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Food Chemistry & Biochemistry Flashcards

7 cards from real CCS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Food Chemistry & Biochemistry flashcards as text

  1. Which enzyme causes enzymatic browning in cut apples and potatoes when exposed to oxygen?

    Answer: Polyphenol oxidase

    Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) catalyzes the oxidation of phenolic substrates in the presence of molecular oxygen, producing brown quinone pigments.

  2. What is a protein's isoelectric point (pI)?

    Answer: The pH at which a protein has no net electrical charge

    At the isoelectric point, the number of positive charges equals negative charges on a protein, resulting in zero net charge and minimal solubility.

  3. Which type of dietary fiber is fermented by colonic bacteria to yield beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)?

    Answer: Soluble prebiotic fiber

    Soluble fibers such as inulin, pectin, and beta-glucan are fermented by gut microbiota to produce SCFAs (butyrate, propionate, acetate) that nourish colonocytes.

  4. What is the primary antioxidant function of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in food systems?

    Answer: It donates electrons to free radicals, preventing oxidation

    Ascorbic acid is a reducing agent that donates electrons to reactive oxygen species, preventing the oxidative degradation of lipids, pigments, and vitamins.

  5. Which monosaccharide is the primary circulating sugar in human blood and the central fuel for cellular metabolism?

    Answer: Glucose

    Glucose is the principal monosaccharide in blood (blood sugar) and the preferred substrate for glycolysis and ATP production in all cells.

  6. What distinguishes caramelization from the Maillard reaction at a chemical level?

    Answer: Caramelization involves only sugar thermal decomposition; Maillard requires amino acids and sugars

    Caramelization is the pyrolysis and polymerization of sugars alone, while the Maillard reaction requires both amino acids and reducing sugars reacting together.

  7. Which lipid class provides the highest caloric density at 9 kcal per gram?

    Answer: Triglycerides

    Triglycerides (triacylglycerols), composed of three fatty acids esterified to a glycerol backbone, are the storage form of fat and the most energy-dense macronutrient.