250+ TOP MCQs on Food Additives and Answers

Food Engineering Multiple Choice Questions on “Food Additives”.

1. A substance intentionally added that preserves flavour and improves taste is called _____
a) Food additive
b) Food adulterant
c) Food contaminant
d) Food material
Answer: a
Clarification: A substance intentionally added that preserves flavour and improves taste is called a food additive.

2. Which of the following is NOT a function of a food additive _____
a) To maintain product consistency
b) Maintain nutritive value
c) Controlling acidity/alkalinity
d) None of the mentioned
Answer: d
Clarification: All the mentioned are functions of food additives.

3. Statement 1: Stabilizers, Emulsifiers are certain examples of food additives.
Statement 2: Antioxidant is a class of food additive.
a) True, False
b) True, True
c) False, False
d) False, True
Answer: b
Clarification: Both the statements are true.

4. Statement 1: Food additives are divided into direct and indirect types.
Statement 2: Direct food additives become a part of the food during packaging. These are in trace amounts.
a) True, False
b) True, True
c) False, False
d) False, True
Answer: a
Clarification: Statement 1 is true. Statement 2 is false. Indirect food additives become a part of the food during packaging. These are in trace amounts. Direct food additives are added intentionally for a specific purpose.

5. What is “carryover” principle?
a) Additives added in the raw materials are not present in the final products
b) Antioxidant added to oil is present in all oil based products made from it
c) All of the mentioned
d) None of the mentioned
Answer: b
Clarification: Antioxidant added to oil is present in all oil based products made from it is true.

6. What are Sequestrants?
a) They are added to keep the food stable
b) Form a complex ion with metals like copper, iron etc
c) Added for color
d) They keep the food oxidized
Answer: b
Clarification: Sequestrants form a complex ion with metals like iron etc. These metals trigger auto-oxidation. Hence, forming complexes prevents them from reacting with oxygen and leading to rancidity etc.

7. _____ help in maintaining/controlling the acidic/alkaline changes during food processing and hence maintain flavor and stability.
a) Buffering agents
b) Sequestrants
c) Anti-caking agents
d) Anti-foaming agents
Answer: a
Clarification: Buffering agents help in maintaining/controlling the acidic/alkaline changes during food processing and hence maintain flavor and stability.

8. Statement 1: In control of yeast in industries, baking soda is added (which is sodium bicarbonate) react with an acid which is externally added to release carbon-di-oxide which escapes.
Statement 2: Baking soda is a leavening agent. It is an additive.
a) True, False
b) True, True
c) False, False
d) False, True
Answer: b
Clarification: Both the statements are true.

9. Statement 1: Preservatives are food additives.
Statement 2: Sweeteners consist of calorie, low-calorie and non-calorie sweeteners.
a) True, False
b) True, True
c) False, False
d) False, True
Answer: b
Clarification: Both the statements are true.

10. Which sentence is untrue?
a) GRAS stands for ‘generally recognized as safe’
b) Boric acid has been banned
c) High levels of MSG leads to ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’
d) Food additives need not be numbered or labelled
Answer: d
Clarification: Food additives have to be numbered or labelled properly.

11. Statement 1: All food additives are carcinogenic.
Statement 2: Food additives must be avoided as far as possible.
a) True, False
b) True, True
c) False, False
d) False, True
Answer: d
Clarification: Few food additives are carcinogenic. Food additives must be avoided as far as possible as most of them have certain side effects.