California eFoodHandlers Practice Exam

Why must raw pork sausage be stored separately and below a crab salad within the walk in cooler?

1. To prevent flavors from mixing

2. Because of the difference in cooking temperatures

3. Raw pork can contaminate the crab salad

4. To keep the cooler organized

The correct answer is: Raw pork can contaminate the crab salad

Raw pork can potentially carry harmful bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli. If stored above ready-to-eat food like crab salad, these bacteria can drip down and contaminate the food. Similarly, storing it below can cause juices from the raw meat to drip onto cooked or ready-to-eat food, also potentially causing contamination. Storing raw pork sausage separately from other food and below the crab salad helps prevent cross-contamination and ensures the safety of the food. The other options, such as preventing flavors from mixing or keeping the cooler organized, are not as important for food safety as preventing potential contamination. Cooking temperatures for pork sausage and crab salad may be different, but this is not the main reason for storing them separately and below.