June 2008

BFN002 Hazards to Food Safety

Time: 3 hours
Maximum Marks: 100

Note: Answer any five questions in all. Question No. 1 is compulsary. All questions carry equal
marks.

June 2008

1. (a) Define the following : (10)

(i) Protozoa
(iil Meiosis
(iii) Microaerophilic bacteria
(iv) Botulism
(v) Gastroenteritis

(b) Fill in the blanks :

(i) ___ is a plant disease characterized by a dark black mass, caused by the fungus, Clauiceps
purpurea.
(ii) ___ is a spiral-shaped bacterium which causes more than 8090 of duodenal And gastric
ulcers.
(iii) Class II preservatives which can be added to foods are specified under ___ rule.
(iv) Histamine has been implicated as the culprit in _____ poisoning.
(v) Hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation are symptoms of chronic ____ poisoning.

(c) State true or false. Correct the false statement(s). (5)

(i) Kesari dal contains toxic alkaloids which are responsible for the disease lathyrism.
(ii) Mushrooms are a type of fungus.
(iii) Goitrogens present in plant foods have been found to interfere with the uptake of iron by the
thyroid gland in the body.
(iv) Nitrates and nitrites are added as preservatives in meat products like ham, bacon, pickled
meat.
(v) Listeriosis is an infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria E. Coli
O157:H7.

2 (a) : Enumerate the common ways by which our food may become contaminated or unsafe to
eat. (10)

(b) "Knowledge of the factors affecting the growth and survival of microbes can help us control
them." Justify the statement giving appropriate examples. (10)

3. (a) Differentiate between food infections and food intoxications, giving appropriate examples.
(10)
(b) List the different types of food and water-borne viruses that can infect man. Discuss the
measures for controlling the spread of these viruses. 10

4. List the causative microorganisms, symptoms, route of transmission and preventive measures
for each of the following disease outbreaks : (5+5+5+5)
(i) Salmonellosis
(ii) Cholera
(iii) Shigellosis
(iv) Camplobacteriosis

5. (a) What are mycotoxins ? Give examples of mycotoxins and the fungi which produce them
and their ill-effects. (10)

(b) Discuss the measures you would adopt to prevent contamination of food by mycotoxins.

(c) List some recently identified pathogens in food which are a cause of concem to humans. (4)

6. (a) Describe the functional role of food additives, giving appropriate examples. (8)

(b) Illustrate the various types of contaminants of natural origin. Give examples. (5)

(c) What do you understand by the term anti-nutritional factors in foods ? Why are they a cause
of concern to us? (7)

7. (a) "Contamination of foodstuffs can occur from various sources in the environment." Justify
the statement, giving appropriate examples. (8)

(b) When is food considered to be adulterated by law ? (5)

(c) Discuss the impact of adulteration on health. (7)

8. Write short notes on any four of the following : (5+5+5+5)

(i) Safety issues linked with food additives
(ii) Visual and physical tests for detecting adulteration
(iii) Morphology and physiological characteristics.of fungi
(iv) Canned food spoilage : caustive organisms and preventive measures
(v) Norwalk virus