Certified Professional Food Safety (CP-FS) Practice Exam

For what purpose can food samples be collected for laboratory analysis?

1. To assess customer satisfaction

2. To verify compliance with the Food Code

3. To determine the origin of the food

4. To perform promotional testing

The correct answer is: To verify compliance with the Food Code

Collecting food samples for laboratory analysis primarily serves the purpose of verifying compliance with the Food Code. The Food Code outlines essential guidelines and regulations designed to ensure food safety and protect public health. Analyzing food samples allows regulatory agencies and food safety professionals to check for contaminants, identify foodborne pathogens, and confirm that food products meet established safety standards. This is crucial for preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses and maintaining trust in the food supply. While assessing customer satisfaction, determining the origin of food, and performing promotional testing may have their own importance, they do not directly relate to ensuring food safety or compliance with regulatory standards in the same way that laboratory analysis does. These other activities might provide insights into quality or marketing but do not focus on verifying adherence to safety regulations mandated by the Food Code.