Texas Food Managers Certification Practice Exam

A food manager has learned that two customers became ill after eating chicken sold the previous night. What should the manager do?

1. Immediately throw out all leftover chicken

2. Apologize and send the customer a coupon

3. Notify and cooperate with the local health department

4. Taste and smell the leftover chicken

The correct answer is: Notify and cooperate with the local health department

The recommended course of action for the food manager is to notify and cooperate with the local health department. This step is crucial because the health department is equipped to handle foodborne illness outbreaks and can carry out investigations to determine the source of the contamination. By notifying them, the manager plays a vital role in protecting public health, as the health department can assess whether there are broader implications for food safety, implement necessary measures, and prevent further illness among customers. Cooperation with health authorities also ensures that proper procedures are followed in investigating the incident, which may include inspecting the food preparation practices in the establishment, identifying any other potentially affected customers, and conducting food safety training if necessary. In contrast, simply throwing out all leftover chicken, while it might seem like a precautionary measure, does not address the underlying issue or help identify the cause. Offering a coupon to affected customers is not adequate to rectify the situation and could further damage the establishment's reputation without tackling the health concern. Tasting and smelling the leftover chicken is not a reliable method for identifying pathogens that may have caused the illness, as many harmful bacteria do not alter the taste or smell of food. Overall, notifying and cooperating with the local health department is the best response to ensure both customer safety and