Certified Professional Food Safety (CP-FS) Practice Exam

Which types of chemicals must be kept separate from food items?

1. Vinegar and cooking oil

2. Grill cleaner and sanitizers

3. Pesticides and rodenticides

4. Both B and C

The correct answer is: Both B and C

The correct approach to food safety emphasizes the importance of keeping hazardous chemicals separate from food items to prevent contamination and ensure consumer safety. Options like grill cleaners, sanitizers, pesticides, and rodenticides contain potentially toxic substances that can compromise food safety if they come into contact with food. Grill cleaners and sanitizers are often used in food preparation areas, and their chemicals can remain on surfaces, leading to unintentional contamination of food items. Similarly, pesticides and rodenticides are chemicals designed to eliminate pests and rodents; if food comes into contact with these substances, it could pose serious health risks to consumers. Therefore, it is critical to store and handle these chemicals away from food items to prevent any possibility of contamination. In contrast, vinegar and cooking oil, while they are both used in food preparation, do not pose a contamination risk in the same way when stored together. Their primary functions are culinary, and they do not carry the same health hazards as the chemicals mentioned in the other options. Thus, the emphasis on keeping hazardous chemicals separate from food underscores the importance of implementing safety practices to protect public health.