Lesson 3.4.2.1

3.4.2.1 Buying and storing food safely Quiz: AQA Food Preparation and Nutrition, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.4.2.1, Buying and storing food safely: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (8585), Unit 3: Food safety, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is the correct freezer temperature for food safety?

    • 75°C or above
    • 0°C to 5°C
    • 5°C to 63°C
    • -18°C or colder

  2. What is the correct chilling range for food in a domestic fridge?

    • 5°C to 63°C
    • -18°C or below
    • 0°C to below 5°C
    • 63°C to 75°C

  3. What is the temperature danger zone for food?

    • -18°C to 0°C
    • 5°C to 63°C
    • 0°C to 5°C
    • 63°C to 75°C

  4. What is the difference between 'use by' and 'best before' dates?

    • Use by is about safety and food should not be eaten after it; best before is about quality
    • Both are about safety, and food can be eaten a week after either date
    • Best before is about safety and food is unsafe after it; use by is about taste
    • Both are about quality, and food can be eaten safely long after either date

  5. A pack of cooked ham says 'use by 3 June'. What should be done on 4 June?

    • Eat it, because the date only refers to the flavour and texture of the ham
    • Eat it after heating it to 75°C, which makes any date safe
    • Freeze it on 4 June and then eat it a week later as a treat
    • Do not eat it, because the use by date has passed for safety reasons

  6. Why should food be covered in the fridge?

    • To keep the fridge light on so the food is easier to see inside
    • To stop it drying out and to protect it from drips and contamination
    • To raise the temperature of the food slightly for better flavour and colour
    • To stop enzymes from working in the food while it is stored

  7. What is the correct use of a domestic fridge?

    • Keep it running at 0 to below 5°C, with food covered and not overfilled
    • Keep it at -18°C so that all of the food stays frozen in the door
    • Keep it at 10°C with the door left slightly open for air
    • Keep it at 20°C and place hot food in it straight from the oven

  8. Why should frozen food be stored at -18°C or colder?

    • At this temperature the protein sets and the food becomes a solid block
    • At this temperature the fat emulsifies and forms a stable layer on top
    • At this temperature bacterial growth stops, although most bacteria are not killed
    • At this temperature enzymes are killed completely and cannot survive

  9. Why is ambient storage used for some foods such as dried pasta?

    • They have a pH of 7 and must be heated before they are stored
    • They have low moisture and can be kept at room temperature safely
    • They have high moisture and must be kept at 0°C to 5°C at all times
    • They have high protein and must be frozen at -18°C to stay safe

  10. Why should a fridge door be kept closed as much as possible?

    • Air entering the fridge causes the fat in the food to caramelise on the shelves
    • Light entering the fridge causes the protein in the food to set firm
    • Warm air entering the fridge raises its temperature and endangers the food
    • Cold air escaping raises the humidity and dissolves the sugar in the food

  11. A fridge thermometer reads 8°C. What should be done?

    • Lower the setting, because the fridge is above the safe chilling range
    • Leave it alone, since 8°C is still within the safe freezing range for the fridge
    • Raise the setting to 15°C so that the food stays cooler inside
    • Turn the fridge off overnight to let the food cool naturally

  12. What is ambient storage?

    • Storage in a freezer at a fixed low temperature for long periods
    • Storage in a hot cabinet above 63°C during service
    • Storage in a fridge at 0°C to 5°C for perishable foods
    • Storage at room temperature for foods that do not need chilling

  13. A cook buys raw minced beef and wants it kept safe until cooking. Which storage is right?

    • Next to ready-to-eat food on a top shelf of the fridge
    • Chilled below 5°C, covered, on a lower shelf until it is used
    • On the counter in its wrapper for the afternoon before cooking
    • In a warm cupboard with the bag open to let air in

  14. What does covering food in storage prevent?

    • Contamination from the air and drying out of the food
    • The food from ever freezing in the freezer
    • Fat from separating out of the food as it is stored in the fridge over several days
    • Enzymes from being present in the food at all

  15. Why should date marks be checked when buying food?

    • To check the sugar level and sweetness of the food
    • To see how much fat the product contains per portion
    • To learn the protein content of the food for a recipe
    • To make sure the food can be stored safely for the time planned

  16. Why should high-risk chilled foods be bought last on a supermarket trip?

    • So their enzymes are destroyed by the bright lights of the shop floor
    • So they spend less time outside chilled storage before reaching the fridge
    • So their protein sets while the rest of the shopping is being done
    • So they are warmed by the trolley and cooked during the journey home

  17. Which is the best way to cool a large pan of soup for storage?

    • Stir it while hot and leave it on the counter until the next day
    • Leave the pan on the hob with the lid on to cool slowly overnight
    • Cover the pan tightly and put it in a warm cupboard until morning
    • Divide it into shallow containers and chill it quickly

  18. What is the effect of overfilling a fridge?

    • Food is dried out by the strong air flow across the shelves
    • Food sugar crystallises, which makes the fridge smell sweet
    • Cold air is trapped and the food freezes solid in the door
    • Cold air cannot circulate properly, so the temperature rises unevenly

  19. Why should frozen food be kept in airtight packaging?

    • To stop the food denaturing in the freezer over a long period
    • To allow the food to caramelise slowly in the freezer over time
    • To keep the food warm enough to be eaten straight from the freezer
    • To prevent freezer burn and dehydration of the frozen food

  20. Which storage temperature is correct for dairy products such as milk and cream?

    • Around 25°C, which speeds up the setting of the dairy proteins
    • Around 15°C, which keeps dairy soft and creamy in the fridge
    • Around 40°C, which keeps the dairy warm enough to kill the bacteria
    • Below 5°C, because chilling is the safe range for dairy

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