Nutrient Losses

Question 1

What factors contribute to nutrient losses during food processing?

Answer 1

Natural processes, heating, drying, climate conditions, soil quality, freezing, preparation methods, handling, packaging, and storage

Question 2

Which vitamins are particularly prone to loss during processing?

Answer 2

Vitamins A, B6, C, thiamine, riboflavin, and folate.

Question 3

Which minerals are prone to losses during food processing?

Answer 3

Zinc, iron, calcium.

Question 4

Why does pH control help preserve certain nutrients?

Answer 4

Acidic conditions preserve stability, particularly for vitamin C

Question 5

Which nutrient is most affected by exposure to light?

Answer 5

Vitamin C, riboflavin, and vitamin A

Question 6

Name two innovative technologies used to retain nutrients during food processing.

Answer 6

Ohmic heating and pulsed electric field processing

Question 7

What is the impact of excessive oxygen exposure on food nutrients?

Answer 7

Leads to oxidation, which degrades vitamins like A, C, and E.

Question 8

What are the key reasons for food processing despite potential nutrient losses?

Answer 8

Preservation, packaging, storage, and creation of desired food products

Question 9

Which cooking techniques can better preserve nutrients compared to frying or boiling?

Answer 9

Blanching, steaming, and microwaving.

Question 10

What role do antioxidants play in nutrient preservation?

Answer 10

Protect nutrients during processing and storage by preventing oxidation.

Question 11

Key factors that lead to nutrient loss are ___, handling, ___, and freezing.

Answer 11

heating, soil quality

Question 12

Minerals such as ___, ___, and ___ are prone to loss during food processing.

Answer 12

zinc, iron, calcium

Question 13

Cold storage slows nutrient ___ and ___, extending food shelf life.

Answer 13

degradation, spoilage

Question 14

Avoiding excessive ___ and ___ exposure can help preserve vitamins like A and C.

Answer 14

oxygen, light

Question 15

Water-soluble vitamins like ___ and ___ are easily lost during excessive water use.

Answer 15

thiamine, riboflavin

Question 16

A food processing facility observes significant nutrient losses in vitamin C during storage. What measures should they take?

Answer 16

Use opaque packaging, limit oxygen exposure, and store in dark, cool environments.

Question 17

A farmer is concerned about nutrient losses in crops stored for months. What is your advice?

Answer 17

Implement cold storage, vacuum packaging, and control humidity

Question 18

You want to process carrots for long-term storage while retaining their nutrients. Which method is ideal?

Answer 18

Flash freezing or blanching followed by freezing

Question 19

A customer complains about a loss of texture in frozen vegetables. What could be causing this?

Answer 19

Improper freezing techniques or thawing at high temperatures instead of gradual thawing.

Question 20

What are the steps for preserving nutrients during food preparation?

1. ___ heat exposure using methods like steaming or microwaving.
2. Maintain ___ processing times.
3. Store foods in ___ conditions to prevent degradation.

Answer 20

Minimise; short; cold

Question 21

What are the steps to limit oxygen exposure during food processing?

1. Use ___ packaging.
2. Include ___ absorbers in storage.
3. Store in oxygen-___ environments.

Answer 21

vacuum, oxygen, limited

Question 22

Water-soluble vitamins are like sugar in water because they ___

Answer 22

dissolve and are easily lost when rinsed or boiled.

Question 23

Blanching is to cooking as flash freezing is to ___

Answer 23

preservation

Question 24

Light-sensitive vitamins like C are like vampires because ___.

Answer 24

they degrade in sunlight and need to be kept in the dark.

Question 25

You are designing packaging for vitamin-enriched juices. What considerations should you include?

Answer 25

Use opaque or UV-blocking materials, limit oxygen exposure, and ensure cold storage.

Question 26

You need to freeze spinach while maintaining its nutrient levels. What method will you use?

Answer 26

Flash freezing immediately after harvest

Question 27

Your team needs to improve nutrient retention in boiled vegetables. What changes do you suggest?

Answer 27

Switch to steaming or microwaving, and minimize cooking times.