Practice Test GeeksCFS - Certified Food Scientist Practice Test
← All CFS Flashcard Decks

Food Packaging & Shelf Life Flashcards

7 cards from real CFS 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 Packaging & Shelf Life flashcards as text

  1. What does MAP stand for in food packaging technology?

    Answer: Modified Atmosphere Packaging

    MAP stands for Modified Atmosphere Packaging, where the gas composition surrounding food is altered to extend shelf life by reducing oxidation or microbial growth.

  2. Which property of a packaging material measures its resistance to gas transmission?

    Answer: Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR)

    Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) measures how much oxygen can permeate through a packaging material per unit time and area, which is critical for oxygen-sensitive foods.

  3. A water activity (aw) value of 0.85 or below generally inhibits the growth of which organisms?

    Answer: Most pathogenic bacteria

    Most pathogenic bacteria are inhibited at water activity levels at or below 0.85, making this a critical control threshold for intermediate-moisture foods.

  4. What type of packaging incorporates agents that actively interact with the food or its headspace environment?

    Answer: Active packaging

    Active packaging incorporates functional agents such as oxygen scavengers, antimicrobials, or moisture absorbers that actively interact with the food or its environment to extend shelf life.

  5. Which packaging polymer is recognized as one of the best oxygen barrier materials used in multilayer food packaging?

    Answer: Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)

    EVOH (Ethylene vinyl alcohol) provides an exceptionally low oxygen transmission rate and is widely used as an inner barrier layer in multilayer food packaging structures.

  6. The Arrhenius equation is commonly applied in food shelf life studies to:

    Answer: Predict chemical reaction rates at different storage temperatures

    The Arrhenius equation relates chemical reaction rate constants to temperature, allowing food scientists to predict how storage temperature affects shelf life-limiting deterioration reactions.

  7. Which test method is standardized to determine the seal strength of flexible food packaging?

    Answer: Peel test

    The peel test measures the force required to separate a heat seal, quantifying seal strength and integrity of flexible food packaging.