Prepare for the Certified Dietary Manager Exam with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Improve your knowledge with hints and explanations.

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


Which food handling practice is crucial for food safety?

  1. Cooking food until it looks done

  2. Serving food at room temperature

  3. Maintaining proper time and temperature control

  4. Preparing food in bulk only

The correct answer is: Maintaining proper time and temperature control

Maintaining proper time and temperature control is a fundamental principle of food safety. This practice ensures that food is stored, cooked, and held at safe temperatures to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can lead to foodborne illnesses. When food is kept at temperatures that are conducive to bacterial growth, typically between 40°F and 140°F (known as the "danger zone"), the risk of pathogens multiplying increases significantly. Additionally, cooking food to the appropriate internal temperature is essential for killing any harmful organisms that may be present. By effectively managing the time food spends in this danger zone and ensuring it is held at safe temperatures, food handlers can significantly reduce the risk of contamination and protect public health.