A taqueria serves each table an open bowl of house salsa with chips. At closing, several bowls come back nearly full. A cook suggests pouring them back into the batch container for tomorrow. What is the correct decision?
a.Strain the salsa through a fine mesh sieve and then stir it into tomorrow's fresh batch
b.Discard the returned salsa; open food served to guests cannot be re-served or blended back into stock
c.Combine the bowls with the batch if the salsa stayed below 41°F at the guest tables
d.Freeze the returned salsa overnight, since freezing kills what it picked up at the tables
Explanation
Open bowls at guest tables are exposed to double-dipped chips, saliva, and hands, and none of that can be undone by straining, chilling, or freezing. A sieve removes particles but not pathogens, staying below 41°F limits growth but does not remove contamination, and freezing holds pathogens rather than killing them. Returned open food must be thrown out, and pouring it into the master batch would contaminate the entire container.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §3-306.14Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
Own the complete ServSafe Food Protection Manager guide — PDF + EPUB, $19.99 →
Related questions on this topic
- A caterer will serve a plated dinner at a barn venue with no dishwashing facilities. How should the operation handle service items?
- 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 busser returns an untouched bread basket from a finished table and asks if the rolls can go to the next party since no one seemed to touch them. What should the manager say?
- Which returned item may safely be re-served to another guest?
- A seafood display holds raw oysters on a bed of ice. Which detail shows the display is set up correctly?
- A manager plans a weekend omelet station where a cook prepares eggs in front of guests, next to an open tray of diced toppings guests scoop themselves. What protection does the topping tray need?
Last reviewed: · editorial process
PrepPass team · Verified against ServSafe Food Protection Manager Exam · How we review