CertQuestUSA
Transportation70+AK/AL/AR +moreConstruction & Safety39+CAEnvironmental99+AL/AR/AZ +moreHealthcare & Clinical196+AL/AR/AZ +moreProfessional Licensing307+AL/AR/AZ +moreEducation & Teacher Certification24+CAAviation & FAA Certification9Finance & Securities Licensing23IT & Cloud Certification6Project Management1Military Entrance Testing1View all sectors ›

Free Louisiana Food Handler Practice Test Online

Official exam: Food Handler Certification (LA)

Take a free Louisiana Food Handler practice test online: a full 22-question paper with every answer explained, no sign-up, scored by topic. The full 22-question bank and the timed simulator are $14.99 for 30 days.

First published: September 2, 2026Bank updated: September 2, 2026Published by CertQuestUSA · review process
TL;DR

Food Handler Certification (LA): a 22-question practice bank for the real Food Safety standard, 3 full papers of 22 questions each with no repeats, every question written to the regulation it comes from.

Where these questions come from

Every question in this bank cites a source -- primarily LDH Retail Food Operating Guidelines (64%) and LDH - Louisiana Food Safety Manager Certification FAQ (7%) of this exam's citations.

Take a full practice test free. 22 real questions built to the exam's domain weights, every answer explained, no sign-up required, with a domain-by-domain score at the end.
Start diagnostic
Want the whole bank for Food Handler Certification (LA)? One payment of $14.99 gives you 30 days of full access to this exam. It does not renew. No account needed to buy, and there is a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Not ready yet? Take the free practice test first.
Ways to pay for the full bank
30-day pass
$14.99
about $15 a month
This exam only. Pays once, does not renew.
Monthly
$19.99
$19.99 a month
Every exam. Cancel any time.
Yearly
$143.93
about $11.99 a month
Every exam. Billed once a year.
Lifetime
$39.99
pay once
This exam only, no time limit.

See all plans and bundles

3
full papers, no repeats
22
questions per paper
22
questions in the bank
What this exam covers
5 real sample questions
Potentially hazardous cold food being held for service must be maintained at or below:
A. 50 degrees F
B. 41 degrees F
C. 45 degrees F
D. 32 degrees F
Show answer and reasoning

Correct answer: B. 41 degrees F

Correct. Cold-held potentially hazardous food must be maintained at or below 41 degrees F.

  • A: Incorrect. 50 degrees F falls within the danger zone and is unsafe for cold holding.
  • C: Incorrect. 45 degrees F falls within the danger zone and is unsafe for cold holding.
  • D: Incorrect. 32 degrees F is colder than required and near freezing; while safe, it is not the standard threshold used for cold-holding compliance.
Source: LDH Retail Food Operating Guidelines
Poultry (such as whole chicken or turkey) must reach a minimum internal cooking temperature of:
A. 135 degrees F
B. 145 degrees F
C. 165 degrees F
D. 155 degrees F
Show answer and reasoning

Correct answer: C. 165 degrees F

Correct. Poultry must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F to be considered safely cooked.

  • A: Incorrect. 135 degrees F is far below the minimum safe cooking temperature for poultry.
  • B: Incorrect. 145 degrees F is the minimum for whole cuts of beef, pork, veal, and lamb, not poultry.
  • D: Incorrect. 155 degrees F is associated with ground meats and some comminuted products, not whole poultry.
Source: LDH Retail Food Operating Guidelines / FDA Food Code minimum internal cooking temperatures
Regarding food worker certification in Louisiana, which statement is accurate?
A. Louisiana does not mandate a statewide food handler card for general food service employees, but LDH requires each food establishment to have a certified food safety manager
B. Every food service worker in Louisiana must individually hold a state food handler card before working
C. Food worker certification is entirely optional statewide with no requirement of any kind
D. Only restaurants with more than 50 seats need any certified staff
Show answer and reasoning

Correct answer: A. Louisiana does not mandate a statewide food handler card for general food service employees, but LDH requires each food establishment to have a certified food safety manager

Correct. Louisiana has no statewide individual food handler card mandate for line staff, but LDH requires each retail food establishment to have an LDH-certified food safety manager on record.

  • B: Incorrect. Louisiana does not require every individual food worker to hold a personal state-issued card, unlike some other states.
  • C: Incorrect. While a general handler card is not mandated statewide, the food safety manager certificate requirement is not optional for establishments.
  • D: Incorrect. The food safety manager certificate requirement applies to covered retail food establishments generally, not just larger seating-capacity restaurants.
Source: LDH - Louisiana Food Safety Manager Certification FAQ (ldh.la.gov)
Under LAC 51:XXIII.305, each retail food establishment in Louisiana must have a food safety certificate issued to:
A. Every single employee individually
B. The owner or a designated employee/manager, obtained through an LDH-approved course and exam
C. Only establishments with a liquor license
D. No one; the requirement applies only to grocery stores
Show answer and reasoning

Correct answer: B. The owner or a designated employee/manager, obtained through an LDH-approved course and exam

Correct. LAC 51:XXIII.305 requires the owner or a designated employee to hold an LDH-issued food safety certificate, earned via an approved course and exam.

  • A: Incorrect. The certificate is not required for every individual employee; it is tied to the owner or a designated certified manager.
  • C: Incorrect. The requirement applies broadly to retail food establishments, not solely those holding a liquor license.
  • D: Incorrect. The requirement covers retail food establishments generally, including restaurants, not just grocery stores.
Source: LAC 51:XXIII.305 - Food Safety Certification
To earn Louisiana's Department food safety certificate (identifiable by its gold seal), a candidate must:
A. Simply pay a fee with no coursework
B. Work in food service for two years with no exam
C. Complete an approximately 8-hour food manager course through an LDH-approved provider and pass an LDH-approved written, proctored exam
D. Submit a resume for LDH review
Show answer and reasoning

Correct answer: C. Complete an approximately 8-hour food manager course through an LDH-approved provider and pass an LDH-approved written, proctored exam

Correct. LDH requires completion of an approximately 8-hour food manager course through an approved provider, followed by passing an LDH-approved written, proctored test.

  • A: Incorrect. A fee alone does not earn the certificate; coursework and a passing exam score are required.
  • B: Incorrect. Years of experience alone do not substitute for completing the approved course and exam.
  • D: Incorrect. A resume submission is not part of the certification process; the approved course and exam are required.
Source: LDH Food Safety Certification FAQ (ldh.la.gov/assets/oph/Center-EH/sanitarian/retailfood/FSCFAQs.pdf)
Same exam, other states
ALARAZCACOCTDCFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYMAMDMEMIMNMOMSNCNENHNJNMNVNYOHOKORPASCTNTXUTVAWAWIWV
Real-world data for this exam
Food Preparation Workers: real median wage (LA)May 2025$23,620/yr

Frequently asked questions

Where can I take a free Louisiana Food Handler practice test online?
Right here. CertQuestUSA's free Louisiana Food Handler practice test online is a full 22-question practice paper built to the real exam's domain weights, with every answer explained, with no sign-up and no credit card, and shows your score by topic at the end. The full 22-question bank, with every answer explained and cited to the regulation it comes from, is $14.99 for a 30-day pass that never renews.
How many questions are on the CertQuestUSA Food Handler Certification (LA) practice test?
22 questions total, split into 3 full papers of 22 each with no repeats across papers.
What topics does the Food Handler Certification (LA) test cover?
21 domains, with the heaviest weight on Food Safety Manager Certificate (9%), Allergens (5%), and Cleaning & Sanitizing (5%).
Where do CertQuestUSA's Food Handler Certification (LA) questions come from?
Primarily LDH Retail Food Operating Guidelines (64%) and LDH - Louisiana Food Safety Manager Certification FAQ (7%) of this bank's citations -- computed directly from this exam's own question sources, not a generic description.
Is there a free Food Handler Certification (LA) practice test?
Yes -- one full 22-question practice paper built to the exam's domain weights, free with no sign-up, with every answer explained and a domain-by-domain score at the end.
Need the certificate itself, not just the practice?
This page is a practice test. Certified Training USA, our sister site, sells the Food Handler Safety Awareness course with a certificate of completion.
See the course
Composing your paper...