received in interstate commerce must come from sources on which list? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-201.15(B)
  • Pre-packaged juice is bought for resale. What does 3-202.110 require of the juice? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-202.110
  • Shell eggs must be received clean and sound. Which quality limit does 3-202.13 set? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-202.13
  • Two bags of oysters carry tags with different harvest dates. What does 3-203.11(B) say about combining them in one display container before a customer orders? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-203.11(B)
  • What date must be recorded on a molluscan shellfish tag, label or invoice under 3-203.12(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-203.12(B)
  • Whole-muscle, intact beef steaks will be served undercooked without a consumer advisory. What must be true of the plant that supplies them under 3-201.11(E)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-201.11(E)

Cooking and reheating 12

  • A kitchen par-cooks chicken wings, chills them, and finishes them to order. What must exist before it uses this non-continuous process? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.14(F)
  • A restaurant serves burgers cooked to order and posts a consumer advisory. Which item may not be offered undercooked under 3-401.11(D)(2)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.11(D)(2)
  • A sushi bar freezes its own fish for parasite destruction. How long must the person in charge keep the freezing records under 3-402.12(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-402.12(A)
  • A whole beef roast is cooked to an internal temperature of 130°F. How long must it be held at that temperature under the 3-401.11(B) chart? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.11(B)
  • A whole pork roast reaches 145°F. What holding time does the 3-401.11(B) chart give for that temperature? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.11(B)
  • Farm-raised salmon may skip the parasite destruction freezing step when the supplier's written statement shows what? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-402.11(B) and 3-402.12(C)
  • Fish is frozen at -31°F until solid and then stored at -31°F. What is the minimum storage time under 3-402.11(A)(2)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-402.11(A)(2)
  • Ground beef may be cooked to 150°F instead of 155°F if it is held at that temperature for what minimum time? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.11(A)(2)
  • In non-continuous cooking of raw animal food, what is the longest the initial heating step may last under 3-401.14(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.14(A)
  • When may a whole-muscle, intact beef steak be served undercooked with no consumer advisory under 3-401.11(C)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.11(C)
  • Which fish may be served raw without the parasite destruction freezing step under 3-402.11(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-402.11(B)
  • Wild-caught salmon will be served raw. Which freezing treatment meets the parasite destruction rule in 3-402.11(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-402.11(A)

Cooling, holding, dates 6

  • A roast was cooked using the time and temperature chart in 3-401.11(B). At what minimum temperature may it be hot held under 3-501.16(A)(1)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.16(A)(1)
  • A sealed tub of commercially made chicken salad is opened on the 3rd of the month. The manufacturer's use-by date, based on food safety, is the 6th. When must it be used or discarded? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.17(B)
  • A stockpot of soup cooled from 135°F to 70°F in 90 minutes. How much time remains to reach 41°F under 3-501.14(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.14(A)
  • Date-marked soup is held 2 days at 41°F, frozen for 3 weeks, then thawed under refrigeration. How many days of its 7-day limit remain? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.18(A)(1)
  • Vacuum-packed frozen fish carries a label saying to keep it frozen until time of use. How must it be thawed under refrigeration, according to 3-501.13(E)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.13(E)
  • Which opened, commercially processed food is exempt from date marking under 3-501.17(G)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.17(G)

Time as a control 8

  • A pan of cut melon on a time-controlled display has no time marking. What does 3-501.19(B)(5) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.19(B)(5)
  • An assisted living kitchen wants to hold raw shell eggs at the grill under time control only. What does 3-501.19(D) say? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.19(D)
  • Besides the marking and discard steps, what must the written time-control procedures address under 3-501.19(A)(1)(b)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.19(A)(1)(b)
  • Hot pizza is moved to a display with no temperature control under the 4-hour option. What initial temperature must it have? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.19(B)(1)
  • Three hours into the 6-hour option, the warmest part of a tray of sandwiches reads 74°F. What does 3-501.19(C)(4) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.19(C)(4)
  • Under the 6-hour time-control option, which two conditions apply to the food's temperature? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.19(C)(1)
  • What must the marking show for food held under the 6-hour time-control option? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.19(C)(3)
  • Whole tomatoes stored at room temperature are sliced for a sandwich line. Under 3-501.19(B)(2), the 4-hour option may begin at what initial temperature? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.19(B)(2)

HACCP and variances 30

  • A barbecue restaurant smokes brisket for flavor and then holds it hot at 135°F or above. Does 3-502.11(A) require a variance? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.11(A)
  • A chef plans to cure pork bellies in the restaurant to make bacon. What does 3-502.11 require first? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.11(B) and 8-201.13(A)
  • A cook checks the internal temperature of several chicken pieces right after the cook step and writes the readings down. Which HACCP activity is this? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, Principle 4
  • A cook probes a hamburger, finds it has not reached 155°F, and keeps cooking it until it does. Which HACCP principle is being applied? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, Principle 5
  • A cook-chill product is to be kept for up to 30 days after packaging. What holding condition does 3-502.12(D) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(D)(2)(e)
  • A grilled chicken sandwich is cooked to order and served at once. Which Annex 4 food preparation process does it follow? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, The Process Approach
  • A HACCP plan for baked chicken states "165°F for less than 1 second". In HACCP terms, what is that statement? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Critical limit; Annex 4, Principle 3
  • A juice bar bottles fresh-squeezed orange juice for its grab-and-go cooler and does not treat the juice. What does 3-404.11 require? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-404.11
  • A kitchen vacuum packs portions of cooked TCS food, labels each bag with the production time and date, keeps the bags at 41°F and opens every bag within 48 hours. What does 3-502.12(F) say? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(F)
  • A restaurant group makes sous vide short ribs in one kitchen. To whom may it send the sealed packages under 3-502.12(D)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(D)(2)(a)
  • A seafood restaurant wants a live tank to display oysters that will be sold for eating. What does the Food Code require? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.11(E)
  • A sous vide product is cooled to 41°F in its sealed bag and held at 41°F. What is the longest it may be held under 3-502.12(D)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(D)(2)(e)
  • A sushi bar adds vinegar to cooked rice so the rice can sit at room temperature as a non-TCS food. What does 3-502.11(C) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.11(C)
  • An establishment meets every condition in 3-502.12 for reduced oxygen packaging without a variance. What must it still do before it starts, under 8-201.13(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-201.13(B)
  • Annex 4 says a HACCP system needs a foundation of procedures that address basic operational and sanitation conditions. What are these procedures called? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, What are Prerequisite Programs?
  • Chili is cooked, cooled overnight, reheated the next day and hot held. Under the Annex 4 process approach, which food preparation process is this? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, The Process Approach
  • Each Friday a manager reviews the week's cooling logs to confirm they were filled in accurately and on schedule. Which HACCP activity is this? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, Principle 6
  • How does the Food Code define a critical control point? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Critical control point
  • How does the Food Code define a variance? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Variance
  • How long must an establishment keep the cooling and cold holding records for its cook-chill or sous vide products? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(D)(3)
  • In the order of the seven HACCP principles, which step comes directly after critical limits are established? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, The HACCP Principles
  • Raw chicken breasts are vacuum packaged in the establishment under 3-502.12(B). Why does raw poultry qualify for packaging without a variance? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(B)(2)(d)
  • To use reduced oxygen packaging without a variance under 3-502.12(B), the food is held at 41°F or less and meets one more barrier. Which of these is a listed barrier? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(B)(2)
  • What is the first of the seven HACCP principles listed in Annex 4 of the Food Code? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, The HACCP Principles
  • What is the longest refrigerated shelf life 3-502.12(B)(4) allows for food packaged under its reduced oxygen packaging rules? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(B)(4)
  • What monitoring does 3-502.12(D) require for the refrigeration unit that holds cook-chill or sous vide packages? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(D)(2)(f)
  • What must a person who requests a variance provide under 8-103.11? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-103.11
  • When may an establishment package fish using a reduced oxygen packaging method under 3-502.12(C)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(C)
  • Which of these activities requires a variance under 3-502.11? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.11(H)
  • Which two organisms must be controlled when TCS food is packaged using a reduced oxygen packaging method? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-502.12(A)

Advisories and labels 11

  • A bakery sells unpackaged muffins that contain walnuts. What does 3-602.12(C) require of the permit holder? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-602.12(C)
  • A deli packages its own pasta salad for a self-service case. In what order must the label list the ingredients under 3-602.11(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-602.11(B)(2)
  • A hospital cook breaks two raw shell eggs, scrambles them at once for one patient's breakfast, cooks them to 145°F for 15 seconds and serves them right away. Is this allowed under 3-801.11(F)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-801.11(F)(1)
  • A menu lists "hamburgers (can be cooked to order)". Which part of the consumer advisory does that wording satisfy? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-603.11(B)
  • A nursing home kitchen makes Caesar dressing and hollandaise sauce from scratch. What does 3-801.11(B) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-801.11(B)
  • An unopened packet of crackers comes back on the tray of a patient who is under contact precautions in medical isolation. What does 3-801.11(H) say? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-801.11(H)
  • For the juice rule only, 3-801.11(A) treats children in a school or day care as a highly susceptible population up to what age? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-801.11(A)(1)
  • Raw, unpackaged animal food generally may not be offered for consumer self-service. Which operation is an exception under 3-306.13(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-306.13(A)
  • What does 3-306.13(C) require for consumer self-service operations such as buffets and salad bars? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-306.13(C)
  • Which footnote is an acceptable reminder under 3-603.11(C)? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-603.11(C)
  • Which ingredient is excluded from the Food Code definition of a major food allergen? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Major food allergen

Equipment, warewashing 10

  • A quaternary ammonium sanitizer is used in an area with very hard water. What water hardness limit applies under 4-501.114(C), unless the EPA-registered label allows more? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-501.114(C)
  • A small kiosk has approval to use a 2-compartment sink. Which limit does 4-301.12 place on its use? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-301.12(D) and (E)
  • How does a manager confirm that a hot water dish machine is sanitizing, according to 4-703.11(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-703.11(B) and 4-302.13(B)
  • In a hot water sanitizing dish machine other than a stationary rack, single temperature model, what is the minimum temperature of the fresh hot water sanitizing rinse as it enters the manifold? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-501.112(A)
  • Meat is cut in a refrigerated room kept at 41°F or less, and the cleaning schedule is documented. How often must the utensils and equipment be cleaned under the 4-602.11(D) chart? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-602.11(D)(2)
  • Utensils are sanitized by immersion in hot water in the third compartment of a sink. What water temperature and time are required? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-501.111 and 4-703.11(A)
  • What is the minimum contact time for a chemical sanitizing solution other than chlorine, such as quaternary ammonium or iodine, under 4-703.11(C)? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-703.11(C)
  • What is the minimum number of sink compartments 4-301.12(A) requires for manually washing, rinsing and sanitizing equipment and utensils? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-301.12(A)
  • Where must the sensor of the thermometer in a walk-in cooler be located under 4-204.112(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-204.112(A)
  • Why may copper and brass not be used in contact with foods such as vinegar, fruit juice or wine under 4-101.14? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-101.14

Water and facilities 10

  • A faucet with a 1-inch inlet fills a prep sink. What is the minimum air gap between the inlet and the flood level rim under 5-202.13? FDA Food Code 2022, 5-202.13
  • A handwashing sink has a metering faucet. How long must the water flow without the faucet being pressed again under 5-202.12(C)? FDA Food Code 2022, 5-202.12(C)
  • A kitchen keeps its back door open for ventilation in summer. Which protection against insects does 6-202.15(D) list? FDA Food Code 2022, 6-202.15(D)
  • A prep sink drain is piped straight into the sewer line with no gap. Which rule in 5-402.11(A) does this break? FDA Food Code 2022, 5-402.11(A)
  • A rural restaurant draws its water from its own well. How often must that water be sampled and tested under 5-102.13? FDA Food Code 2022, 5-102.13
  • A soda carbonator is not protected by an air gap. What backflow protection does 5-203.15(A) require? FDA Food Code 2022, 5-203.15(A)
  • What is the minimum light intensity 30 inches above the floor in a walk-in refrigeration unit under 6-303.11(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 6-303.11(A)
  • What is the minimum light intensity at a surface where a food employee works with knives, slicers or grinders under 6-303.11? FDA Food Code 2022, 6-303.11(C)
  • Who may apply a restricted use pesticide in a food establishment under 7-202.12(C)? FDA Food Code 2022, 7-202.12(C)
  • Who must keep the records that show a backflow preventer or water treatment device was inspected and serviced, under 5-205.13? FDA Food Code 2022, 5-205.13

Inspections 15

  • A cracked floor tile in a dry storage room is cited on an inspection. Which kind of item is a general maintenance provision like this? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Core item
  • A grocery store's deli floods, but its separate bakery department is dry and unaffected. What does 8-404.11(B) say about the bakery? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-404.11(B)
  • A restaurant closed because of a fire in the kitchen. The repairs are finished. What must the permit holder do before reopening under 8-404.12? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-404.12
  • An inspector cites a priority item that cannot be corrected during the inspection. What is the longest time frame the regulatory authority may allow under 8-405.11(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-405.11
  • By when must core items be corrected under 8-406.11(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-406.11
  • How does the Food Code define a foodborne disease outbreak? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Foodborne disease outbreak
  • How often does 8-401.10(A) direct the regulatory authority to inspect a food establishment, as a general rule? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-401.10
  • In the Food Code, which kind of provision "contributes directly to the elimination, prevention or reduction to an acceptable level" of hazards tied to foodborne illness? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Priority item
  • Personnel training, HACCP plans, record keeping and labeling are given as examples of which kind of provision? FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10(B), Priority foundation item
  • The power is expected to be out for many hours. Under 8-404.11(C), when may the regulatory authority agree to let the establishment keep operating? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-404.11(C)
  • Sewage backs up through the kitchen floor drains during lunch service. What must the permit holder do under 8-404.11(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-404.11(A)
  • What is the longest time frame the regulatory authority may allow for correcting a priority foundation item under 8-405.11(B)? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-405.11(B)(2)
  • What must the permit holder tell customers about inspection reports under 8-304.11(K)? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-304.11(K)
  • Where must the permit be posted under 8-304.11(A)? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-304.11(A)
  • Which factor does 8-401.20 tell the regulatory authority to weigh when it decides how often to inspect an establishment? FDA Food Code 2022, 8-401.20

How this list was compiled: Original questions written from the FDA Food Code 2022 edition (chapters 1 to 8 and Annex 4), https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/food-code-2022, full text PDF https://www.fda.gov/media/164194/download. Every cited provision was compared with the FDA Food Code 2026 edition, https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/food-code-2026, and FDA's Summary of Changes, https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/summary-changes-2026-fda-food-code; provisions whose answer changed in 2026 were left out. Checked 2026-09-18. Licence: own work

How it works

This unofficial food manager practice test holds 152 questions in twelve topic filters, from person-in-charge duties to HACCP plans and inspections. Every question was written from the FDA Food Code 2022 and compared with the 2026 edition on September 18, 2026, and each answer names its section. Your state or county may use a different edition, so ask your health department which one it adopted.

Read the full guide

What this food manager practice test covers

Section 2-102.12 of the Food Code says the person in charge is a certified food protection manager who has passed a test from an accredited program. The Code sets no question count, time limit or pass mark for that test, so this page publishes none. The bank is general practice written from the Code: 30 questions on HACCP, variances and reduced oxygen packaging, 17 on employee health, 15 on inspections, 14 on the person in charge, and the rest on receiving, cooking, time control, labeling, warewashing and plumbing.

How to use the topic filter and the missed pile

Each answer is marked at once. The explanation gives the rule and names its section, such as 3-502.12 for reduced oxygen packaging. Missed, under More options, holds each wrong answer until you get it right. The Start from menu under the question drills one area at a time. Exam mode, also there, draws up to 40 questions with no clock and no pass mark, and marks nothing until you finish. The result shows your score and a table by topic. Print is on the score card, with a tick for the answer key, and Clear my progress, under More options, erases what this browser keeps.

Editions, local rules and the basics

FDA has published a 2026 edition, and your jurisdiction may enforce that one, an older one or its own amended version. Rules that the 2026 text changed were left out, for example the jewelry rule in 2-303.11, so each answer was checked against both editions. The everyday numbers, such as 165°F for poultry and the 20-second handwash, sit in the food handlers practice test.

  • Draw the illness rules as a grid: symptom or diagnosis down the side, highly susceptible population or not across the top, exclude or restrict in each box.
  • Keep the exposure reporting windows together: Norovirus 48 hours, Shigella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli 3 days, Typhoid fever 14 days, hepatitis A virus 30 days.
  • Learn the seven HACCP principles in order, and keep monitoring apart from verification: monitoring takes the measurement, and verification shows the system is running to plan.
  • Know the correction deadlines: at most 72 hours for a priority item, 10 calendar days for a priority foundation item and 90 calendar days for a core item.
  • Finish with your local code: your inspector enforces the edition your jurisdiction adopted.

Questions and answers

Is this a food safety manager certification practice test?

It is general practice for that kind of exam, not a copy of one. People who look for a food safety manager certification practice test usually have one accredited program in mind. This page names none of them and uses none of their questions. Every question was written from the FDA Food Code, the model FDA offers to state, local and tribal agencies.

How many questions are on the real exam, and what score passes?

That depends on the program you sit. The Food Code gives no question count, time limit or pass mark, so this page gives none. Ask your exam provider for its current numbers. The 40-question round in exam mode is this page's own length.

Which edition of the Food Code should I study?

Study the one your jurisdiction adopted, and ask your health department which that is. This bank was written from the 2022 edition and compared with the 2026 edition on September 18, 2026. The explanations show 2022 section numbers, and some moved in 2026: the clean-up rule for vomiting and diarrhea went from 2-501.11 to 2-502.11.

When does a kitchen need a variance or a HACCP plan?

Section 3-502.11 requires a variance before smoking food to preserve it, curing, adding vinegar or other additives to preserve a food or make it non-TCS, some reduced oxygen packaging, running a molluscan shellfish display tank, custom processing animals, or sprouting seeds or beans. Under 8-201.13 a HACCP plan goes in with the request. Packaging that meets 3-502.12 needs no variance but still needs a HACCP plan first, unless the food is always labeled with its time and date, held at 41°F or below and unpacked within 48 hours.

Does a good score here count toward my credential?

No. This site issues nothing, and a score here counts for nothing with a health department or an exam program. It is unofficial practice, not food safety training. Your jurisdiction decides which accredited programs it accepts, so ask your state or county health department before you pay for an exam.

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