Food Packaging and Processing

Question 1

Controlled Atmosphere Storage is used commercially in the US for what food products?

Answer 1

Apples, pears, cabbage

Question 2

Heating soda ash and sand can make this packaging material.

Answer 2

Glass

Question 3

How is a 2 piece can different from a 3 piece can?

Answer 3

2 piece cans have no side seams, only a body and lid; 3 piece cans have side seam and consist of a body, lid, and bottom.

Question 4

In packaging, the joining of two or more films with adhesive is called?

Answer 4

Lamination

Question 5

In packaging, what is the function of annealing?

Answer 5

To relieve stress from non-uniform cooling rates

Question 6

In processing, what is meant by “commercial sterility”?

Answer 6

Shelf stable

Question 7

Peter Durand of England patented this important package in 1810.

Answer 7

Tin Can

Question 8

What are the three stages in which a gas or vapor permeate through a polymer?

Answer 8

Sorption, Diffusion, and Desorption

Question 9

What are three common defects in glass containers?

Answer 9

Bird-swings, spikes, wavy appearance

Question 10

What are two organisms that can cause flat sour spoilage of canned foods?

Answer 10

Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus coagulans

Question 11

What are two processes used to make jars?

Answer 11

Press and blow, blow and blow

Question 12

What colors of glass bottles have the highest and the lowest light transmittance?

Answer 12

Highest – clear/flint, lowest – brown

Question 13

What do MAP and CAP stand for?

Answer 13

Modified Atmosphere Packaging and Controlled Atmosphere Packaging

Question 14

What do the letters WVTR stand for?

Answer 14

Water vapor transmission rate

Question 15

What does a headspace scavenger such as ascorbate do in a container?

Answer 15

Reduces oxygen

Question 16

What does CPET stand for?

Answer 16

Crystallized Polyethylene Terephthalate

Question 17

What does IQF stand for?

Answer 17

Individually quick frozen

Question 18

What enzyme activity is most commonly used to determine the adequacy of blanching vegetable for freezing to ensure stability during storage?

Answer 18

Peroxidase

Question 19

What general class of packaging material is used in aseptic brick packs and pringle cans?

Answer 19

Laminates

Question 20

What is another name for PVDC?

Answer 20

Saran

Question 21

What is form, fill, and seal operation (FFS)?

Answer 21

An operation where there is a continuous process of forming the containers without deforming the packaging material, fill with product, and seal

Question 22

What is the difference between thermoforming and FFS?

Answer 22

Thermoforming deforms the packaging material whereas FFS does not

Question 23

What is the function of activated carbon or potassium permanganate in active food packaging?

Answer 23

Absorbing ethylene

Question 24

What is the function of silica gel in active food packaging?

Answer 24

Absorbing moisture

Question 25

What is the process of lowering the temperature of water below its freezing point without crystallization?

Answer 25

Super-cooling or undercooling

Question 26

What is thermoforming?

Answer 26

A process where containers are formed from a reel of packaging material by heating the plastics to the softening point and deforming it to the desired shape

Question 27

What metals make up German silver?

Answer 27

Copper, silver, steel

Question 28

What monomers are used to form PET?

Answer 28

Ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid

Question 29

What packaging material has the best gas barrier?

Answer 29

EVOH (ethyl vinyl alcohol)

Question 30

What packaging material is used to make plastic soft drink bottles?

Answer 30

Polyethylene terepthalate (PET)

Question 31

What process involves the formation of continuous sheets of controlled thickness by squeezing a heated plastic material between two or more horizontal rollers?

Answer 31

Calendering

Question 32

What process is done prior to freezing or dehydration to inactivate enzymes?

Answer 32

Blanching

Question 33

What process started the canned cola industry?

Answer 33

CO2 carbonation

Question 34

What was the first synthetic polymer to be invented?

Answer 34

Cellophane, by polymerizing cellulose

Question 35

Who was responsible for initiating the modern frozen food industry during the 1920’s?

Answer 35

Clarence Birdseye

Question 36

Why are welded joints stronger than soldered joints?

Answer 36

Welding uses a high voltage, thus fusing the metal overlap and forming a solid joint whereas soldering uses a hook with some glue material in it

Question 37

Why is packaging material laminated?

Answer 37

To increase barrier properties

Question 38

Why is quality of food better in flexible retort pouches than in conventional cans?

Answer 38

Thinner profile means the less time to reach sterilizing treatment at center of pouch.

Question 39

Why would it be beneficial to modify the atmosphere of a package that contains a food with polyunsaturated fatty acids with nitrogen?

Answer 39

Reduce oxidate rancidity

Question 40

Name 3 active package solutions.

Answer 40

Oxygen scavenger, Time-temperature indicator, Antimicrobial

Question 41

Name 3 tests done on packages to determine mechanical properties.

Answer 41

Tension, compression, bursting, tearing, impact

Question 42

Name three functions of packaging in protecting food from deterioration.

Answer 42

Recontamination with microorganisms, attack by insects and rodents, moisture gain or loss, air and light, and mechanical abuse

Question 43

Name two plastic forming techniques.

Answer 43

Injection molding; blow molding; extrusion blown film; thermoforming

Question 44

What are 2 defects that can occur to cans during retorting or cooling?

Answer 44

Buckling - gas production, overfilling, insufficient blanching, improper retorting; Paneling - too high closing temperature, slack filling, excess external pressure

Question 45

What are four methods for measuring gas permeability in food packaging?

Answer 45

Pressure Increase Method, Volume Increase Method, Concentration Increase Method, and Detector Film Method

Question 46

What are four methods for measuring gas permeability in food packaging?

Answer 46

Pressure Increase Method, Volume Increase Method, Concentration Increase Method, and Detector Film Method

Question 47

What are three different methods for blow molding plastic containers?

Answer 47

Extrusion, injection, stretch

Question 48

What are three ways to produce polymers/plastics?

Answer 48

Extrusion, blow molding, injection molding, compression molding, thermoforming, calendaring, solution casting

Question 49

What are two methods by which aseptic packages are commercially sterilized?

Answer 49

Hydrogen peroxide rinse, steam, dry heat

Question 50

What does EVOH stand for?

Answer 50

Ethylene-vinyl alcohol

Question 51

What does PE stand for?

Answer 51

Polyethylene

Question 52

What does LDPS stand for?

Answer 52

Low density polyethylene

Question 53

What does LLDPE stand for?

Answer 53

Linear low density polyethylene

Question 54

What does PP stand for?

Answer 54

Polypropylene

Question 55

What does PET stand for?

Answer 55

Polyethylene terephthalate

Question 56

What does HDPE stand for?

Answer 56

High density polyethylene

Question 57

What does PVC stand for?

Answer 57

Poly vinyl chloride

Question 58

What food preservation technique did NASA use to reduce weight during space flights?

Answer 58

Freeze Drying

Question 59

What Is "a semisolid food made from not less than 45 parts by weight of fruit juice ingredient to 55 parts by weight of sugar and concentrated to not less than 65% soluble solids"?

Answer 59

Jelly

Question 60

What Is the name of the electron tube within a magnetic field which produces high frequency radiant energy in microwave heating?

Answer 60

Magnetron

Question 61

What thermal process type was approved by FDA for the treatment of low-acid foods in hermetic containers in 2009?

Answer 61

Microwave sterilization

Question 62

How many dried cacao beans does it take to make one pound of chocolate?

Answer 62

400

Question 63

What are the elements that contribute to hard water?

Answer 63

Calcium and Magnesium

Question 64

What is the name of the chemical process used to remove calcium and magnesium from water?

Answer 64

Ion exchange

Question 65

Blattella germanica, Periplaneta americana and Musca domestica are all pests in food processing operations. What is their common name?

Answer 65

German cockroach, American cockroach, Housefly

Question 66

What percent of the world’s ice free land is used to grow crops and livestock?

Answer 66

40%