Which of these operations most clearly requires a variance before it may legally begin?
a.Grilling ribeye steaks (whole-muscle beef) to order during the dinner rush
b.Holding chicken soup hot at 135°F in a steam table well through dinner service
c.Packaging fresh tuna using reduced-oxygen packaging (ROP) for retail
d.Cooling cooked rice from 135°F to 70°F in shallow pans inside the walk-in cooler
Explanation
Reduced-oxygen packaging is one of the specialized processes the Food Code lists as requiring a variance and a HACCP plan, because the low-oxygen environment can favor the growth of anaerobic pathogens such as Clostridium botulinum. The other three describe standard practices being done correctly: grilling to order, hot holding at 135°F, and the first stage of cooling from 135°F to 70°F in shallow pans. Correct routine practice does not trigger a variance, so the option that does is the one naming a specialized process.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §3-502.11Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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