Free Maryland Food Handler Practice Test Online

Correct answer: A. Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food, also referred to in Maryland's regulation as potentially hazardous food

Correct — the FDA Food Code defines Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food as food that requires time/temperature control to limit pathogen growth or toxin formation; Maryland's COMAR 10.15.03.02 uses the equivalent term 'potentially hazardous food' for this same category, which includes cut melon, cooked rice, and sliced deli meat.

• B: Wrong — many foods are ready-to-eat without needing strict temperature control (for example, crackers); ready-to-eat only describes that no further cooking is needed before consumption, not the temperature-control risk category.
• C: Wrong — these foods are the opposite of non-potentially hazardous; items like dry crackers or whole uncut fruit with intact peel are examples of non-PHF/non-TCS foods.
• D: Wrong — a raw agricultural commodity is an unprocessed farm product; cut melon, cooked rice, and sliced deli meat have all been processed or cut, moving them out of that category.

Correct answer: B. No, because TCS food held cold must be maintained at 41°F or below

Correct — FDA Food Code 3-501.16 requires cold-holding of TCS food at 41°F or below to keep it out of the temperature danger zone.

• A: Wrong — 45°F falls inside the temperature danger zone (41°F-135°F) where pathogens multiply rapidly; it is not an acceptable cold-holding temperature.
• C: Wrong — curing does not exempt sliced deli ham from cold-holding requirements once it is prepared and displayed as a TCS food.
• D: Wrong — the standard is 41°F or below, not an exact 32°F; food does not need to be held at freezing temperature.

Correct answer: C. It must be accurate to within plus or minus 2°F and calibrated at least annually, or more frequently as needed

Correct — COMAR 10.15.03.09 requires temperature-measuring devices to be accurate within plus or minus 2°F and calibrated in accordance with manufacturer specifications, at least annually or more often as necessary.

• A: Wrong — COMAR does not set a fixed 30-day replacement schedule for thermometers; it sets an accuracy and calibration standard instead.
• B: Wrong — calibration is required on a routine schedule, not only reactively after physical damage.
• D: Wrong — digital thermometers still require regular calibration; the digital display format doesn't exempt a device from the accuracy standard.

Correct answer: D. At or below 70°F

Correct — COMAR 10.15.03.09 permits thawing under running water only when the water is maintained at or below 70°F, which limits how long the food surface spends in the temperature danger zone.

• A: Wrong — water above 100°F would push the food's surface further into the danger zone and promote bacterial growth rather than limit it.
• B: Wrong — the rule sets a maximum of 70°F, not an exact 32°F requirement for this method.
• C: Wrong — the regulation does specify a water temperature limit for the running-water thawing method; it isn't left unregulated.

Correct answer: A. 155°F for 15 seconds

Correct — COMAR 10.15.03.09 requires combined or pooled raw eggs to be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 155°F for 15 seconds because combining eggs increases the surface area exposed to potential contamination.

• B: Wrong — 135°F is the cooking temperature for fruits and vegetables intended for hot holding, not for a combined egg mixture, and no-hold-time is insufficient here.
• C: Wrong — 145°F for 15 seconds applies to a single intact egg cooked and served immediately to the consumer, not to a pooled or combined egg mixture.
• D: Wrong — 165°F for 15 seconds is the standard for poultry and stuffed items, not for an egg mixture.