20 Food Science Quiz Questions and Answers

Food science is a multidisciplinary field that applies principles from chemistry, biology, physics, and engineering to study the composition, processing, preservation, and safety of food. It encompasses several key areas:

Food Chemistry: Examines the molecular structure and interactions of food components, such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals, to understand flavor, texture, and nutritional value.

Food Microbiology: Focuses on microorganisms in food, including bacteria, yeasts, molds, and viruses, to prevent spoilage, ensure safety, and harness beneficial microbes for fermentation (e.g., in yogurt or cheese production).

Food Processing and Engineering: Involves techniques to transform raw ingredients into safe, shelf-stable products, using methods like thermal processing, freezing, drying, and packaging to extend shelf life while maintaining quality.

Food Safety and Toxicology: Addresses hazards such as pathogens, allergens, and chemical contaminants, emphasizing risk assessment, regulatory standards (e.g., HACCP), and methods to minimize foodborne illnesses.

Sensory Science and Nutrition: Studies human perception of food attributes like taste, aroma, and appearance, alongside the role of food in health, including nutrient bioavailability and the development of functional foods.

The field plays a crucial role in addressing global challenges like food security, sustainability, and innovation, driving advancements in product development, waste reduction, and personalized nutrition through research and technology.

Table of contents

Part 1: Create an amazing food science quiz using AI instantly in OnlineExamMaker

Nowadays more and more people create food science quizzes using AI technologies, OnlineExamMaker a powerful AI-based quiz making tool that can save you time and efforts. The software makes it simple to design and launch interactive quizzes, assessments, and surveys. With the Question Editor, you can create multiple-choice, open-ended, matching, sequencing and many other types of questions for your tests, exams and inventories. You are allowed to enhance quizzes with multimedia elements like images, audio, and video to make them more interactive and visually appealing.

Recommended features for you:
● Prevent cheating by randomizing questions or changing the order of questions, so learners don’t get the same set of questions each time.
● Automatically generates detailed reports—individual scores, question report, and group performance.
● Simply copy a few lines of codes, and add them to a web page, you can present your online quiz in your website, blog, or landing page.
● Offers question analysis to evaluate question performance and reliability, helping instructors optimize their training plan.

Automatically generate questions using AI

Generate questions for any topic
100% free forever

Part 2: 20 food science quiz questions & answers

  or  

Question 1:
What is the primary purpose of pasteurization in food processing?
A. To kill all microorganisms in food
B. To enhance the flavor of food
C. To kill pathogenic microorganisms while preserving nutritional quality
D. To increase the shelf life indefinitely

Answer: C

Explanation: Pasteurization heats food to a specific temperature for a set time to destroy harmful bacteria like Salmonella without significantly altering the food’s nutritional value or taste.

Question 2:
Which of the following is a fat-soluble vitamin?
A. Vitamin C
B. Vitamin B12
C. Vitamin D
D. Vitamin B6

Answer: C

Explanation: Vitamin D is fat-soluble, meaning it dissolves in fats and oils and can be stored in the body’s fatty tissues, unlike water-soluble vitamins which are excreted more quickly.

Question 3:
What role does pH play in food preservation?
A. It determines the color of food
B. Low pH inhibits the growth of spoilage bacteria
C. High pH enhances nutritional value
D. It has no effect on microbial growth

Answer: B

Explanation: A low pH (acidic environment) creates conditions that prevent the growth and survival of many bacteria and pathogens, which is why acidic foods like pickles have a longer shelf life.

Question 4:
Which process is responsible for the rising of bread dough?
A. Dehydration
B. Fermentation
C. Evaporation
D. Crystallization

Answer: B

Explanation: Fermentation by yeast produces carbon dioxide gas, which gets trapped in the dough, causing it to rise and create a light texture in baked goods.

Question 5:
What is the main function of antioxidants in food?
A. To add color to food products
B. To prevent oxidation and rancidity in fats and oils
C. To increase the protein content
D. To lower the freezing point

Answer: B

Explanation: Antioxidants inhibit the oxidation process that leads to rancidity, extending the shelf life of foods containing fats, such as nuts and oils.

Question 6:
Which foodborne pathogen is commonly associated with undercooked poultry?
A. E. coli
B. Salmonella
C. Listeria
D. Botulism

Answer: B

Explanation: Salmonella is often found in raw or undercooked poultry and can cause food poisoning if not handled or cooked properly.

Question 7:
What is the Maillard reaction?
A. A process that causes fruits to ripen
B. A chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that browns food
C. A method of freezing food quickly
D. A type of fermentation

Answer: B

Explanation: The Maillard reaction occurs when food is heated, producing new flavors and browning, which is why it enhances the taste and appearance of foods like roasted coffee or seared meat.

Question 8:
Which of the following is an example of a physical hazard in food?
A. Pesticide residue
B. Metal fragments
C. Bacterial toxins
D. Allergic proteins

Answer: B

Explanation: Physical hazards, such as metal fragments from machinery, can contaminate food during processing and cause injury if ingested.

Question 9:
What does the term “water activity” refer to in food science?
A. The total amount of water in food
B. The availability of water for microbial growth
C. The pH level of water in food
D. The temperature at which water freezes in food

Answer: B

Explanation: Water activity measures the free water in food that microorganisms can use for growth; foods with low water activity, like jerky, are less prone to spoilage.

Question 10:
Which method is used to preserve food by removing moisture?
A. Canning
B. Dehydration
C. Freezing
D. Irradiation

Answer: B

Explanation: Dehydration reduces the water content in food, inhibiting microbial growth and enzymes that cause spoilage, thus extending shelf life.

Question 11:
What is the primary component of dietary fiber?
A. Proteins
B. Carbohydrates that cannot be digested by humans
C. Fats
D. Minerals

Answer: B

Explanation: Dietary fiber consists of indigestible carbohydrates from plant sources, which aid digestion, regulate blood sugar, and promote gut health.

Question 12:
Which additive is commonly used as a preservative in processed meats?
A. Sodium chloride
B. Sodium benzoate
C. Artificial colors
D. Emulsifiers

Answer: B

Explanation: Sodium benzoate inhibits the growth of molds, yeasts, and bacteria in acidic foods, making it effective for preserving items like sausages and hot dogs.

Question 13:
What effect does high-pressure processing have on food?
A. It adds nutrients to food
B. It inactivates enzymes and pathogens without heat
C. It increases the pH level
D. It changes the color permanently

Answer: B

Explanation: High-pressure processing uses extreme pressure to kill microorganisms and extend shelf life while maintaining the food’s fresh taste and nutritional quality.

Question 14:
Which nutrient is most affected by overcooking vegetables?
A. Proteins
B. Vitamins, especially Vitamin C
C. Minerals
D. Fats

Answer: B

Explanation: Overcooking can destroy heat-sensitive vitamins like Vitamin C through oxidation and leaching into cooking water, reducing nutritional value.

Question 15:
What is extrusion in food processing?
A. A method to freeze food rapidly
B. A process that forces food through a die to shape it, like in pasta making
C. A way to add flavors
D. A fermentation technique

Answer: B

Explanation: Extrusion involves mixing, heating, and forcing food dough through a shaped opening, allowing for the creation of products like cereals and snacks with specific textures.

Question 16:
Which factor is critical for the sensory evaluation of food?
A. Cost of production
B. Appearance, taste, and texture
C. Storage temperature only
D. Nutritional labeling

Answer: B

Explanation: Sensory evaluation assesses attributes like appearance, taste, aroma, and texture to determine food quality and consumer acceptance.

Question 17:
What causes enzymatic browning in fruits like apples?
A. Exposure to light
B. Reaction of polyphenol oxidase with oxygen
C. High acidity
D. Bacterial infection

Answer: B

Explanation: Enzymatic browning occurs when the enzyme polyphenol oxidase reacts with oxygen upon cutting or bruising, leading to discoloration in fruits.

Question 18:
Which of the following is a genetically modified organism (GMO) crop?
A. Wild rice
B. Bt corn
C. Organic wheat
D. Heirloom tomatoes

Answer: B

Explanation: Bt corn is genetically engineered to produce a protein toxic to certain pests, reducing the need for chemical pesticides in agriculture.

Question 19:
What is the purpose of fortification in food?
A. To make food taste better
B. To add essential nutrients that may be lacking in the diet
C. To preserve food longer
D. To change the texture

Answer: B

Explanation: Fortification involves adding vitamins and minerals to food products, such as iodine in salt, to prevent nutritional deficiencies in populations.

Question 20:
Which processing technique uses radiation to kill microbes in food?
A. Pasteurization
B. Irradiation
C. Canning
D. Freezing

Answer: B

Explanation: Irradiation exposes food to ionizing radiation to eliminate pathogens and insects, extending shelf life without significantly raising the food’s temperature.

  or  

Part 3: Try OnlineExamMaker AI Question Generator to create quiz questions

Automatically generate questions using AI

Generate questions for any topic
100% free forever