AAA Food Manager Certification Practice Test

When should thermometers be re-calibrated?

1. After every use

2. Only once a month

3. When they haven’t been used for a while

4. During the initial purchase

The correct answer is: When they haven’t been used for a while

Re-calibrating thermometers is crucial for maintaining their accuracy, which is essential in the food service industry to ensure food safety. The correct timing for re-calibrating thermometers is particularly important after a period of inactivity. When a thermometer hasn’t been used for a while, it may not provide accurate readings due to potential shifts in measurement caused by environmental factors or mechanical changes over time. This re-calibration helps to verify that the measurements are correct before use, ensuring that food is cooked and stored at safe temperatures to prevent foodborne illness. While it is also a good practice to check thermometers’ accuracy after every use, especially in critical situations, this is not always necessary for general operations. Monthly re-calibration can be beneficial in high-use environments but may not be strictly required for all food facilities. Initial calibration at the time of purchase is important too, but thermometers may become inaccurate long after their initial calibration, necessitating checks especially after periods of inactivity. Thus, option C reflects a key practice in ensuring the reliability of thermometers in food service operations.