Food Safety, Preservation and Adulteration
What this domain tests
Food safety prevents foodborne illness and injury. Preservation extends shelf life by controlling microorganisms, moisture, oxygen or temperature. Adulteration is the addition of inferior or harmful substances. The exam tests safe handling, preservation methods and simple detection tests.
Core rules
- Five keys to safer food: keep clean; separate raw and cooked; cook thoroughly; keep food at safe temperatures; use safe water and raw materials.
- Preservation methods include drying, salting, sugaring, pickling, canning, freezing, refrigeration, irradiation and modified atmosphere.
- Refrigeration slows microbial growth but does not kill bacteria; reheating must be thorough.
- Adulteration differs from contamination: adulteration is intentional addition or substitution, while contamination is unintended introduction.
- FSSAI is the food safety regulator; packaged foods need a licence, label and standards.
Worked example
A milk sample turns blue-black when iodine solution is added. Reasoning: iodine detects starch, so the result indicates starch adulteration, not natural milk. Pure milk contains lactose, not starch, and should not give this reaction. The next step is to record the test and report to the food safety authority; boiling the milk does not remove the adulterant.
Traps that cost marks
- Saying refrigeration sterilises food.
- Confusing adulteration with contamination.
- Using the iodine test for urea or detergent adulteration.
- Forgetting that preservation methods change nutrient quality and texture.