CCS Food Science & Technology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of starch granule gelatinizes at the lowest temperature range?
- Corn starch
- Wheat starch
- Potato starch (Correct answer)
- Waxy maize starch
Correct answer: Potato starch
Potato starch gelatinizes at approximately 56–69°C, lower than most other common starches.
Question 2: The Maillard reaction requires which two compound classes to initiate?
- Fatty acids and water
- Reducing sugars and amino acids (Correct answer)
- Organic acids and phenols
- Polysaccharides and proteins
Correct answer: Reducing sugars and amino acids
The Maillard reaction is a non-enzymatic browning between reducing sugars and free amino groups of amino acids or proteins.
Question 3: Water activity (aw) of 0.85 is generally associated with which type of food spoilage risk?
- No microbial growth possible
- Mold growth only
- Yeast and mold growth (Correct answer)
- Most bacterial, yeast, and mold growth
Correct answer: Yeast and mold growth
At aw 0.85, most bacteria are inhibited but xerophilic yeasts and molds can still grow.
Question 4: Which emulsifier is derived from soy or sunflower and is widely used in chocolate manufacturing?
- Mono- and diglycerides
- Lecithin (Correct answer)
- Carrageenan
- Xanthan gum
Correct answer: Lecithin
Lecithin is a phospholipid-rich emulsifier extracted from soy or sunflower that reduces viscosity in chocolate.
Question 5: High-pressure processing (HPP) is most effective at inactivating which category of pathogens?
- Bacterial spores
- Prions
- Vegetative bacteria and yeasts (Correct answer)
- Heat-resistant mold spores
Correct answer: Vegetative bacteria and yeasts
HPP effectively inactivates vegetative bacteria, yeasts, and molds but does not reliably destroy bacterial spores.
Question 6: In the context of food texture, syneresis refers to which phenomenon?
- Gel strengthening over time
- Liquid separation from a gel network (Correct answer)
- Crystallization of sugars in candy
- Retrograde starch hardening
Correct answer: Liquid separation from a gel network
Syneresis is the expulsion of liquid from a gel matrix as the polymer network contracts or reorganizes.
Question 7: Which preservation method relies on lowering pH to inhibit microbial growth through organic acid production?
- Ohmic heating
- Modified atmosphere packaging
- Lacto-fermentation (Correct answer)
- Sous vide cooking
Correct answer: Lacto-fermentation
Lacto-fermentation uses lactic acid bacteria to produce lactic acid, dropping pH below 4.6 to inhibit pathogens.
CCS Food Science & Technology 2
Which type of starch granule gelatinizes at the lowest temperature range?