What does checking expiry dates primarily prevent, and what is a key characteristic of enzymes?

The question asks what checking expiry dates before purchase mainly protects against.

• Expired food can be spoiled and contain harmful microorganisms or toxins, leading to food-borne illness.
• A) Food adulteration refers to adding inferior substances to food.
• B) Food security refers to access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.
• C) Price inflation is an economic concept.
• D) Food-borne illness is directly caused by consuming unsafe food, which expired food often is.

The correct answer is food-borne illness.

• Answer: D

The question asks which option specifically describes enzymes.

• A) Lipase acting on fats only describes the specificity of enzymes, meaning each enzyme typically acts on a particular substrate or type of substrate. This is a defining characteristic of enzymes.
• B) Heat generally denatures and kills enzymes, but this isn't a description of their active state.
• C) Acids can denature enzymes, but "lowly reacting" is vague and not a specific description of enzymes.
• D) Enzymes are biological catalysts and, like all catalysts, are reused in reactions. While true, their high degree of specificity is a more distinguishing characteristic among catalysts.

The most specific description among the options, highlighting a unique property of enzymes, is their specificity of action.

• Answer: A

The question asks which observation would likely indicate spoilage in packaged meat.

• A) Firm texture is generally a sign of fresh meat.
• B) Normal smell indicates freshness.
• C) Cold from freezer indicates proper storage.
• D) Greenish colour is a common visual sign of meat spoilage, often due to microbial growth.

The correct answer is greenish colour.

• Answer: D

The question asks which setup best prevents cross-contamination.

• Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria from one food item (often raw) to another (often cooked or ready-to-eat).
• A) Storing all food together increases the risk of cross-contamination.
• B) Using separate cutting boards and utensils for different types of food (e.g., raw meat and vegetables) is a key practice to prevent cross-contamination.
• C) Washing hands occasionally is insufficient; hands should be washed frequently and thoroughly.
• D) Cooking food at room temperature promotes bacterial growth and increases risk, rather than preventing cross-contamination.

The correct answer is using separate cutting boards and utensils.

• Answer: B

The question asks about the use of coagulation during water treatment.

• Coagulation is a process in water treatment where chemicals (coagulants) are added to water to neutralize the electrical charges of suspended particles. This causes the particles to come together.
• C) These smaller particles then clump together into larger, heavier flocs (flocculation), which can then be easily removed by sedimentation or filtration.
• A) Coagulation primarily removes particles, not directly kills microorganisms, although some may be trapped in flocs.
• B) It does not remove dissolved salts.
• D) It does not directly improve water hardness (which is due to dissolved minerals).

The correct answer is to clump fine particles into large flocs.

• Answer: C

The question asks which beverage best demonstrates a natural non-alcoholic drink.

• A) Beer is an alcoholic beverage.
• B) Juice is a general category, some of which can be natural and non-alcoholic.
• C) Fresh orange juice is a specific example of a natural beverage that is non-alcoholic.
• D) Brandy is an alcoholic beverage.

Fresh orange juice is the most specific and accurate example among the options.

• Answer: C

The question asks which event occurs first during digestion after food enters the mouth.

• Digestion begins in the mouth.
• B) The very first process is mechanical breakdown (chewing or mastication), which physically breaks down food into smaller pieces.
• A) Protein hydrolysis (breakdown) primarily begins in the stomach.
• C) Fat emulsification primarily occurs in the small intestine.
• D) Absorption of glucose primarily occurs in the small intestine.

The correct answer is mechanical breakdown.

• Answer: B