NYC Food Protection Certificate

Under NYC rules, when a worker prepares ready-to-eat food such as a sandwich or salad, how may they handle it?

1. AWith clean bare hands only
2. BWith bare hands after washing for 10 seconds
3. CUsing single-use gloves, tongs, deli tissue, or other utensils — no bare-hand contactCorrect
4. DWith bare hands as long as they use hand sanitizer

Why: NYC prohibits bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food; workers must use gloves, tongs, deli tissue, or other utensils. This barrier keeps pathogens from hands, such as Norovirus and Hepatitis A, off food that will not be cooked again. Handwashing is still required before putting on gloves or handling any utensils.NYC Health Code Article 81

The NYC DOHMH food protection course identifies several highly contagious pathogens that an establishment must report and for which it must exclude workers. What does the 'Big 6' refer to?

1. AStaphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, and Listeria
2. BNorovirus, Hepatitis A, Shigella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Salmonella Typhi, and nontyphoidal SalmonellaCorrect
3. CAnisakis, tapeworm, roundworm, and fluke
4. DBotulism, ciguatera, scombroid, and mold toxins

Why: The Big 6 are highly infectious pathogens easily transmitted by food workers: Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Shigella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (such as O157:H7), Salmonella Typhi, and nontyphoidal Salmonella. A worker diagnosed with any of these must be excluded or restricted and reported to the health department. The other choices list toxins, parasites, and toxin-forming bacteria that are not the reportable Big 6.NYC Health Code Article 81