Food Commodities: Preservation, Desserts & Gelatine is one of 9 topics in the Grade 12 Hospitality Studies CAPS syllabus, covered across 3 lessons on Study Vault. Below are real practice questions from this topic with full worked answers.
Sample practice questions
Easy
1. Which food preservation method uses heating to a temperature sufficient to destroy essentially all microorganisms, commonly used for canned goods?
Sterilisation
Pasteurisation
Refrigeration
Vacuum sealing
Answer: Sterilisation — Sterilisation heats food to a temperature and duration sufficient to destroy essentially all microorganisms, commonly used in producing canned goods.
Easy
2. Why do salt and sugar help preserve food?
They draw moisture out of food through osmosis, creating an environment hostile to microbial growth
They add flavour only, with no preservative effect
They increase the moisture content of food
They have no effect on microbial growth
Answer: They draw moisture out of food through osmosis, creating an environment hostile to microbial growth — Salt and sugar draw moisture out of food through osmosis, creating an environment hostile to the growth of spoilage microorganisms.
Medium
3. Name ONE chemical preservative additive mentioned in the CAPS content used to inhibit microbial growth in food.
Answer: benzoic acid — Chemical preservatives such as benzoic acid, sodium benzoate and salicylic acid are added in carefully controlled, legally regulated quantities to inhibit microbial growth.
