A self-service beverage station lets customers refill their own drink cups. Under what condition is this allowed?
a.It is allowed when the refill process prevents the cup from contaminating the dispensing equipment, such as contact-free dispensing into the customer's own cup
b.It is allowed if the customer first rinses the used cup at a rinse station, since rinsing the rim removes any saliva before the refill
c.It is allowed for water and unsweetened iced tea, but sugared drinks have to be dispensed into a fresh cup by an employee behind the counter
d.It is never allowed at a self-service station, because a used drink cup counts as soiled tableware and the Food Code requires a fresh clean cup for every refill
Explanation
Unlike plates, beverage cups may generally be refilled in self-service settings when the dispensing setup keeps the used cup rim from touching the equipment. This is why soda nozzles are mounted above the cup position rather than requiring contact. A rinse station is not the condition the rule turns on, the allowance is not limited to particular drinks, and the refill does not have to be done by an employee into a new cup.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §3-304.17Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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