ServSafe Manager Practice Exam

How should a food handler rotate canned tomatoes when combining a new shipment with older stock?

1. Place the new cans in front of the old cans

2. Mix the new and old cans randomly

3. Discard the old cans

4. Stack all cans together regardless of date

The correct answer is: Place the new cans in front of the old cans

The practice of rotating inventory, particularly with canned goods, is essential for ensuring food safety and quality. Placing the new cans in front of the old cans follows the First In, First Out (FIFO) method. This method stipulates that the oldest items should be used first to prevent spoilage and to ensure that customers receive the freshest products. By placing the new shipment behind the older stock, food handlers can facilitate the use of older products before they potentially expire or degrade in quality. This practice not only helps maintain food safety standards by reducing the risk of using expired products, but it also supports effective inventory management in the establishment. The other options do not adhere to food safety principles. Mixing old and new cans randomly disrupts this rotation method, potentially leading to older cans being overlooked and spoiling. Discarding old cans outright could result in unnecessary waste, which is inefficient and not always necessary if the cans are still within their safe consumption dates. Stacking all cans together without regard for date hinders the ability to track which items need to be used first, risking food safety.