What should food handlers regularly monitor to ensure food quality?

Monitoring expiration dates and temperature is crucial for ensuring food quality because these factors directly impact food safety and freshness. Expiration dates indicate the period during which food products are expected to be safe and of good quality for consumption. Consuming food past these dates can result in foodborne illnesses or degraded quality.

Temperature control is equally vital, as many foods need to be stored and cooked at specific temperatures to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. For example, perishable items should be kept out of the danger zone (between 41°F and 135°F) to avoid spoilage and contamination. Regularly checking temperatures ensures that foods are being maintained at safe levels, particularly in environments such as refrigerators, freezers, and during cooking processes.

While other options may reflect aspects of food quality, they do not have the same direct connection to safety and edibility as expiration dates and temperature. For example, food color and texture can vary due to cooking methods or types of ingredients, but these are not definitive indicators of food safety. Smell and volume may provide some information about freshness, but they are not reliable indicators of spoilage or safety. Finally, price and sourcing relate more to economic factors rather than the direct quality and safety of the food itself.