What is the ServSafe Food Handler? ServSafe Food HandlerGlossary & Key Terms

The ServSafe Food Handler Assessment is a 40-question, non-proctored test administered through the ServSafe program that measures a food worker's basic food safety knowledge, such as time and temperature control and personal hygiene. Scoring at least 75 percent earns the ServSafe Food Handler Certificate of Achievement, which is recognized for a three-year period.

Two-Stage Cooling: The required cooling method for cooked TCS food: bring it from 135°F to 70°F within two hours, then from 70°F down to 41°F within four more hours, for six hours total.
Minimum Internal Cooking Temperature: The lowest internal temperature (held for a set time) a food must reach to be safe. Poultry and stuffed items require 165°F for one second, while ground meat requires 155°F for 17 seconds.
Hot and Cold Holding: The practice of keeping TCS food at safe temperatures during service: hot food held at 135°F or higher and cold food held at 41°F or lower to stay out of the danger zone.
Handwashing: Washing hands at a designated handwashing sink for at least 20 seconds using soap and warm running water, which is the front-line defense against contaminating food.
Employee Exclusion / Restriction: Removing a food handler from working with food when they have certain symptoms or diagnosed illnesses. This includes vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice, or a diagnosis of Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Hepatitis A, or Norovirus.
Cross-Contamination: The transfer of pathogens from one surface or food to another, typically from raw to ready-to-eat food. It is prevented by separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, using separate equipment, and cleaning and sanitizing surfaces.
Major Food Allergens (Big Nine): The nine foods responsible for most allergic reactions that staff must be able to identify and communicate about: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame.
Cleaning and Sanitizing: A two-part process where cleaning removes visible soil and sanitizing reduces pathogens on a surface to safe levels. Sanitizing food-contact surfaces is a key step in preventing cross-contamination.
Acceptable Identification: A valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID — such as a driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID — used to verify a customer's age before serving alcohol.
Dram Shop Law: A law under which an establishment can be held legally liable for injuries caused by a patron who was served while visibly intoxicated or who was a minor. Because only time lowers blood alcohol concentration, offering food or water does not remove this risk.
Temperature Danger Zone: The temperature range of 41°F to 135°F in which pathogens grow most rapidly. Keeping TCS food out of this range is the core goal of temperature control.
TCS Food: Time/Temperature Control for Safety food — items that support rapid pathogen growth and therefore must be kept out of the danger zone and limited to no more than four hours total in it.
Two-Stage Cooling: The required method for cooling cooked TCS food safely: from 135°F to 70°F within two hours, then to 41°F within four more hours, for six hours total.
Minimum Internal Cooking Temperature: The lowest internal temperature, held for a set time, that a food must reach to be safe — for example poultry and stuffed items at 165°F for one second, and ground meat at 155°F for 17 seconds.
Hot Holding: Keeping cooked TCS food at 135°F or higher while it awaits service, so it stays above the danger zone.
Cold Holding: Keeping cold TCS food at 41°F or lower while it awaits service, so it stays below the danger zone.
Handwashing: Washing hands at a designated handwashing sink for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm running water — the single most important personal-hygiene step for a food handler.
Exclusion / Restriction: Barring a food handler from working with food when they have symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice, or are diagnosed with certain illnesses. This keeps sick workers from spreading pathogens to food.
Cross-Contamination: The transfer of pathogens from one surface or food to another. It is prevented by separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, using separate equipment, and cleaning and sanitizing surfaces.
Major Food Allergens (Big Nine): The nine foods responsible for most allergic reactions that food handlers must identify and prevent from contaminating other foods: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame.
Acceptable ID (Alcohol Service): A valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID — such as a driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID — used to verify a customer's age before serving alcohol.
Handwashing: Washing hands in a designated handwashing sink for at least 20 seconds, using soap and warm running water. It is the food handler's most basic defense against spreading pathogens to food.
Temperature Danger Zone: The temperature range of 41°F to 135°F, where pathogens grow most rapidly. TCS food left in this range for more than four hours total must be thrown out.
TCS Food: Food that requires time and temperature control for safety because it supports rapid pathogen growth. On the exam, TCS food is the food that must be held hot at 135°F or higher or cold at 41°F or lower.
Two-Stage Cooling: The required method for cooling cooked TCS food: from 135°F to 70°F within two hours, then from 70°F to 41°F within four more hours, for a total of six hours.
Hot Holding: Keeping cooked TCS food at 135°F or higher until it is served. Holding at this temperature keeps the food above the top of the danger zone.
Cold Holding: Keeping cold TCS food at 41°F or lower. Holding at this temperature keeps the food below the bottom of the danger zone.
Minimum Internal Cooking Temperature: The temperature the inside of a food must reach, and hold for a required time, before it is safe to serve. Poultry and stuffed items must reach 165°F for one second, and ground meat must reach 155°F for 17 seconds.
Cross-Contamination: The transfer of pathogens from one food or surface to another, such as from raw chicken to a salad. It is prevented by separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, using separate equipment, and cleaning and sanitizing surfaces.
Ready-to-Eat Food: Food that will be eaten as-is, without any further cooking step to kill pathogens — for example salads, deli meats, and baked goods. It must be kept separate from raw foods so pathogens cannot transfer onto it.
Handwashing: Washing hands at a designated handwashing sink for at least 20 seconds using soap and warm running water. It is the food handler's most basic defense against spreading pathogens to food.
Exclusion: Keeping a food handler away from work with food because of illness. Handlers must not work with food when they have vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice, or when diagnosed with Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Hepatitis A, or Norovirus.
Major Food Allergen: A food that commonly causes serious allergic reactions and must be identified and kept from contacting other foods. The major allergens are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame.
Temperature Danger Zone: The temperature range of 41°F to 135°F, where pathogens grow most rapidly. TCS food must not stay in this range for more than four hours total, or it must be thrown out.
TCS Food: Food that requires Time and Temperature Control for Safety because germs grow quickly in it. TCS food must be kept out of the danger zone and cannot stay there more than four hours total.
Pathogen: A germ, such as a bacterium or virus, that can cause illness when it gets into food. Pathogens grow most rapidly in the temperature danger zone of 41°F to 135°F.
Cross-Contamination: The transfer of harmful germs from one food or surface to another, such as from raw meat to a food that will not be cooked again. It is prevented by separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, using separate equipment, and cleaning and sanitizing surfaces.
Ready-to-Eat Food: Food that can be eaten without any further cooking or preparation, such as salads, deli meats, or cooked dishes ready for service. It must be kept separate from raw foods to prevent cross-contamination.
Two-Stage Cooling: The required method for cooling cooked TCS food: from 135°F to 70°F within two hours, then from 70°F to 41°F within four more hours, for a total of six hours. Food that misses either deadline is not safe to keep.
Minimum Internal Cooking Temperature: The lowest temperature the inside of a food must reach, for a required time, to kill pathogens. For example, poultry and stuffed items must reach 165°F for one second, while ground meat must reach 155°F for 17 seconds.
Hot Holding: Keeping cooked TCS food at 135°F or higher until it is served. Holding food at this temperature keeps it above the danger zone so pathogens cannot multiply.
Cold Holding: Keeping cold TCS food at 41°F or lower, such as in a refrigerator or on ice. Holding food at this temperature keeps it below the danger zone so pathogens cannot multiply.
Handwashing: Washing hands at a designated handwashing sink for at least 20 seconds using soap and warm running water. It is the single most important personal-hygiene practice for preventing the spread of pathogens to food.
Exclusion: Barring a food handler from working with food because they pose a contamination risk. Handlers must not work with food when they have vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice, or when diagnosed with Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Hepatitis A, or Norovirus.
Major Food Allergens: The foods responsible for most serious allergic reactions: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame. Food handlers must know this list and keep these ingredients from accidentally contacting other foods.
Temperature Danger Zone: The temperature range of 41°F to 135°F, where pathogens grow most rapidly. TCS food left in this range for more than four hours total must be thrown out.
TCS Food (Time/Temperature Control for Safety): Food that supports rapid pathogen growth and therefore must be kept safe through time and temperature control. It must be held hot at 135°F or higher or cold at 41°F or lower.
Two-Stage Cooling: The required method for cooling cooked TCS food: from 135°F to 70°F within two hours, then from 70°F to 41°F within four more hours, for six hours total.
Minimum Internal Cooking Temperature: The lowest temperature the inside of a food must reach, and hold for a required time, before it is safe to serve. Poultry and stuffed items must reach 165°F for one second, and ground meat must reach 155°F for 17 seconds.
Hot Holding: Keeping cooked TCS food at 135°F or higher until it is served. This keeps the food above the temperature danger zone.
Cold Holding: Keeping cold TCS food at 41°F or lower, such as in a refrigerator or on ice. This keeps the food below the temperature danger zone.
Cross-Contamination: The transfer of harmful substances, such as pathogens or allergens, from one food or surface to another. It is prevented by separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, using separate equipment, and cleaning and sanitizing surfaces.
Ready-to-Eat Food: Food that can be eaten as-is, without further cooking to make it safe. It must be kept separate from raw foods to prevent cross-contamination.
Pathogen: A harmful microorganism, such as a bacterium or virus, that can make people sick when it gets into food. Pathogens grow most rapidly in the temperature danger zone of 41°F to 135°F.
Exclusion: Keeping a food handler away from working with food because of illness. Handlers must not work with food when they have vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice, or when diagnosed with Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Hepatitis A, or Norovirus.
Major Food Allergen: A food that commonly triggers serious allergic reactions and must be identified and kept from contacting other foods. The major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame.
Temperature Danger Zone: The temperature range between 41°F and 135°F in which foodborne pathogens grow most rapidly. Keeping TCS food out of this range is the core of time-and-temperature control.
TCS Food (Time/Temperature Control for Safety): Food that requires time and temperature control to limit pathogen growth, so it must not sit in the danger zone for more than four hours total or it has to be discarded.
Dram Shop Liability: A law under which an establishment can be held legally liable for injuries caused by a patron who was served while visibly intoxicated or who was a minor. Only time — not food or water — lowers a person's blood alcohol concentration.
Certificate of Achievement: The credential you earn by passing the ServSafe Food Handler Assessment, a 40-question, non-proctored test that requires a score of at least 75%. The certificate is recognized for three years.