Episodes

  • ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 66, Date Marking RTE TCS Food — The 7-Day Rule

    ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 66, Date Marking RTE TCS Food — The 7-Day Rule
    Jul 2 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - RTE TCS food held for longer than 24 hours must be clearly date marked. - Food can be stored for a maximum of seven days at an internal temperature of 41°F or lower. - The 7-day count begins on the day the food was prepared or the commercial container was opened. - When combining ingredients, the discard date of the new dish is based on the earliest use-by date of any ingredient. - Failure to properly date mark RTE TCS food is a critical violation frequently tested on the ServSafe Manager exam. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    2 mins
  • ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 65, Key Drop Deliveries — Off-Hours Receiving

    ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 65, Key Drop Deliveries — Off-Hours Receiving
    Jul 1 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A key drop delivery is an after-hours delivery where the supplier has access to the premises. - For a key drop delivery to be acceptable, it must be from an approved source and placed in a correct, secure storage location. - A thorough inspection of the delivery must be conducted by staff immediately upon arriving at the facility. - Cold TCS food must be at 41°F or lower, and frozen food must be frozen solid upon inspection. - Exam questions often test scenarios where one of the key drop delivery requirements is missed, making the entire delivery unacceptable. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 64, Receiving Canned Goods — Specific Rejection Criteria

    ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 64, Receiving Canned Goods — Specific Rejection Criteria
    Jun 30 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The immediate rejection of any swollen or bulging can due to the severe risk of botulism. - How to differentiate between an acceptable small dent on the can's body and a critical dent on a seam or rim. - The distinction between minor surface rust and severe rust that compromises the can's integrity. - Why leaking cans or cans with missing labels are always unsafe and must be rejected. - The "Let's Reject Dangerous Stuff" mnemonic for remembering key rejection criteria: Leaking, Rust, Dents (on seams), and Swelling. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 63, Receiving Dry Goods

    ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 63, Receiving Dry Goods
    Jun 29 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - To always reject dry goods deliveries if packaging is torn, damp, soiled, or shows any signs of pest activity. - That swollen or bulging cans are a critical food safety hazard indicating a risk of botulism and must always be rejected. - Why deep dents, especially along a can's seams, are grounds for rejection as they can compromise the hermetic seal. - The importance of rejecting cans that are severely rusted, leaking, or have missing labels. - The strict FDA Food Code requirement to store all food items, including dry goods, on shelves at least six inches off the floor. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 62, Rejecting Deliveries — When and How

    ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 62, Rejecting Deliveries — When and How
    Jun 28 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical temperature thresholds for rejecting TCS foods (41°F for cold, 135°F for hot) and the specific exceptions for milk, eggs, and shellfish. - How to identify unacceptable packaging, including specific types of can damage (swollen, deep seam dents) versus minor, acceptable damage. - Non-negotiable reasons for rejection, such as expired dates, evidence of pests, and poor quality like off-colors or odors. - The correct, exam-approved procedure for documenting a rejected delivery to ensure proper credit and record-keeping. - A simple mnemonic, PACTS (Packaging, Appearance, Color, Temperature, Signs of pests), to remember the key receiving checks during an inspection. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 61, Receiving ROP, Sous Vide, and MAP

    ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 61, Receiving ROP, Sous Vide, and MAP
    Jun 27 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - All Reduced Oxygen Packaged (ROP) foods must be received at a temperature of 41°F or lower to inhibit pathogen growth. - The primary food safety risk associated with ROP foods is the growth of Clostridium botulinum, which thrives in low-oxygen environments. - Always reject any ROP package that is bloated, leaking, has a broken seal, or shows any signs of damage. - To correctly measure the temperature of ROP foods upon delivery, place the thermometer probe between two packages without puncturing them. - A helpful mnemonic for the exam is: 'For ROP, think 41 and Tight,' referring to the temperature requirement and the need for intact packaging. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 60, Receiving Milk and Dairy

    ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 60, Receiving Milk and Dairy
    Jun 26 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical receiving temperature for milk and dairy is 41°F or lower, as mandated by the FDA Food Code. - Why all milk served in a commercial establishment must be both Grade A and pasteurized, and the risks of raw milk. - Key inspection points for dairy deliveries, including package integrity, date codes, and sensory checks for spoilage. - How to avoid common exam traps that use slightly incorrect temperatures or confusing terms like 'farm-fresh' unpasteurized milk. - The proper application of the FIFO method for dairy storage to prevent spoilage and waste. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    4 mins
  • ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 59, Receiving Eggs — 45°F or Lower from Approved Source

    ServSafe Manager Exam Prep 59, Receiving Eggs — 45°F or Lower from Approved Source
    Jun 25 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Shell eggs must be received at an ambient air temperature of 45°F (7°C) or lower. - Liquid, frozen, and other pasteurized egg products must be received at 41°F (5°C) or lower. - You must always reject eggs that are dirty, cracked, or have compromised shells upon delivery. - Eggs must only be accepted from approved, reputable suppliers who use refrigerated transport. - The use of eggs from local, non-inspected farms is dependent on state and local laws, and for exam purposes, approved sources are the correct answer. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins