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Free SQF/HACCP Practice Questions

10 free, exam-style SQF/HACCP (SQF/HACCP) practice questions with answers and explanations. No signup required. Work through them below, then take the full free SQF/HACCP practice test to study every exam domain.

These 10 free SQF/HACCP questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the SQF/HACCP blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.

Domain 1: Foundational Food Safety Knowledge

Question 1

A cooked product at 135°F (57°C) is being cooled. To comply with the two-stage cooling requirement, the product must reach 70°F (21°C):

  1. Within 1 hour
  2. Within 2 hours
  3. Within 4 hours
  4. Within 6 hours
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Within 2 hours

Domain 2: Food Safety Plans and Codex HACCP Process

Question 2

Two products run on the same line: one contains sesame, the other is labeled sesame-free. Which control MOST effectively keeps the sesame-free product safe for an allergic consumer?

  1. Adding a "may contain sesame" precautionary statement to the label
  2. Scheduling the sesame-free product to run immediately after the sesame product
  3. Increasing finished-product allergen testing of the sesame-free product
  4. Performing a validated allergen cleaning during the product changeover
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - Performing a validated allergen cleaning during the product changeover

Domain 3: Food Safety System Management, Audits, Risk and Leadership

Question 3

Which statement BEST describes the relationship between prerequisite programs (PRPs) and a HACCP plan?

  1. PRPs replace the need for critical control points
  2. PRPs are developed and validated only after the HACCP plan is finalized
  3. PRPs provide the foundation on which the HACCP plan is built
  4. PRPs and critical control points are interchangeable terms
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - PRPs provide the foundation on which the HACCP plan is built

More SQF/HACCP practice questions

Question 4

Before implementing a new oven cook step, a food safety team reviews a peer-reviewed thermal-death-time study to confirm that the planned time and temperature will achieve the required log reduction of Salmonella. This activity is BEST described as:

  1. Monitoring
  2. Verification
  3. Corrective action
  4. Validation
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - Validation

Question 5

While building a HACCP plan, the team must decide which process step is a Critical Control Point (CCP). At which step is a CCP MOST justified?

  1. Hand washing before entering the production area
  2. Routine cleaning and sanitizing of all food-contact surfaces performed between production shifts
  3. Cooking that is the only step able to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes
  4. Inspecting incoming raw materials for visible defects
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Cooking that is the only step able to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes

Question 6

Monitoring shows the temperature at a cooking CCP fell below its critical limit for 20 minutes during a run. According to HACCP principles, the corrective action must, at minimum:

  1. Address the affected product and restore control of the CCP
  2. Recalibrate the temperature probe and immediately resume normal production
  3. Record the deviation in the system verification records
  4. Discard all product manufactured at the facility during that production day
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - Address the affected product and restore control of the CCP

Question 7

In the Codex Alimentarius logic sequence, which task is performed IMMEDIATELY BEFORE conducting the hazard analysis?

  1. Assembling the multidisciplinary HACCP team
  2. Determining the critical control points (CCPs) for the process
  3. On-site confirmation of the flow diagram
  4. Establishing the critical limits for each CCP
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - On-site confirmation of the flow diagram

Question 8

Under the FDA Preventive Controls for Human Food rule, the written food safety plan must be prepared, or its preparation overseen, by a:

  1. Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI)
  2. Certified SQF Practitioner holding a current credential
  3. Registered lead HACCP auditor
  4. Licensed environmental health sanitarian
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI)

Question 9

A team investigating recurring foreign-material complaints keeps asking "why" after each answer until it reaches the underlying systemic cause rather than the symptom. This root cause technique is known as:

  1. Pareto analysis
  2. The 5 Whys
  3. Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
  4. Structured brainstorming
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - The 5 Whys

Question 10

The SQF Code requires that a site's designated SQF practitioner hold a specific minimum qualification. Which of the following is that requirement?

  1. A university degree in food science or microbiology
  2. A minimum of five years of food safety auditing experience
  3. A current Certified SQF Practitioner (CSP) credential
  4. Completion of a recognized HACCP training course
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - Completion of a recognized HACCP training course

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