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Maharashtra HSC Multi-Skill Food Processing (NSQF) study materials
Maharashtra HSC Multi-Skill Food Processing (NSQF) study resources

Maharashtra HSC Multi-Skill Food Processing (NSQF) practice questions

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Question 1Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

In a food processing line, which unit operation is performed first to remove stones, dust and foreign matter from raw grains?

  1. Extrusion
  2. Blanching
  3. Cleaning Correct answer.
  4. Fermentation

Explanation

Cleaning is the preliminary unit operation that removes stones, dust, soil and other physical contaminants from raw grains before milling or other processing. Blanching, extrusion and fermentation are later or different operations and do not perform dry contaminant removal.

Question 2Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Which preservation principle is mainly responsible for extending the shelf life of dried fish?

  1. Reducing water activity Correct answer.
  2. Increasing water activity
  3. Raising pH
  4. Adding oxygen

Explanation

Drying removes water and lowers water activity, which restricts the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds and slows enzyme reactions. This is why dried fish keeps longer than fresh fish when protected from moisture.

Question 3Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Vegetables are blanched in hot water before freezing mainly to

  1. sterilize them completely
  2. increase their water content
  3. inactivate spoilage enzymes Correct answer.
  4. improve their freezing point

Explanation

Blanching denatures enzymes such as peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase that would otherwise cause off-flavours, colour loss and texture changes during frozen storage. Blanching is not a sterilization step, so it does not destroy all microorganisms.

Question 4Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

A dairy plant heats milk to 63°C and holds it for 30 minutes before rapid cooling. This process is correctly called

  1. aseptic processing and packaging of milk
  2. commercial sterilization of low-acid foods
  3. ultra-high-temperature sterilization with aseptic filling
  4. low-temperature long-time pasteurization Correct answer.

Explanation

Heating milk to 63°C for 30 minutes is the low-temperature long-time pasteurization process, which reduces pathogenic and spoilage organisms but does not make the milk sterile. UHT and commercial sterilization use much higher temperatures and shorter or controlled holding times.

Question 5Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

In an air-blast freezer, which combination of factors increases the freezing rate of a food product?

  1. Higher air temperature and lower air velocity
  2. Higher packaging insulation and higher air temperature
  3. Lower air temperature and higher air velocity Correct answer.
  4. Higher product thickness and still air

Explanation

The freezing rate is increased when the temperature difference between the product and the freezing medium is large and when air velocity is high, because heat is removed from the surface faster. Faster freezing produces smaller ice crystals and usually better texture.

Question 6Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Which drying technique is most suitable for converting heat-sensitive liquid foods such as milk into powder?

  1. Spray drying Correct answer.
  2. Sun drying
  3. Drum drying
  4. Deep-fat frying

Explanation

Spray drying atomizes a liquid food into fine droplets that meet hot air for a very short time, allowing rapid water evaporation with limited heat damage. It is widely used for milk powder, coffee and other heat-sensitive liquid products.

Question 7Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

During sauerkraut fermentation, lactic acid bacteria are important because they

  1. oxidize fats to produce rancid flavours
  2. produce ethylene gas to ripen the cabbage
  3. convert sugars to lactic acid Correct answer.
  4. raise the pH of the cabbage

Explanation

Lactic acid bacteria ferment sugars in cabbage into lactic acid, lowering the pH and inhibiting many spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. This acidification is the key preservation principle in sauerkraut fermentation.

Question 8Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Which class of food additives is used to keep oil and water mixed in a stable salad dressing?

  1. Emulsifiers Correct answer.
  2. Antioxidants
  3. Humectants
  4. Sequestrants

Explanation

Emulsifiers are surface-active additives with hydrophilic and lipophilic regions that reduce interfacial tension between oil and water, helping the phases remain dispersed. They are therefore used to stabilize dressings and similar emulsion foods.

Question 9Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

In canned food processing, the F0 value expresses

  1. equivalent minutes at 121°C for spore destruction Correct answer.
  2. the time needed to freeze the product at −18°C
  3. the water activity required for microbial growth in food
  4. the amount of salt needed to inhibit spoilage

Explanation

F0 is the integrated lethality of a thermal process expressed as equivalent minutes at 121°C, using a z-value of 10°C and referenced to the destruction of Clostridium botulinum spores. It allows processors to compare different time-temperature profiles on a common basis.

Question 10Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Cut apples darken because polyphenol oxidase acts on phenolic compounds when oxygen is present. Which treatment directly inactivates this enzyme?

  1. Adding a concentrated sugar solution
  2. Blanching in hot water Correct answer.
  3. Storing the pieces at room temperature
  4. Wrapping in oxygen-permeable film

Explanation

Polyphenol oxidase is an enzyme, and heating it above its denaturation temperature permanently destroys its activity. Blanching cut apples in hot water therefore prevents the enzyme from converting phenolic compounds into brown pigments.

Question 11Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

In food processing, which term describes the water in a product that is free to support microbial growth and chemical reactions?

  1. Bound water content
  2. Total moisture content
  3. Water activity Correct answer.
  4. Dry matter content

Explanation

Water activity (aw) is the ratio of the vapour pressure of water in the food to that of pure water at the same temperature, so it measures only the water that is available. Microorganisms have minimum aw limits for growth, which is why a food can be moist yet stable. Total moisture includes unavailable water and does not predict spoilage on its own.

Question 12Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Which machine separates cream from whole milk by spinning the milk at high speed?

  1. Homogeniser
  2. Cream separator Correct answer.
  3. Spray drier
  4. Plate heat exchanger

Explanation

A cream separator is a disc-bowl centrifuge in which centrifugal force acts on the density difference between milk fat and skim milk, throwing the lighter fat globules towards the axis as cream. It is a mechanical separation unit operation, not a thermal one.

Question 13Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Fresh leafy vegetables and raw milk are normally held in chilled storage at which temperature range before processing or sale?

  1. 0 °C to 4 °C Correct answer.
  2. 25 °C to 30 °C
  3. −18 °C to −22 °C
  4. 10 °C to 15 °C

Explanation

The chilled chain for perishable foods such as milk and leafy vegetables is maintained near 0–4 °C, which slows the growth of most spoilage bacteria and reduces enzyme action without freezing the tissue. Frozen storage is used only for products intended to be frozen.

Question 14Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

A plant crushes 500 kg of tomatoes containing 95 % water. The pulp is concentrated until the product contains 70 % water. Assuming no solids are lost, what mass of concentrated product is obtained?

  1. 83.3 kg Correct answer.
  2. 100.0 kg
  3. 71.4 kg
  4. 416.7 kg

Explanation

Solids in the feed equal 5 % of 500 kg, i.e. 25 kg, and all of it remains in the product. If the product is 70 % water it is 30 % solids, so product mass = 25 ÷ 0.30 = 83.3 kg. This is a simple solids balance, the standard way to check concentration yields.

Question 15Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

In freeze drying of coffee extract or fruit pulp, the water leaves the frozen product mainly by

  1. sublimation of ice under low pressure. Correct answer.
  2. mechanical squeezing of the frozen mass.
  3. boiling of the liquid under high pressure.
  4. evaporation from the liquid surface at atmospheric pressure.

Explanation

Freeze drying keeps the product frozen and lowers the pressure below the triple point, so ice changes directly to water vapour by sublimation without passing through a liquid phase. This preserves the porous structure and retains heat-sensitive nutrients and aroma, which is why it suits coffee and fruit pulp.

Question 16Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Nitrogen flushing of a snack packet before sealing mainly helps to

  1. sterilise the product by killing bacterial spores.
  2. give the product a fizzy taste on opening.
  3. increase the protein content of the snack.
  4. displace oxygen and slow oxidative rancidity. Correct answer.

Explanation

Nitrogen is inert and replaces the oxygen inside the headspace, so lipid oxidation, rancidity and the growth of aerobic moulds are delayed. This is a modified-atmosphere packaging technique used for fried snacks, nuts and similar fat-rich foods.

Question 17Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

A dairy wants to clean tanks, pipelines and filling lines without dismantling the equipment. Which system is designed for this purpose?

  1. Cleaning-in-place (CIP) Correct answer.
  2. Dry brushing of every joint at the end of each shift
  3. Manual mopping of the floor drains
  4. Steam blanching of the product lines

Explanation

CIP circulates detergent and sanitising solutions through tanks, pipes and fillers at controlled flow, temperature and concentration, then rinses them, so product-contact surfaces are cleaned without opening the line. It is standard practice in dairies and beverage plants because it is repeatable and reduces contamination risk and labour.

Question 18Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Which class of additives is added to fats and oils to delay the development of rancid off-flavours?

  1. Anti-caking agents
  2. Antioxidants Correct answer.
  3. Bulking agents
  4. Humectants

Explanation

Antioxidants such as BHA, TBHQ, ascorbic acid and tocopherols slow lipid oxidation by scavenging free radicals or consuming oxygen, so rancid off-flavours develop more slowly. They act on the oxidative pathway that produces aldehydes and ketones in fats.

Question 19Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

The D-value of a bacterial spore suspension at 121 °C is 1.5 minutes. What does this mean?

  1. The population falls by half in 1.5 minutes at 121 °C
  2. All spores are destroyed in 1.5 minutes at 121 °C
  3. The spores need 1.5 minutes to start growing at 121 °C
  4. The population falls by 90 % in 1.5 minutes at 121 °C Correct answer.

Explanation

The D-value, or decimal reduction time, is the heating time at a stated temperature needed to reduce a microbial population by one log cycle, i.e. to 10 % of its initial number. A D-value of 1.5 minutes at 121 °C therefore means a 90 % reduction in that time. Commercial sterility is usually designed from a multiple of D-values, such as the 12D concept for Clostridium botulinum.

Question 20Food Processing Fundamentals and Principles

Compared with a single-effect evaporator, a triple-effect evaporator removes roughly how much water for the same quantity of steam supplied?

  1. Exactly the same amount
  2. About three times as much Correct answer.
  3. About thirty times as much
  4. About one-third as much

Explanation

In a multiple-effect evaporator, the vapour boiled off in one effect is used to heat the next effect, which is held at a lower pressure and boiling point, so the same steam input drives several stages of evaporation. The steam economy therefore rises roughly in proportion to the number of effects, giving about 3 kg of water removed per kg of steam in a triple-effect unit.

Question 21Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A worker in a food processing unit is about to return to the production line after a break. Which hand hygiene practice meets the standard required before handling food?

  1. Wipe hands on a cloth kept at the workstation
  2. Scrub with soap and running water for about 20 seconds, then dry Correct answer.
  3. Rub alcohol gel over visible food residue and continue
  4. Rinse briefly under running water and shake dry

Explanation

Effective handwashing needs soap, running water and friction for about 20 seconds, covering palms, backs, between the fingers and under the nails, followed by thorough drying. Alcohol gel is a fallback for visibly clean hands and does not remove food residue or soil.

Question 22Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

Cooked food is displayed on a hot buffet counter for several hours. Which holding temperature is acceptable for keeping the food safe?

  1. Between 15 °C and 45 °C
  2. Above 60 °C Correct answer.
  3. At normal room temperature
  4. At 37 °C

Explanation

Hot holding must keep food above 60 °C so that bacteria already present cannot multiply rapidly. Temperatures between 5 °C and 60 °C form the danger zone in which bacterial growth is fastest.

Question 23Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A dry store receives a new consignment of rice while older stock is still on the shelf. Which storage practice should be followed?

  1. Store rice beside cleaning chemicals to save space
  2. Use older stock first and place new stock behind it Correct answer.
  3. Sell the new consignment first because it looks fresher
  4. Mix old and new stock to save shelf space

Explanation

First-in, first-out stock rotation ensures older material is used before newer material, reducing the risk of insect infestation, moisture damage and expiry. New stock is loaded behind or below existing stock so that the older lot is picked first.

Question 24Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A kitchen prepares raw chicken and ready-to-eat salad in the same area. Which control most directly prevents cross-contamination between these foods?

  1. Wash the raw chicken and salad leaves together in the same sink before cutting
  2. Use separate colour-coded boards and knives for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods Correct answer.
  3. Rinse the chopping board with plain water between the chicken and the salad
  4. Prepare the salad first on the board and then cut raw chicken on the same surface

Explanation

Cross-contamination is controlled by physical separation of equipment, so raw meat and ready-to-eat foods never share boards, knives or contact surfaces. Colour coding makes the separation visible and easy to enforce during busy production.

Question 25Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

After scrubbing a stainless steel worktable, a worker applies a chlorine solution to the surface. What is the purpose of this step?

  1. To polish the steel so that it looks bright
  2. To create a barrier that stops all bacteria from ever growing
  3. To reduce microorganisms on the cleaned surface to a safe level Correct answer.
  4. To remove visible grease and food particles from the table

Explanation

Cleaning removes visible soil, while sanitising follows cleaning to reduce the number of microorganisms left on the surface to a safe level. Sanitisers work only on clean surfaces because soil shields microorganisms from the chemical.

Question 26Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

In a HACCP plan for a milk processing line, pasteurisation is identified as a critical control point. What does this mean?

  1. A document that records the ingredients and quantities used in each production batch
  2. A storage area where finished products are held while they wait for dispatch to the market
  3. A step where control is essential to keep a specific hazard at an acceptable level Correct answer.
  4. A point in the process where a sample must be sent to an external laboratory for testing

Explanation

A critical control point is a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level. For pasteurisation the hazard is pathogenic bacteria, and the critical limit is defined by time and temperature.

Question 27Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A low-acid vacuum-packed food is left at room temperature after packing. Which hazard is most specifically associated with the oxygen-free environment inside the pack?

  1. Yeast fermenting sugars and making the pack swell
  2. Salmonella multiplying in the liquid drip
  3. Clostridium botulinum multiplying and forming toxin Correct answer.
  4. Mould growing on the exposed surface of the food

Explanation

Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic spore former, so vacuum packing a low-acid food without adequate heat treatment or refrigeration allows spores to germinate and produce a dangerous neurotoxin. This is why low-acid vacuum-packed products need a validated botulinum cook or strict cold storage.

Question 28Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A factory packs both peanut-containing and plain products on the same line. Which practice best manages allergen cross-contact?

  1. Store peanuts in an open bin next to the plain product and use a shared scoop
  2. Schedule peanut runs last and use a validated wet clean before the next product Correct answer.
  3. Rinse the packing line with cold water and then start the next product immediately
  4. Run peanut products first and rely on a visual check that the line looks clean

Explanation

Allergen proteins are not removed by rinsing or visual inspection, so a validated cleaning procedure must be carried out between allergen-containing and allergen-free production. Scheduling the allergen run last reduces the number of changeovers that require this cleaning.

Question 29Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A HACCP audit finds that a pasteuriser dropped below its critical limit while product continued to packing. Which corrective action sequence is appropriate?

  1. Continue packing the product and write a note about the deviation at the end of the shift
  2. Increase the pasteuriser set point and release the affected product without further checks
  3. Remove the temperature page from the log so that the audit does not raise a finding
  4. Hold and segregate the affected product, assess its safety, and record the disposition Correct answer.

Explanation

Any product produced during a deviation from a critical limit must be held and segregated until its safety has been assessed, then released, reworked or rejected with the decision recorded. Corrective action also includes restoring control and reviewing records to confirm the problem is corrected.

Question 30Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A dairy pipeline shows persistent microbial counts after routine cleaning and sanitising. Which explanation best fits this result?

  1. The stainless steel pipeline absorbs bacteria into its metal structure, so the line can never be cleaned
  2. The sanitiser was mixed at too high a concentration and evaporated before it could act on the bacteria
  3. The cleaning staff used water that was much warmer than the temperature stated on the sanitiser label
  4. Attached bacteria form a protective matrix that shields them from the sanitiser Correct answer.

Explanation

Bacteria on wet surfaces attach and secrete an extracellular matrix, forming a biofilm that limits sanitiser contact and protects cells from chemical action. Removing a biofilm requires mechanical cleaning and periodic deep cleaning, not a stronger sanitiser alone.

Question 31Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A food handler in a fruit juice unit has a small cut on the index finger. What should the handler do before resuming work?

  1. Wash the hand in hot water only and return to the filling line.
  2. Apply a loose cloth bandage and wear no glove.
  3. Cover the cut with a waterproof coloured plaster and report it to the supervisor. Correct answer.
  4. Continue work after wiping the cut with a dry cloth.

Explanation

A cut on the hand can carry pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus onto food. Covering it with a waterproof, preferably coloured, plaster and reporting it allows the supervisor to decide whether the worker should be moved away from high-risk contact. A cloth bandage or dry wipe is not impermeable and does not control contamination.

Question 32Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

What is the essential difference between cleaning and sanitising a food contact surface?

  1. Cleaning is done only after sanitising, while sanitising removes grease.
  2. Cleaning and sanitising are the same process carried out with hot water.
  3. Cleaning kills all microorganisms, while sanitising removes food residues.
  4. Cleaning removes visible soil, while sanitising reduces microorganisms to a safe level. Correct answer.

Explanation

Cleaning physically removes food residues, grease and visible soil with detergent and water. Sanitising then treats the cleaned surface with a chemical or heat process to reduce microorganisms to a level considered safe. Sanitising cannot work properly if soil remains because soil protects microbes and uses up sanitiser.

Question 33Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

Which practice is appropriate for keeping stored cereal ingredients free from pests?

  1. Keep ingredients in sealed containers on raised pallets away from walls. Correct answer.
  2. Keep the store warm and slightly damp to prevent pest hiding.
  3. Use rodenticide baits inside the ingredient storage racks.
  4. Store opened bags on the floor near the loading door.

Explanation

Pests need food, water and shelter, so stored cereals must be kept in sealed containers and raised off the floor. Pallets placed away from walls allow inspection and cleaning behind stock. Dry, cool storage and regular pest monitoring further reduce the risk of infestation.

Question 34Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A catering kitchen is checking its temperature control chart. Which temperature range is the bacterial danger zone that should be avoided for perishable foods?

  1. 60°C to 100°C
  2. 5°C to 60°C Correct answer.
  3. -18°C to 0°C
  4. 0°C to 5°C

Explanation

The bacterial danger zone is the range where perishable food cools or warms slowly and pathogens multiply quickly. It is generally taken as 5°C to 60°C, so food should be kept below 5°C or above 60°C. Time in this range must be minimised.

Question 35Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A consignment of frozen fish arrives at a processing unit with soft packages and visible ice crystals. What is the correct receiving decision?

  1. Accept it after washing the fish in chlorinated water.
  2. Reject it because the fish may have thawed and been refrozen. Correct answer.
  3. Accept it if the delivery vehicle is clean.
  4. Accept it because ice crystals prove it has stayed frozen.

Explanation

Frozen fish should arrive hard-frozen and without signs of temperature abuse. Soft packages and ice crystals can indicate partial thawing followed by refreezing, which may allow pathogen growth and reduce quality. The delivery should be rejected and the supplier informed.

Question 36Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

Before using a chlorine sanitiser on food contact surfaces, why should a worker check it with a test strip?

  1. To confirm the sanitiser has a pleasant smell.
  2. To measure the temperature of the sanitiser solution.
  3. To confirm the sanitiser concentration is within the specified range. Correct answer.
  4. To check that the sanitiser has removed all visible grease.

Explanation

A sanitiser works only at the concentration stated on its label or in the sanitation plan. Test strips or test kits confirm that the solution has been diluted correctly and has not lost strength. A solution that is too weak will not reduce microorganisms, while one that is too strong may leave residues or taint food.

Question 37Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

Which bin arrangement is most suitable for food waste inside a processing room?

  1. Bins with lids kept open for easy disposal.
  2. Cardboard boxes that are emptied at the end of the week.
  3. Lidded, foot-operated bins emptied and cleaned frequently. Correct answer.
  4. Open bins without liners placed beside the worktable.

Explanation

Food waste attracts pests and can spread contamination if it is left exposed. Bins should have lids, be operated without hand contact and be emptied and cleaned often enough to prevent overflow and odour. Keeping waste containers closed and away from exposed food is a basic sanitation control.

Question 38Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

Ice is used to chill a ready-to-eat seafood salad. Which requirement applies to that ice?

  1. It must be made from potable water and handled hygienically. Correct answer.
  2. It must be stored in open trays on the floor.
  3. It may be made from any water because it is not eaten.
  4. It must contain a sanitising agent to keep the salad safe.

Explanation

Ice that touches food is effectively an ingredient and must be made from potable water. It should be produced, stored and handled under hygienic conditions so that it does not introduce pathogens or dirt. Ice should never be made from non-potable water or stored where it can be contaminated.

Question 39Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A batch of cooked rice is left at room temperature, then reheated thoroughly. Laboratory tests find a high level of staphylococcal enterotoxin but very few live Staphylococcus aureus cells. What is the correct interpretation?

  1. The enterotoxin was produced by spoilage moulds during storage.
  2. The result is invalid because Staphylococcus aureus cannot grow in rice.
  3. Reheating has made the rice safe because live cells are low.
  4. The toxin is heat-stable and may remain a hazard even after reheating. Correct answer.

Explanation

Staphylococcus aureus can grow in cooked rice that is held in the danger zone and produce enterotoxins. These toxins are heat-stable, so thorough reheating may kill the live cells but not destroy the toxin. A high toxin level therefore remains a food safety hazard even when viable counts are low.

Question 40Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A worker prepares a 200 ppm chlorine sanitiser in warm water that contains visible food debris. Why may the solution fail to sanitise effectively?

  1. A 200 ppm solution is too strong to be used on food contact surfaces.
  2. Organic matter and warm storage reduce the available chlorine in the solution. Correct answer.
  3. Chlorine only works in water above 60°C.
  4. Food debris increases the pH to a level that kills bacteria.

Explanation

Chlorine is used up when it reacts with food soil, so debris in the water lowers the free chlorine available for sanitising. Warm solutions also lose chlorine more quickly than cool ones. The surface should be cleaned first and the sanitiser made fresh at the specified concentration and temperature.

Question 41Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A food handler in a snack production unit develops vomiting and diarrhoea before the shift. What is the most appropriate action?

  1. Wear two pairs of gloves and continue working at the cold store
  2. Take an anti-diarrhoeal tablet and begin work at the packing station
  3. Report to the supervisor and stay away from food handling until cleared Correct answer.
  4. Wash hands with soap and start work if there is no fever

Explanation

A food handler with vomiting or diarrhoea can shed pathogens such as Salmonella or norovirus and must not handle food. The correct action is to report to the supervisor and remain off food-handling duties until the unit's exclusion policy and medical clearance allow return.

Question 42Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A worker is manually cleaning a stainless steel bowl used for batter. Which sequence follows accepted cleaning and sanitising practice?

  1. Scrape, wash with detergent, rinse, sanitise and air-dry Correct answer.
  2. Sanitise, wash with detergent, rinse and air-dry
  3. Rinse, sanitise, wash with detergent and air-dry
  4. Wash with detergent, apply sanitiser, rinse with clean water and air-dry

Explanation

Surfaces must first be freed of visible food soil, then washed with detergent, rinsed, treated with sanitiser and allowed to air-dry. Sanitiser works poorly on soiled surfaces, and detergent residue can interfere with sanitising action.

Question 43Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

Where should cleaning detergents and sanitisers be kept in a food processing unit?

  1. Under the worktable in the production room for quick access
  2. In labelled containers in a separate locked store away from food Correct answer.
  3. In unlabelled bottles kept beside the hand-wash basin for easy refilling
  4. On an open shelf directly above the ingredient bins

Explanation

Chemicals must be stored in clearly labelled, original or approved containers in a dedicated area away from food, ingredients and packaging. This prevents mistaken use, spills and chemical contamination of food.

Question 44Food Safety, Hygiene and Sanitation

A HACCP team for a spice grinding line reviews weekly swab results and internal audit reports to confirm that the hygiene controls are working as planned. Which HACCP activity does this describe?

  1. Hazard analysis
  2. Corrective action
  3. Verification Correct answer.
  4. Monitoring

Explanation

Verification uses records, audits, swabs and other checks to confirm that the HACCP plan is being implemented and is effective. Monitoring is the routine observation or measurement of a critical limit at a CCP, while corrective action is taken after a deviation.

Question 45Food Preservation, Storage and Spoilage Control

In drying of vegetables and fish, which change is the main reason the product resists spoilage during storage at room temperature?

  1. It raises the pH of the food to a level at which bacteria cannot survive.
  2. It deposits a chemical film on the surface that blocks entry of microbes.
  3. It raises the internal temperature above 100 °C and destroys all bacterial spores.
  4. It lowers water activity, so microbes lack the moisture needed for growth. Correct answer.

Explanation

Drying removes free water and lowers water activity (aw), which is the water actually available to microorganisms. Below a critical aw, bacteria, yeasts and moulds cannot multiply, so the food keeps longer even without refrigeration. Heat during drying may kill some organisms, but moisture removal is the main preservative principle.

Question 46Food Preservation, Storage and Spoilage Control

Pasteurised milk from a dairy plant is held in a chilled cabinet before dispatch. Which storage temperature range is correct for this product?

  1. 30–35 °C, which is an incubator temperature
  2. −18 °C or below, so that ice crystals form in the milk
  3. 0–5 °C, held in a refrigerated cabinet Correct answer.
  4. 15–20 °C, which is normal ambient room temperature

Explanation

Pasteurised milk is a perishable, low-acid product, so it must be held at refrigeration temperature, conventionally 0–5 °C, to slow the growth of surviving bacteria. In this range the milk remains acceptable for its declared chilled shelf life. Warmer holding allows rapid multiplication of spoilage organisms and pathogens.

Question 47Food Preservation, Storage and Spoilage Control

A sealed tin of ghee kept too long in a warm store develops a sharp, tallowy smell. Which type of spoilage does this indicate?

  1. Freezer burn caused by moisture loss
  2. Oxidative rancidity of the milk fat Correct answer.
  3. Enzymatic browning caused by polyphenol oxidase
  4. Microbial putrefaction caused by proteolytic bacteria

Explanation

Rancidity is the oxidative breakdown of fat, producing aldehydes, ketones and free fatty acids with a tallowy or soapy odour. It is a chemical change, not microbial growth, and is accelerated by light, heat and traces of copper or iron. Ghee is highly susceptible because it is almost pure fat.

Question 48Food Preservation, Storage and Spoilage Control

Green peas are blanched in hot water before being packed and frozen. What is the main purpose of this blanching step?

  1. It sterilises the vegetable so that no microorganisms remain on the tissue.
  2. It inactivates enzymes that cause browning and off-flavours in storage. Correct answer.
  3. It increases the water content so that the cells stay turgid after freezing.
  4. It firms the tissue by depositing calcium salts in the cell walls.

Explanation

Blanching for about 1–3 minutes in hot water or steam denatures peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase. If these enzymes remain active, frozen vegetables develop hay-like off-flavours, browning and loss of vitamin C during frozen storage. Blanching also expels tissue gases and helps retain colour.

Question 49Food Preservation, Storage and Spoilage Control

A processor cans low-acid vegetables such as French beans. Why must the sealed cans be heated in a pressure retort at about 121 °C instead of being boiled at 100 °C?

  1. A temperature of 121 °C is needed to gelatinise the starch in the beans.
  2. Spores of Clostridium botulinum survive boiling and need about 121 °C. Correct answer.
  3. Pressure retorting adds oxygen, which keeps the vegetable colour bright.
  4. Boiling at 100 °C makes the cans burst because of steam pressure inside.

Explanation

Clostridium botulinum forms heat-resistant spores that survive boiling at 100 °C. In low-acid foods (pH above 4.6) these spores can germinate in the anaerobic can and produce a deadly neurotoxin, so a pressurised retort at about 116–121 °C is used to achieve commercial sterility. Pressure is applied because it raises the boiling temperature of water.

Question 50Food Preservation, Storage and Spoilage Control

Mango pieces for murabba are steeped in heavy sugar syrup. What preservation effect does the syrup mainly provide?

  1. It supplies nitrogen that encourages the growth of desirable yeasts on the fruit.
  2. It sterilises the fruit by heating it to 121 °C under pressure.
  3. It draws water from the tissue and lowers water activity, restricting microbes. Correct answer.
  4. It neutralises the fruit acids and raises the pH above 7.

Explanation

Heavy sugar syrup, like strong salt brine, is hypertonic, so water moves out of the fruit cells by osmosis. This lowers water activity in both the syrup and the tissue, and the high soluble solids also impose osmotic stress on microorganisms. The product is further protected by its natural acidity and hygienic packaging.