A server clears a table and finds unopened, individually wrapped saltine cracker packets next to a half-eaten bowl of chili. What may the server do with the crackers?
a.Re-serve them only after wiping the outer wrappers down with a sanitizer-soaked cloth
b.Discard them with the leftover chili, because anything cleared from a guest's table counts as waste
c.Return them to service, because unopened prepackaged items in sound condition may be re-served
d.Donate them to a food pantry, because returned packages may leave the operation but not go back to a table
Explanation
Food that leaves the kitchen generally may not be re-served once it reaches a guest, but there is a narrow exception for prepackaged items such as wrapped crackers and condiment packets that remain unopened and in good condition. The exposed chili must be discarded. Wiping the wrappers is not what makes the packets acceptable, sealed packets are not automatically waste, and a sealed package may go back into service rather than out the door.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §3-306.14Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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