Which of the following is NOT considered a "TCS food"?

Explanation: An employee may still work with food as long as they take precautionary steps. If a wound or boil is located on the hand or wrist it should be covered with an impermeable cover, such as a finger cot or bandage. Impermeable means that liquid from the wound cannot pass through it. A finger cot is a rubber or latex cover that fits over one finger only. There are also impermeable bandages designed for wrists as well. The finger cot and the entire hand should then be covered with a single-use glove.

Explanation: The four most common causes of foodborne illness are time-temperature abuse, cross-contamination, poor personal hygiene, and, poor cleaning/sanitizing. Time-temperature abuse occurs when foods are left in temperatures that allow microorganisms to grow and reproduce rapidly. Or when raw foods are not cooked to high enough temperatures to kill the microorganisms already within them. Cross-contamination occurs when safe food comes into contact with something that is contaminated. Or when food that requires low-temperature cooking comes into contact with food that requires high-temperature cooking. Cross-contamination can also occur indirectly, such as using the same cutting board or utensils to chop vegetables and to carve poultry. Good personal hygiene is basically a way of preventing cross-contamination or the spread of viruses from a sick person into the food. Cleaning and sanitizing are important steps in dealing with both cross-contamination and poor personal hygiene. It is important to purchase food from sources that also follow good safe food handling practices.

Explanation: A previously cooked TCS food that will be hot-held for service (not immediately served) must be reheated to 165°F within 2 hours of its removal from the cooler. After that, it should be hot-held at 135°F as usual.Also, a new dish that contains previously cooked TCS food as an ingredient should be cooked to 165°F.However, if the previously cooked TCS food was cooked and cooled correctly, and if it will be immediately served to a guest (not hot-held), it does not need to be reheated at all and can be served at any temperature.

Explanation: Cross-contamination occurs when a food or a food-contact surface comes into contact with something that is contaminated. One example is when an employee who was handling raw foods then handles ready to eat foods or surfaces that will come into contact with ready to eat foods - without first washing their hands or these surfaces. Another example is when raw foods requiring a higher cooking temperature come into contact with foods requiring a lower temperature of cooking. This can also happen indirectly, such as using the same utensils, cookware or surfaces for foods requiring different temperatures of cooking. Cross-contamination can further be prevented with good personal hygiene and cleaning/sanitizing methods.

Explanation: TCS food that is being hot-held for service should not be allowed to drop into the Temperature Danger Zone for more than 4 hours. After 4 hours within this range it must be served or thrown out.Likewise, raw TCS food should not be allowed to remain in the Temperature Danger Zone for more than 4 hours, or it must be thrown out.But cold-held TCS food is different. Cold-held TCS food can remain in the Temperature Danger Zone for up to 6 hours before it must be served or thrown out.The reason cold-held TCS food is different is that it's less likely to have spent as much time within the temperature range where bacteria grow the most rapidly.The Temperature Danger Zone is a wide range of temperatures between 41°F and 135°F. But bacteria grow the most rapidly within the smaller range of 70°F and 125°F.Hot TCS food is held at 135°F or higher and cold TCS food is held at 41°F or lower. Hot food only has to drop 10°F before it enters the temperature range where bacteria grow the most rapidly. But cold food has to rise 29°F before it enters that temperature range. This is why 6 hours is allowed for cold-held TCS food, but only 4 hours is allowed for hot-held TCS food.Although raw TCS food is stored at 41°F or lower, it has not been cooked so the pathogens have not been killed yet. This is why raw TCS food is only allowed 4 hours in the Temperature Danger Zone.

Explanation: Cold-held TCS food can remain in the Temperature Danger Zone for up to 6 hours before it must be served or thrown out.Cold-held TCS food is different from raw and hot-held TCS food - which can only remain in the Temperature Danger Zone for up to 4 hours.The reason cold-held TCS food is different is that it's less likely to have spent as much time within the temperature range where bacteria grow the most rapidly.The Temperature Danger Zone is a wide range of temperatures between 41°F and 135°F. But bacteria grow the most rapidly within the smaller range of 70°F and 125°F.Hot TCS food is held at 135°F or higher and cold TCS food is held at 41°F or lower. Hot food only has to drop 10°F before it enters the temperature range where bacteria grow the most rapidly. But cold TCS food has to rise 29°F before it enters that temperature range. This is why 6 hours is allowed for cold-held TCS food, but only 4 hours is allowed for hot-held TCS food.Although raw TCS food is stored at 41°F or lower, it has not been cooked, so the pathogens have not been killed yet. This is why raw TCS food is only allowed 4 hours in the Temperature Danger Zone.

Explanation: It is not safe to thaw frozen meat with water that is above 70°F. This is because the outside of the meat will enter the temperature danger zone while the inside is still frozen. From the time that you begin thawing the meat with hot water until the time that it reaches the correct cooking temperature, parts of the meat are likely to have been in the temperature danger zone for too long. Raw TCS foods should never be in the temperature danger zone for more than 4 hours. It is especially dangerous because hot water is actually an ideal temperature for microorganisms to thrive and multiply rapidly. The safest method to thaw frozen meat is by leaving it overnight in the cooler. But other methods are acceptable as well.

Explanation: Probed thermometers are the most common and effective type of thermometers for a foodservice operation. A probed thermometer is characterized by a long, pointy stem which is the sensing area. There are 4 types of probed thermometers, they are: 1) Immersion probes. These are used to take the temperature of liquids, like soups and frying oil. 2) Bimetallic Stemmed Thermometer. These are the most common of all food thermometers. Every foodservice establishment should have several of them. Although they can be used for many things, they are best for taking the temperature of thick foods. 2) Surface Probes. These are used to take the temperature of flat surfaces, like a griddle. 3) Penetration Probes. These are used to take the temperature of thin foods, like hamburger patties or fish fillets. 4) Air Probes. These are used to take the air temperature of coolers and ovens.

Explanation: Ice deserves consideration because it's safety risks are often overlooked. Ice has 2 purposes in a foodservice operation: it can be used as an ingredient in foods/beverages and also to cool food. Although ice is used in different ways, it often comes from the same ice machine. The biggest risk with ice is cross-contamination. Freezing temperatures do NOT kill pathogens. The ice machine and ice scoop need to be clean and protected. Ice used to cool foods/beverages should not be reused as an ingredient in foods/beverages. In most cases, ice should only be used for one purpose and then thrown out. Ice used for raw foods should not be reused for ready to eat foods. Likewise, ice for raw foods that require a higher cooking temperature should not be reused for raw foods that require a lower cooking temperature.

Explanation: The most commonly used chemical sanitizers are iodine, chlorine, and quats (quaternary ammonium compounds).If a surface does not touch food, it only needs to be cleaned and rinsed to prevent the accumulation of dirt and debris.But any surfaces that have direct contact with food such as counters, dishes, cutting boards, and utensils need to be cleaned, rinsed, and sanitized often.The chemical sanitizer should be used according to the manufacturer's recommendations. This is the typical process for cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces:1) Scrape to remove any food or debris from the surface.2) Use a cloth towel to wash the surface with a cleaning solution.3) Rinse the surface with clean water.4) Sanitize the surface with the correct concentration of the sanitizing agent. Allow at least 7 to 30 seconds for the sanitizer to work. (According to the manufacturer's recommendations)5) Allow the surface too air-dry.

Explanation: Raw freshwater fish, seafood, shellfish, and crustaceans should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F for at least 15 seconds.Some examples of shellfish and crustaceans are: shrimp, crayfish, crab, lobster, clams, scallops, oysters, and mussels.

Explanation: Staff should wash their hands frequently throughout their shift. So handwashing stations should be placed in areas that make this easy to do.Handwashing stations are required in food prep, service, and dishwashing areas. And these sinks should only be used for handwashing.

Most cold TCS foods should be received at a maximum air-temperature of 41°F. But shellfish, milk, and shell eggs are an exception. Shucked shellfish are clams, oysters, mussels, or scallops that have been removed from their shells. They can be received at a maximum air temperature of 45°F. But the shellfish should be cooled to 41°F or lower within 4 hours of receiving the delivery.

Explanation: Ratites are large flightless birds with flat breastbones such as ostrich and emu. They should be cooked to an internal temperature of 155°F for 17 seconds. But poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) should be cooked to 165°F for any length of time.Other foods that should be cooked to 155°F (68°C) for 17 seconds: Ground meat—including beef, pork, and other meat Injected meat—including brined ham and flavor-injected roasts Mechanically tenderized meat Ground meat from game animals commercially raised and inspected Ratites (mostly flightless birds with flat breastbones)—including ostrich and emu Ground seafood—including chopped or minced seafood Shell eggs that will be hot held for service