Starbucks Food Safety Practice Exam

If food workers are sick with an illness that can be transmitted through food, what should they do?

1. Work with protective gloves until they feel better

2. Stay working but avoid certain tasks

3. Be prevented from working until fully recovered

4. Only take breaks to rest

The correct answer is: Be prevented from working until fully recovered

When food workers are sick with an illness that can be transmitted through food, the best course of action is for them to be prevented from working until they are fully recovered. This measure is essential for maintaining food safety and protecting public health. Sick food workers can inadvertently spread pathogens to food and food surfaces, risking contamination. When they are removed from their work environment, it mitigates the chances of foodborne illness outbreaks in customers, which aligns with best practices in food safety. Being allowed to work with protective gloves or avoid certain tasks does not effectively eliminate the risk of transmission, as even with gloves, infectious agents can still be transferred or might come into contact with food. Taking breaks to rest, while beneficial for the individual's health, does not address the risk associated with continuing to work while sick. Thus, having workers refrain from work until they are completely recovered ensures that they do not pose a risk to food safety.