• 74 questions

Texas Food Handlers Test

Our own questions on safe food handling under the 2017 Food Code Texas adopts and its food handler course law.

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Pico de gallo with cut tomatoes is kept in a reach-in cooler. What is the warmest it may be?

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Texas Department of State Health Services. Bank checked October 14, 2026.

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All 74 questions with answers

Cooking, cooling and holding 14

  • A Dallas caterer chills smoked sausage links cooked that morning. Counting from 135°F, what is the whole cooling window down to 41°F? Answer: 6 hours. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-501.14(A)(2) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A fillet of Gulf red snapper is pan-seared to order. What is the minimum cooking temperature? Answer: 145°F for 15 seconds. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-401.11(A)(1) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A pan of refrigerated brisket chili goes back on a hot line the next day. Which reheating target applies? Answer: 165°F for 15 seconds. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-403.11(A) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A pot of charro beans is cooling from 135°F. How long does it have to reach 70°F? Answer: 2 hours. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-501.14(A)(1) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A raw chicken breast is cooked in a microwave oven. How long does it stand covered afterward? Answer: 2 minutes. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 3-401.12 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A Texas cook grills a ground beef patty. Under the 2017 edition the state adopts, what must it reach? Answer: 155°F for 17 seconds. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-401.11(A)(2) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
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Cooking, cooling and holding, continued

  • Chicken for fajitas comes off the flat-top. What does the 2017 Food Code require? Answer: 165°F, instantaneous. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-401.11(A)(3) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Cold cut sandwiches leave the cooler at 41°F and are held by time alone. When must they be served or discarded? Answer: Within 4 hours. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-501.19(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Gulf shrimp are thawed submerged in a prep sink with the tap flowing. What is the upper limit for that water? Answer: 70°F. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-501.13(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • House-made potato salad is kept at 41°F. Counting the day it was made as Day 1, how long may it be kept? Answer: 7 days. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-501.17(A) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Pico de gallo with cut tomatoes is kept in a reach-in cooler. What is the warmest it may be? Answer: 41°F. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-501.16(A)(2) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Queso sits in a warmer on a serving line. What is the lowest temperature it may be held at? Answer: 135°F. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-501.16(A)(1) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Steamed green beans are cooked to go on a hot buffet. What temperature must they reach? Answer: 135°F. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 3-401.13 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Tuna salad is mixed from cans kept at room temperature. How soon must it be cooled to 41°F? Answer: Within 4 hours. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-501.14(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))

Handwashing and hygiene 12

  • A cashier is about to put on gloves to assemble tacos. What comes first? Answer: Washing hands. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-301.14(H) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A cook finishes portioning raw chicken in single-use gloves and turns to slicing tomatoes. What happens to the gloves? Answer: They are discarded. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-304.15(A) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A line cook wears artificial fingernails. When may that cook work with exposed food? Answer: Only while wearing intact gloves in good repair. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-302.11(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A new hire asks how long a proper handwash lasts in all. What minimum does the 2017 Food Code give? Answer: 20 seconds. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-301.12(A) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A pitmaster checks a barbecue sauce with a spoon and wants another taste. What about the spoon? Answer: It may not be used a second time. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 3-301.12 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A taqueria has a lettuce sink, a three-compartment sink, a mop sink and a hand sink. Where are hands washed? Answer: In a handwashing sink. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 2-301.15 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A tortilla press operator wants to keep something on while working the dough. What does the jewelry rule allow? Answer: A plain ring such as a wedding band. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 2-303.11 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A worker building a sandwich has no gloves on. What does the code say about touching the bread and lettuce? Answer: No bare hand contact with exposed ready-to-eat food. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-301.11(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • How may a cook keep a drink at the station? Answer: In a closed beverage container. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-401.11(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • When may hand antiseptic be used in place of washing? Answer: Never; it goes only on hands already washed. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-301.16(A)(3) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Which workers need not wear a hair restraint under the code? Answer: Counter staff serving only drinks and packaged food. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-402.11(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Within the handwash, how long are the lathered hands rubbed together? Answer: At least 10 to 15 seconds. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-301.12(B)(3) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))

Employee illness 7

  • A cook has a cut on a finger that is covered. What goes over the bandage or finger cot? Answer: A single-use glove. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 2-401.13 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A food employee has had jaundice for three days. What does the code require? Answer: Exclusion from the food establishment. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-201.12(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A fry cook threw up an hour before clocking in. What is the manager's duty under the code? Answer: Exclude the employee from the establishment. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-201.12(A)(1) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A Texas line cook gets lab results from a clinic. Which result has to be reported at work under the 2017 edition? Answer: Norovirus. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-201.11(A)(2) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A worker sent home for vomiting never saw a clinic. How long without symptoms before the worker may be reinstated? Answer: At least 24 hours. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-201.13(A)(1)(a) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Before a shift at a Houston cafe, which of these does a worker have to tell the person in charge about? Answer: Sore throat with fever. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 2-201.11(A)(1) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Cedar pollen has a busser sneezing nonstop with a dripping nose. Which job may that busser not do? Answer: Working with exposed food or clean utensils. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 2-401.12 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))

Protecting food 10

  • A basket of unwrapped tortilla chips comes back from a table half full. What may be done with it? Answer: It may not be offered again as food. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-306.14(A) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A counter rag is used all afternoon at a kolache shop. Where does it sit when no one is wiping? Answer: In a chemical sanitizer solution. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-304.14(B)(1) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A customer asks which ingredient in a flour tortilla counts as a major food allergen. Which is it? Answer: Wheat. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 1-201.10(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A serving spoon for hot rice is kept in a container of water between uses. How hot must the water be? Answer: 135°F. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-304.12(F) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Cases of canned tomatoes are stacked in a dry storeroom. What is the least clearance from the floor? Answer: At least 6 inches. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-305.11(A)(3) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • How long are the tags from a sack of live oysters kept after the sack is emptied? Answer: 90 calendar days. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-203.12(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Ice was used to keep canned sodas cold. May it go into a customer's drink? Answer: No, it may not be used as food. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 3-303.11 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • In a walk-in, where does raw chicken go in relation to washed lettuce? Answer: Apart from it, where it cannot drip on the lettuce. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-302.11(A)(1) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Sugar is moved from its bag into an unmarked tub. What does the tub need? Answer: The common name of the food. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 3-302.12 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • Whole cantaloupes arrive from the farm. When are they washed? Answer: Before being cut. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 3-302.15(A) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))

Cleaning and sanitizing 7

  • A griddle scraper is in constant use with raw and cooked meat. How often is it cleaned, at the least? Answer: Every 4 hours. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 4-602.11(C) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • A hand sink sits beside the prep table. What else may it be used for? Answer: Nothing; it is for handwashing only. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, ¶ 5-205.11(B) (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • At which point in the dish routine does sanitizing come? Answer: Before use, after cleaning. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 4-702.11 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • The first bay of a three-compartment sink holds detergent water. Absent other label directions, how warm must it stay? Answer: 110°F. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 4-501.19 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • How are sanitized pans dried? Answer: They are air-dried. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 4-901.11 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • How hot must the water be for sanitizing by immersion in a three-compartment sink? Answer: 171°F. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 4-501.111 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))
  • What must a kitchen have to check its chemical sanitizer? Answer: A test kit that measures the concentration. Source: FDA Food Code 2017, § 4-302.14 (adopted by 25 TAC §228.1(b))

Texas's rule: the course, the certificate and Chapter 228 24

  • A chili cook-off booth runs under a temporary permit. What tableware does Chapter 228 allow for its customers? Answer: Only single-service articles. Source: 25 TAC §228.222(e)
  • A customer brings a pet dog to a Texas restaurant patio that allows dogs. Which is one of the rule's conditions? Answer: The customer keeps the dog on a leash and controls it. Source: 25 TAC §228.172
  • A worker holds a certificate from a course accredited by the state. May the city charge a fee for a local food handler card? Answer: No, a local health jurisdiction may not. Source: Texas Health and Safety Code §438.046(c)
  • At what air temperature must the truck keep Grade A pasteurized milk on delivery to a Texas kitchen? Answer: 45°F or less. Source: 25 TAC §228.62(a)(1)
  • Besides the state health department, whose accreditation makes a food handler course count across Texas? Answer: The American National Standards Institute. Source: Texas Health and Safety Code §438.046(b-1)
  • Chapter 228 takes its food safety figures from a federal model code. Which edition? Answer: The 2017 edition and its Supplement. Source: 25 TAC §228.1(b)
  • Does the 30-day course rule apply to a temporary food establishment such as a festival booth? Answer: No, the rule does not apply to them. Source: 25 TAC §228.31(d)
  • Donated food leaves a Texas kitchen for a shelter. What goes on the label? Answer: The food’s name, its source and the date of preparation. Source: 25 TAC §228.64(c)
  • The Food Code and a Texas rule conflict. Which controls? Answer: Texas law and the rules of Chapter 228. Source: 25 TAC §228.1(d)
  • How long is a food handler certificate from a Texas-accredited program valid? Answer: 2 years. Source: 25 TAC §229.178(d)(1)
  • How soon after being hired must a Texas food employee finish an accredited food handler course? Answer: Within 30 days. Source: 25 TAC §228.31(d)
  • Is there one state-run Texas food handler test? Answer: No; each accredited program may require its own. Source: Texas Health and Safety Code §438.0431(c)
  • May an accredited Texas food handler course be taken online? Answer: Yes, through the Internet. Source: Texas Health and Safety Code §438.0431(d)
  • What does Chapter 228 require a self-service buffet to display? Answer: A notice to use clean tableware on each return. Source: 25 TAC §228.63
  • What does Chapter 228 require every Texas food establishment to keep on hand for injuries? Answer: A first aid kit. Source: 25 TAC §228.211
  • What is the longest an accredited Texas food handler course may run? Answer: 2 hours. Source: Texas Health and Safety Code §438.0431(b)
  • What must be posted by every handwashing sink in a Texas food establishment? Answer: A sign on reporting symptoms and diagnoses. Source: 25 TAC §228.32
  • Where does Chapter 228 say the food allergen awareness poster is displayed? Answer: In an area regularly accessible to food service employees. Source: 25 TAC §228.33(a)
  • Where does the establishment keep each employee's food handler course certificate? Answer: On the premises. Source: 25 TAC §228.31(e)
  • Where is the original food manager certificate posted? Answer: In a location conspicuous to consumers. Source: 25 TAC §228.31(a)
  • Which person in a Texas kitchen is not required to take the food handler course? Answer: The certified food protection manager. Source: 25 TAC §228.31(d)
  • Which previously served food does the Texas donation rule let a kitchen re-serve or donate? Answer: Whole fruit, such as an apple or banana. Source: 25 TAC §228.64(a)
  • Which state agency accredits Texas food handler training programs? Answer: The Department of State Health Services. Source: 25 TAC §229.178(b)
  • Which subject does Texas law require in every accredited food handler curriculum? Answer: Food allergen awareness. Source: Texas Health and Safety Code §438.0431(b)

How this list was compiled: Texas Food Establishment Rules, 25 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 228, and 25 TAC §229.178, Accreditation of Food Handler Education or Training Programs, read in Cornell Law School's public copy (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/title-25/part-1/chapter-228); Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 438 on the Legislature's site (https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.438.htm); the FDA Food Code 2017, which §228.1(b) adopts by reference (https://www.fda.gov/media/110822/download); and the Texas Department of State Health Services' food handler questions page (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/licensing-food-handler-training-programs/frequently-asked-questions-food-handler-education-or-training-programs). All read on October 14, 2026. Each question names the rule or section it was written from. Licence: Own work. Every question, every wrong choice and every explanation was written for this site from the rule it cites. Short phrases are quoted from the Texas Administrative Code, the Texas Health and Safety Code and the FDA Food Code, which are public. Nothing is taken from any accredited program's test, any training course or any other practice test.

How it works

This unofficial Texas food handlers online practice test asks 74 questions on the 2017 FDA Food Code and the Texas Food Establishment Rules, each answer naming its source. Not affiliated with the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Read the full guide

Is this a free Texas food handlers certification test?

No. A certificate recognized statewide comes from a course accredited by the Department of State Health Services or by ANSI. Use this page as a Texas food handlers certification practice test before you pay for a course.

What the Texas food handlers test questions cover

Rule 229.178 lists the course topics: foodborne illness, hygiene, bare hand contact, cross contamination, time and temperature, and allergens. 50 questions here ask those under the 2017 Food Code; 24 ask Texas's own rule.

  • Texas adopts the 2017 edition: ground beef cooks to 155°F for 17 seconds, poultry to 165°F.
  • The establishment keeps a course certificate on the premises for each food employee (25 TAC 228.31(e)).
  • A local health jurisdiction may not charge a fee for a local card once you hold an accredited certificate.

Questions and answers

How long is a Texas food handlers card good for?

Two years from a program the state accredits, under 25 TAC 229.178(d)(1). The department's questions page says a card is valid up to the expiration date printed on it, and for two years from issue if it shows none.

Is there a state Texas food handlers test?

No. Health and Safety Code 438.0431 lets each accredited program require a passing score on its own examination, caps the course at two hours and allows it over the Internet. The state runs no test of its own.

Who needs a food handler card or permit in Texas?

All food employees except the certified food protection manager, within 30 days of employment, under 25 TAC 228.31(d). The rule does not apply to temporary food establishments.

Does a food handler practice test count in Texas?

No. These are our own questions from the public rules, the statute and the Food Code. None comes from an accredited program's test, and a score on this Texas food handlers card practice test earns no certificate.

Is there a study guide for the Texas food handlers card?

The state publishes the rules, not a guide. Each accredited program teaches its own course. The question list on this page gives every answer with the rule or Food Code section behind it.

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