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NSSCO Home Economics 6155 study materials
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NSSCO Home Economics 6155 practice questions

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Question 1Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which nutrient provides the amino acids needed for growth and repair of body tissues?

  1. Dietary fibre
  2. Vitamin C
  3. Protein Correct answer.
  4. Calcium

Explanation

Protein is digested into amino acids, which are used to build and repair tissues such as muscle and skin. Vitamin C is needed for collagen formation, calcium is a mineral that hardens bones and teeth, and dietary fibre mainly supports digestion. None of those nutrients supplies the amino acids used as building blocks for tissue repair.

Question 2Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

In food safety, which temperature range is commonly called the danger zone because bacteria multiply rapidly there?

  1. Between 60 °C and 100 °C
  2. Between 5 °C and 60 °C Correct answer.
  3. Below 0 °C
  4. Above 100 °C

Explanation

Food-poisoning bacteria generally multiply fastest in warm conditions, and the range from about 5 °C to 60 °C is commonly described as the danger zone. Keeping food colder than 5 °C or hotter than 60 °C slows or stops this growth. Freezing slows bacterial growth, and boiling kills many organisms but is not a range in which food is held.

Question 3Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A meal planner pairs a bean stew with a glass of orange juice. What is the main nutritional reason for this pairing?

  1. The orange juice adds vitamin B12, which beans lack.
  2. The juice provides fat needed to digest bean protein.
  3. The orange juice neutralises the fibre in the beans.
  4. Vitamin C helps absorb non-haem iron from the beans. Correct answer.

Explanation

Vitamin C promotes the absorption of non-haem iron, the form of iron found in beans and other plant foods. Pairing the bean stew with orange juice therefore improves the iron value of the meal. Orange juice is not a source of vitamin B12, does not neutralise fibre, and does not provide the fat needed to digest protein.

Question 4Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which statement best explains why drying preserves food?

  1. It raises the food's pH so bacteria cannot survive.
  2. It coats the food surface with a protective oil layer.
  3. It kills all bacterial spores by heating the food to boiling.
  4. It removes water so microorganisms have less moisture for growth. Correct answer.

Explanation

Drying removes most of the water that bacteria, yeasts and moulds need for growth, so it preserves food by lowering water activity. It does not raise pH, apply an oil coating, or reliably kill all bacterial spores. Some dried foods still need careful storage to prevent mould.

Question 5Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Why is a roast joint of meat usually rested for several minutes after being removed from the oven?

  1. So connective tissue is completely converted into sugar.
  2. So the internal temperature falls into the danger zone.
  3. So the surface becomes crisp through further evaporation.
  4. So the juices redistribute and the meat is easier to carve. Correct answer.

Explanation

During roasting, juices are driven towards the centre of the meat. Resting allows them to redistribute through the joint, so less juice is lost when it is carved and the meat is moister. Resting is not intended to push the meat into the danger zone, crisp the surface, or turn connective tissue into sugar.

Question 6Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

To reduce the risk of cross-contamination during food preparation, which practice is most appropriate?

  1. Use separate chopping boards for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods. Correct answer.
  2. Store cooked foods below raw meat in the refrigerator.
  3. Rinse raw meat under running water before chopping it.
  4. Use the same cloth to wipe a raw chicken board and then a salad bowl.

Explanation

Raw meat can carry pathogens, and boards, knives and cloths used on it can transfer these to ready-to-eat foods. Using separate boards prevents this cross-contamination. Wiping both with one cloth spreads bacteria, rinsing raw meat can splash pathogens around, and raw meat should be stored below cooked food so drips cannot fall onto it.

Question 7Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

In meal planning for a person with diabetes, which choice is most consistent with controlling blood glucose?

  1. Choosing large portions of refined white bread at each meal.
  2. Taking all carbohydrate foods only at the evening meal.
  3. Selecting high-fibre starchy foods and spacing carbohydrate across the day. Correct answer.
  4. Avoiding all carbohydrate foods, including vegetables and fruit.

Explanation

High-fibre starchy foods are digested more slowly and help avoid sharp rises in blood glucose, while spreading carbohydrate across the day keeps intake steady. Refined white bread in large portions can raise blood glucose quickly. Avoiding all carbohydrate is unnecessary and may remove valuable fibre, vitamins and minerals, and taking all carbohydrate at one meal does not support good control.

Question 8Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which cooking practice best helps retain water-soluble vitamins in vegetables?

  1. Boiling vegetables in a large volume of water for a long time.
  2. Adding bicarbonate of soda to the cooking water.
  3. Steaming vegetables until just tender and serving the cooking liquid if practical. Correct answer.
  4. Soaking cut vegetables in water for a long time before cooking.

Explanation

Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and many B vitamins can leach into cooking water and are destroyed by prolonged heat. Steaming until just tender uses little water and shortens cooking time, so fewer vitamins are lost. Soaking cut vegetables, boiling in a large volume of water, and adding bicarbonate of soda all increase vitamin loss.

Question 9Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Home-canned low-acid vegetables are a particular food-safety concern because they can support the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Which explanation is most accurate?

  1. The bacterium grows best in a high-acid environment, so vegetables are especially suitable.
  2. Its spores survive boiling and can grow in the sealed, low-acid, moist jar. Correct answer.
  3. The toxin is produced only when the jar is stored at freezer temperatures below 0 °C.
  4. The spores multiply only after the jar is opened and the contents are exposed to air.

Explanation

Clostridium botulinum forms spores that can survive ordinary boiling, and sealed jars of low-acid vegetables provide the moist, oxygen-free conditions in which surviving spores can grow and produce toxin. The spores do not need the jar to be opened, and the bacterium is not favoured by high acid or by freezer temperatures. This is why low-acid foods require pressure canning rather than boiling-water processing.

Question 10Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

When making mayonnaise, why should the oil be added slowly while the mixture is whisked continuously?

  1. To cook the egg yolk gently so that it thickens the sauce.
  2. To keep the mixture cool enough to prevent the egg from spoiling.
  3. To break the oil into small droplets and form a stable emulsion. Correct answer.
  4. To allow the oil to absorb water and become saturated.

Explanation

Mayonnaise is an emulsion in which tiny oil droplets are dispersed in the water-based ingredients. Adding oil slowly while whisking helps form and stabilise these droplets, and lecithin in egg yolk acts as an emulsifier. If all the oil is added at once, the emulsion can break and the sauce can separate.

Question 11Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which nutrient is the body's main source of energy?

  1. Calcium
  2. Carbohydrate Correct answer.
  3. Protein
  4. Vitamin C

Explanation

Carbohydrate is the body's preferred and most readily available energy source, supplying about 4 kcal per gram. Protein can be used for energy, but its main roles are growth and repair, while vitamin C and calcium do not provide energy.

Question 12Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which food is the richest source of dietary fibre?

  1. Cheddar cheese
  2. Chicken breast
  3. Brown rice Correct answer.
  4. White bread

Explanation

Brown rice retains the bran layer, which is rich in dietary fibre, whereas white bread is made from refined flour with much of the fibre removed. Cheese and chicken are animal foods and contain no dietary fibre.

Question 13Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which vitamin does the body produce when skin is exposed to sunlight?

  1. Vitamin C
  2. Vitamin K
  3. Vitamin D Correct answer.
  4. Vitamin A

Explanation

Ultraviolet light in sunlight triggers vitamin D synthesis in the skin, and this is the main source of vitamin D for many people. Vitamins A, C and K must be obtained mainly from food because the body does not make them in this way.

Question 14Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A teenager with iron-deficiency anaemia is advised to increase iron-rich foods. Which food is the best source of haem iron?

  1. Milk
  2. Spinach
  3. White rice
  4. Lean beef Correct answer.

Explanation

Haem iron is found in animal foods such as lean beef and is absorbed more efficiently than non-haem iron from plants. Spinach contains non-haem iron, while milk and white rice are poor iron sources.

Question 15Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

In food preservation, why does salting meat and fish help to prevent spoilage?

  1. It adds vitamins that stop bacterial growth.
  2. It raises the pH so bacteria become inactive.
  3. It removes all oxygen from the food.
  4. It lowers the water activity so microorganisms cannot multiply. Correct answer.

Explanation

Salt draws water out of food and binds available water, lowering water activity; bacteria and moulds need available water to grow. Salt does not remove oxygen, raise pH, or add protective vitamins.

Question 16Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which packed lunch is most balanced for a school child?

  1. Tuna wholemeal sandwich, carrots, apple and milk Correct answer.
  2. A slice of cake and a thick milkshake
  3. White bread with jam and sweetened fruit juice
  4. Chocolate bar, crisps and a fizzy drink

Explanation

A balanced packed lunch should provide energy, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals from several food groups. The tuna sandwich gives protein and carbohydrate, the vegetables and fruit add fibre and vitamins, and milk supplies calcium. The other options are high in sugar and fat and low in fibre and micronutrients.

Question 17Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

What is the safest way to thaw a frozen chicken before cooking?

  1. Place it in warm water in the sink.
  2. Put it in direct sunlight.
  3. Thaw it in the refrigerator on a plate. Correct answer.
  4. Leave it on the kitchen counter at room temperature.

Explanation

Thawing in the refrigerator keeps the chicken at a safe temperature, limiting bacterial growth as it defrosts. Room temperature, warm water and sunlight allow the outer surface to enter the danger zone while the inside is still frozen.

Question 18Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Why does bread dough rise after yeast is added?

  1. Yeast produces carbon dioxide gas as it ferments sugars. Correct answer.
  2. Yeast absorbs water and swells the dough.
  3. Yeast melts the fat and creates air pockets.
  4. Yeast softens the gluten so the dough expands.

Explanation

Yeast feeds on sugars in the dough and ferments them, releasing carbon dioxide gas. The gas is trapped by the gluten network, causing the dough to rise. Softening gluten, absorbing water or melting fat does not explain the gas production.

Question 19Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A food label lists 'partially hydrogenated vegetable oil'. What is the main nutritional concern about this ingredient?

  1. It increases intake of trans fats, which raise LDL cholesterol. Correct answer.
  2. It contains no energy and can cause weight loss.
  3. It provides too much dietary fibre for young children.
  4. It is a source of vitamin C that is destroyed by heat.

Explanation

Partial hydrogenation can create trans fatty acids, which raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, increasing cardiovascular risk. The ingredient is a fat and therefore energy-dense, not a fibre or vitamin C source.

Question 20Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A snack contains 10 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate and 5 g fat. Using Atwater factors of 4 kcal/g for protein and carbohydrate and 9 kcal/g for fat, what is the energy content?

  1. 180 kcal
  2. 165 kcal Correct answer.
  3. 120 kcal
  4. 225 kcal

Explanation

Energy = (10 × 4) + (20 × 4) + (5 × 9) = 40 + 80 + 45 = 165 kcal. Atwater factors assign 4 kcal per gram to protein and carbohydrate and 9 kcal per gram to fat.

Question 21Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A breakfast cereal packet states that the product is 'fortified with iron'. What does this mean?

  1. Iron has been added to the cereal to increase its iron content. Correct answer.
  2. The cereal naturally contains iron and no nutrients were added.
  3. Iron has been removed to make the cereal easier to digest.
  4. The cereal contains iron only because it was cooked in an iron pot.

Explanation

Fortification is the deliberate addition of a nutrient to a food to improve its nutritional value, even when some of that nutrient may already be present naturally. It is used to reduce the risk of deficiency in the population.

Question 22Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which mineral is needed for the formation of strong bones and teeth and is supplied mainly by milk, yoghurt and cheese?

  1. Calcium Correct answer.
  2. Sodium
  3. Iron
  4. Iodine

Explanation

Calcium is the main mineral in bones and teeth and is also needed for blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve function. Dairy foods are among its richest everyday sources.

Question 23Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

What does the 'use-by' date on a food label indicate?

  1. The last date on which the shop may legally sell the food.
  2. The date the food was manufactured.
  3. The date after which the food may lose some quality but is still safe.
  4. The date after which the food should not be eaten because it may be unsafe. Correct answer.

Explanation

A use-by date is a safety date: after it, the food may support the growth of harmful micro-organisms and should not be eaten, even if it looks and smells acceptable. A best-before date, by contrast, is about quality rather than safety.

Question 24Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A vegetarian main meal consists of rice and lentils. Why is this combination nutritionally useful?

  1. The rice supplies the amino acids missing from the lentils, so the meal provides a fuller protein profile. Correct answer.
  2. The lentils supply calcium, which balances the carbohydrate in the rice.
  3. The lentils supply vitamin C, which helps the body absorb iron from the rice.
  4. The rice supplies fat, which helps the body absorb protein from the lentils.

Explanation

Cereals such as rice are limited in lysine, while pulses such as lentils are limited in methionine. Eaten together, they complement each other's amino acid patterns and give a protein quality closer to that of animal foods.

Question 25Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A large pot of hot soup is left over after a family meal. What is the safest way to cool it for storage?

  1. Divide the soup into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Correct answer.
  2. Leave it on the stove overnight to cool slowly.
  3. Put the whole pot in the refrigerator immediately.
  4. Add ice cubes directly to the soup and leave it on the counter.

Explanation

Shallow containers expose more surface area, so the soup passes quickly through the temperature range in which bacteria multiply fastest. Prompt refrigeration then keeps it out of that danger zone.

Question 26Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

In yeast bread making, what is the main function of adding salt?

  1. It replaces the need for kneading the dough.
  2. It provides food for the yeast so the dough rises faster.
  3. It strengthens the gluten and improves flavour while controlling yeast activity. Correct answer.
  4. It prevents the bread from browning during baking.

Explanation

Salt tightens and strengthens the gluten network, which helps the dough hold gas, and it improves flavour. It also slows yeast activity slightly, so it must be measured carefully and not added directly to the yeast.

Question 27Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Why are vegetables such as green beans usually blanched before being frozen?

  1. To soften them fully so they need no cooking later.
  2. To remove all water so that ice crystals cannot form.
  3. To destroy enzymes that would cause loss of colour, flavour and vitamins during storage. Correct answer.
  4. To add salt so that micro-organisms cannot grow.

Explanation

Blanching briefly heats the vegetables and inactivates enzymes that would otherwise continue to cause colour changes, off-flavours and vitamin loss during frozen storage. The vegetables are then cooled quickly and frozen.

Question 28Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A family wants to reduce the saturated fat in its main meals. Which change is most effective?

  1. Use coconut oil instead of sunflower oil.
  2. Add extra cheese to increase protein.
  3. Replace butter with olive oil when cooking vegetables. Correct answer.
  4. Serve fried chicken with the skin on.

Explanation

Butter is high in saturated fat, while olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, so swapping them lowers the saturated fat content of the meal. Cheese, coconut oil and chicken skin are also high in saturated fat.

Question 29Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A meal planner serves a cheese sauce with spinach and claims this is an excellent way to boost calcium absorption. Which statement best evaluates this claim?

  1. It is sound because cooking spinach destroys all oxalates.
  2. It is sound because cheese contains no oxalates and spinach is rich in calcium.
  3. It is unsound because cheese prevents the absorption of all minerals from vegetables.
  4. It is unsound because spinach contains oxalates that bind calcium, reducing its absorption. Correct answer.

Explanation

Spinach is rich in calcium but also in oxalic acid, which forms insoluble calcium oxalate and lowers calcium absorption from the spinach. The cheese still supplies absorbable calcium, but the claim that spinach makes the meal an excellent calcium-absorption booster is misleading.

Question 30Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A jar of homemade jam has mould growing on the surface. Is it safe to remove the mould and eat the rest of the jam?

  1. Yes, because jam contains sugar, which makes mould harmless.
  2. Yes, because mould only grows where air touches the surface.
  3. No, because mould turns all the sugar into alcohol.
  4. No, because mould hyphae and toxins may extend below the visible surface. Correct answer.

Explanation

Moulds can produce mycotoxins and their thread-like hyphae may penetrate deeper than the visible growth, especially in soft or moist foods such as jam. Removing the surface mould does not make the remaining jam safe, so the jar should be discarded.

Question 31Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which vitamin is needed for the formation of collagen and helps wounds to heal?

  1. Vitamin C Correct answer.
  2. Vitamin A
  3. Vitamin B12
  4. Vitamin K

Explanation

Vitamin C is required for collagen synthesis, and collagen forms skin, connective tissue and blood-vessel walls, so a deficiency slows healing and causes scurvy. Vitamin A supports vision and epithelial tissue, vitamin K is needed for blood clotting, and vitamin B12 is needed for red blood cell formation and nerve function.

Question 32Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

What is the recommended operating temperature range for a domestic refrigerator?

  1. Between 20 °C and 25 °C
  2. Between 0 °C and 5 °C Correct answer.
  3. -18 °C or below
  4. Between 10 °C and 15 °C

Explanation

Food-poisoning bacteria multiply most rapidly between about 5 °C and 63 °C, so a refrigerator must hold food at 0–5 °C to slow their growth. A freezer runs at about -18 °C, while 10 °C and above falls inside the danger zone.

Question 33Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A white sauce thickens on heating because starch granules take up water, swell and burst. What is this process called?

  1. Gelatinisation Correct answer.
  2. Caramelisation
  3. Coagulation
  4. Fermentation

Explanation

Gelatinisation happens when starch granules in flour or cornflour absorb water during heating, swell, and eventually burst, releasing starch that thickens the liquid. Caramelisation is the browning of sugar, coagulation is the setting of protein, and fermentation is the action of microorganisms on sugars.

Question 34Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A mayonnaise separates on standing because the oil and vinegar no longer stay mixed. Which ingredient in the recipe keeps them combined?

  1. Egg yolk Correct answer.
  2. Salt
  3. Lemon juice
  4. Caster sugar

Explanation

Egg yolk contains lecithin, a natural emulsifier whose molecules have a water-loving end and a fat-loving end, allowing tiny oil droplets to stay suspended in the vinegar. Sugar, salt and lemon juice change flavour and acidity but do not hold fat and water together.

Question 35Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A person with a liver disorder produces too little bile, so fat digestion is poor. Which group of vitamins is most likely to be poorly absorbed?

  1. Vitamins A, D, E and K Correct answer.
  2. Calcium, iron and zinc
  3. Vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins
  4. Vitamin B12 and folate

Explanation

Bile emulsifies fat into small droplets so fat-digesting enzymes can act, and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are absorbed along with the fat. When bile output is low, fat absorption falls and these vitamins are poorly absorbed; water-soluble vitamins and minerals do not depend on bile.

Question 36Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Cooked rice is left in a warm kitchen for five hours before being refrigerated. Which food-safety hazard is the main concern?

  1. Bacillus cereus will multiply and form toxin Correct answer.
  2. Mould will grow on the surface of the rice
  3. The rice will absorb extra water and turn sticky
  4. The rice will lose its thiamin content

Explanation

Bacillus cereus spores survive cooking, and warm cooked rice allows the bacteria to multiply and produce a toxin that is not destroyed by reheating. Rice should be cooled quickly, refrigerated within about one hour, then reheated thoroughly and eaten at once.

Question 37Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A strict vegan eats no meat, fish, eggs or dairy foods. Which vitamin is most likely to be lacking unless fortified foods or supplements are used?

  1. Vitamin A
  2. Vitamin C
  3. Folate
  4. Vitamin B12 Correct answer.

Explanation

Vitamin B12 occurs naturally almost only in animal foods such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, so a strict vegan diet is likely to be low unless fortified plant foods or a supplement are included. Vitamin C, vitamin A and folate are supplied by fruits, vegetables and pulses.

Question 38Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

In shortcrust pastry, cold fat is rubbed into the flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Why does this produce a short, crumbly texture?

  1. The fat creates steam pockets that push the layers apart
  2. The fat coats the flour grains and limits gluten development Correct answer.
  3. The fat melts and dissolves into the flour, releasing water during baking
  4. The fat activates the baking powder and makes the pastry rise

Explanation

Rubbing cold fat into flour coats the flour particles and waterproofs the gluten-forming proteins, so less gluten develops and the baked pastry is short and crumbly rather than elastic. Bread making wants the opposite result, so the dough is kneaded thoroughly to develop long gluten strands.

Question 39Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A cook stirs sugar into a cornflour sauce before heating it. The sauce stays thin even after long boiling. What is the best explanation?

  1. The sugar lowers the temperature at which starch sets
  2. The sugar raises the boiling point so the starch cannot cook
  3. Sugar competes with the starch for the water it needs Correct answer.
  4. The sugar makes the sauce acidic and breaks down the starch

Explanation

Starch thickens only after it takes up water and gelatinises. A high concentration of sugar competes with the starch granules for that water, so gelatinisation is delayed and the sauce stays thin unless it is cooked longer or less sugar is used.

Question 40Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Home-made vegetable soup is to be canned and stored at room temperature. Why must it be processed in a pressure canner rather than a boiling-water bath?

  1. Boiling water cracks the glass jars before the soup is sealed
  2. Pressure canning removes all the water so bacteria cannot grow
  3. Boiling water is not hot enough to destroy botulinum spores Correct answer.
  4. Pressure canning destroys vitamins that would darken the soup

Explanation

Clostridium botulinum spores survive boiling because a boiling-water bath only reaches about 100 °C. A pressure canner raises the temperature to about 116–121 °C, which destroys the spores in low-acid foods such as vegetable soup, whereas high-acid fruits can be processed in a boiling-water bath.

Question 41Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which deficiency symptom is most directly linked to a lack of vitamin A in the diet?

  1. Bleeding and swollen gums
  2. Poor vision in dim light Correct answer.
  3. Soft, bent leg bones in children
  4. Swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck

Explanation

Vitamin A is used by the retina to make rhodopsin, the pigment that lets the eye adjust to dim light, so a shortage first shows as difficulty seeing in the dark. Prolonged deficiency can progress to dryness of the eye and, in severe cases, blindness.

Question 42Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Gram for gram, which nutrient supplies the largest amount of energy to the body?

  1. Fat Correct answer.
  2. Protein
  3. Dietary fibre
  4. Carbohydrate

Explanation

Fat yields roughly 9 kcal per gram, while protein and carbohydrate each yield about 4 kcal per gram. This is why fatty foods are described as energy dense and why reducing fat is an effective way to lower the energy value of a meal.

Question 43Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A student is packing a picnic containing a green salad and sandwiches made with raw chicken. Which practice best prevents food poisoning?

  1. Cutting the salad first, then the chicken, on the same board
  2. Rinsing the knife under cold water between the two foods
  3. Wiping the board with a dry cloth before cutting the salad
  4. Using a separate board and knife for the raw chicken Correct answer.

Explanation

Raw poultry often carries Campylobacter and Salmonella, so it must never share equipment with food that will be eaten uncooked. A separate clean board and knife stops these bacteria from being transferred to the salad.

Question 44Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A cook wants to keep as much vitamin C as possible in a cabbage dish. Which method is the best choice?

  1. Steaming large pieces quickly and serving them at once Correct answer.
  2. Boiling shredded cabbage for a long time in plenty of water
  3. Adding bicarbonate of soda to the cooking water
  4. Soaking the shredded cabbage in cold water for an hour first

Explanation

Vitamin C is water soluble and easily destroyed by heat, oxygen and prolonged cooking. Steaming large pieces quickly limits both leaching into the cooking water and heat destruction, especially if the vegetable is served immediately.

Question 45Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Why does rubbing salt into meat help to preserve it?

  1. Salt forms an airtight coating on the meat so that air cannot reach the surface
  2. Salt raises the acidity of the meat so that moulds cannot grow
  3. Salt draws water out of the food, limiting bacterial growth Correct answer.
  4. Salt adds a preservative chemical that bacteria cannot digest

Explanation

Salt is hygroscopic: it pulls water out of the meat and out of microbial cells, lowering the water activity of the food. With so little available water, bacteria and moulds cannot multiply, so the meat keeps longer.

Question 46Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A patient must follow a low-fibre diet for a few days before bowel surgery. Which meal choice is most suitable?

  1. Wholemeal bread with baked beans
  2. Brown rice with lentil dhal
  3. White bread with poached fish Correct answer.
  4. Porridge oats with dried fruit

Explanation

A low-fibre diet avoids whole grains, pulses, nuts and dried fruit because these leave bulky residue in the bowel. Refined white bread and soft fish are low in fibre and easy to digest, so they suit this short-term restriction.

Question 47Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A frozen chicken is left to thaw on the kitchen counter overnight. Why is this unsafe?

  1. Melted freezer ice soaks into the flesh and makes it watery and tough
  2. The outer surface warms to the danger zone while the centre is still frozen Correct answer.
  3. Holding the meat at room temperature breaks down its protein
  4. The chicken picks up bacteria from the counter and so spoils more quickly

Explanation

A large frozen bird thaws slowly, so its outer layers sit for hours at room temperature, which is within the danger zone where bacteria multiply rapidly, while the centre is still frozen. Thawing in the refrigerator keeps the whole bird cold throughout.

Question 48Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Which supplement is recommended for women planning a pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida?

  1. Folic acid Correct answer.
  2. Vitamin D
  3. Iron
  4. Calcium

Explanation

Folic acid, taken as a 400 microgram supplement before conception and during early pregnancy, is proven to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. The neural tube closes in the first weeks, often before a woman knows she is pregnant, so the supplement is started in advance.

Question 49Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

A wholemeal loaf made from the same recipe and method rises less than a white loaf. What is the best explanation?

  1. Wholemeal flour contains less starch, so the yeast makes less carbon dioxide during proving
  2. The bran in wholemeal flour kills the yeast, so the dough cannot ferment and rise
  3. Wholemeal flour absorbs less water, so the gluten network cannot develop during kneading
  4. Bran particles cut gluten strands so the dough cannot hold gas Correct answer.

Explanation

Bran particles act like tiny blades that cut through the gluten network as it develops, so the dough cannot stretch and trap the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast, giving a smaller loaf. Wholemeal flour also absorbs more water, which makes the dough firmer and harder to prove.

Question 50Food and Nutrition (nutrients, meal planning, food preparation and preservation, food safety)

Why does a porridge breakfast raise blood glucose more slowly than a meal of white bread of the same energy value?

  1. Soluble fibre forms a gel that slows the release of glucose into the blood Correct answer.
  2. Soluble fibre neutralises the enzymes that digest starch in the stomach
  3. Soluble fibre binds glucose and carries it out of the body in the faeces
  4. Soluble fibre is converted to fat, which does not raise blood glucose

Explanation

The beta-glucan in oats forms a viscous gel in the gut, which slows gastric emptying and the absorption of glucose through the intestinal wall. As a result, blood glucose rises gradually rather than in a sharp peak, which is beneficial in the management of diabetes.