Biology

Microorganisms in Food Production

1,120 Questions

Microorganisms play a vital role in food production through processes like fermentation and bioprocessing. Questions on this topic cover the use of yeast, bacteria, and industrial microbiology. These concepts are important for science sections in various competitive exams.

Alcoholic fermentationDairy beverage productionIndustrial ethanol preparationCitric acid productionBiodigester temperature

Microorganisms in Food Production Questions

Multiple choice

What is the science of fermentation known as?

  1. Brewing

  2. Zymology

  3. Oenology

  4. Zymase

  5. Botulism
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Fermentation in food processing is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation usually implies that the action of microorganisms is desirable. The science of fermentation is also known as zymology or zymurgy.

Multiple choice

Match the entries in List - I (Microbe) with that in List - II (Fermentation end products) and select the correct answer.

 
List - I
List - II
P. Enterobacter 1. Ethanol, lactic acid, formic acid, butanediol, acetoin, CO2 and H2
Q. Clostridium 2. Ethanol and CO2
R. Saccharomyces 3. Butanol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol and CO2

  1. P - 1, Q - 2, R - 3

  2. P - 1, Q - 3, R - 2

  3. P - 2, Q - 1, R - 3

  4. P - 2, Q - 3, R - 1

  5. P - 3, Q - 1, R - 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Enterobacter yields ethanol, lactic acid, formic acid, butanediol, acetoin, CO2 and H2 as fermentation end product. Clostridium yields butanol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol and CO2 as fermentation end product. Saccharomyces yields ethanol and CO2 as fermentation end products.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements are FALSE regarding mycoplasmas? P. Discovered by Nocard and Roux. Q. Genetic material is a single stranded molecule of DNA without nuclear envelope. R. Mycoplasma cells do not contain cholesterol and cholesterol esters. S. Mycoplasmas are not affected by penicillin.

  1. Only P and Q

  2. Only P and S

  3. Only Q and R

  4. Only Q and S

  5. Only R and S
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Genetic material is present in the form of nucleoid,  which consists of a single circular double stranded molecule of DNA without nuclear envelope. Mycoplasma cells contain cholesterol and cholesterol esters, which are characteristics of animal cells and not found in true bacteria.

Multiple choice

The gas evolved during fermentation of a sugar solution is

  1. sulphur dioxide

  2. carbon monoxide

  3. carbon dioxide

  4. methane
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

During the fermentation of sugar by yeast, the sugar is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide gas. The release of carbon dioxide is what causes the bubbling observed in the process.

Multiple choice

During fermentation of sugar, the chief compound formed is

  1. methyl alcohol

  2. ethyl alcohol

  3. acetic acid

  4. ethylene
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In the case of sugar, yeast enzymes convert glucose into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Multiple choice

Cheese and yoghurt are the products of

  1. dehydration

  2. fermentation

  3. pasteurization

  4. distillation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Cheese and yogurt are are the products of milk fermentation. Fermentation is oxidation of food in absence of oxygen (Anaerobic respiration). This term was given by 'Pasteur' in 1860.

Multiple choice

The scientific name of bakers yeast is

  1. Aspergillus niger

  2. Acetobacter aceti

  3. Propionibacterium shermanii

  4. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The scientific name of bakers yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.