IGNOU MFN-03 (July 2025 – January 2026) Assignment Questions
Section A –Descriptive Questions
1. a) What is genetic modification? Explain with examples.
b) Define hazards and elaborate types of hazards associated with food.
c) Define and classify preservatives.
2. a) Define food safety in terms of absolute and relative food safety. Elaborate on the growth cycle of bacteria with the help of a diagram.
b) Explain the role of following factors in growth of microorganisms:
i) Temperature
ii) Moisture
3. a) Briefly explain spoilage of following foods:
i. Fish and sea foods
ii. Milk and Milk Products
b) Give symptoms, foods involved & preventive measures of the following diseases:
i. Salmonellosis
ii. Staphylococcal Poisoning
4. a) Briefly describe steps for investigation of an outbreak of a food-borne diseases.
b) Describe the harmful effect of following toxicants present in food:
i. Tetrodotoxin
ii. Ciguatera
5. a). ‘Antinutritional factors interfere with the assimilation of nutrients in our body.’ Justify the statement with suitable example.
b) Give function and role of following in foods:
i. Food Colours
ii. Emulsifiers
6. a) Describe the food safety measures on wheels, wings and waves.
b) Give the role of cleaning agents in maintain sanitation in food service establishment.
7. a) What do you understand by the term ‘GRAS’? List a few GRAS chemicals that are widely used.
b) Elaborate on the need and Principles of HACCP.
8. a) ‘‘Different products require different packaging.’’ Justify the statement enumerating the different packaging methods used in the food industry.
b) Briefly describe the following:
i. Codex Alimentarius and Codex India
ii. Voluntary based Product Certification
9. a) What is adulteration? What are the reasons for adulterations?
b) Enlist any four adulterants used in food giving their harmful effects.
10. a) Describe the basic criteria to be considered while selecting equipments and utensils of a catering establishment.
b) Define personal hygiene. Explain how skin and personal habits can be a source of microbial contamination?
Section B – OTQ (Objective Type Questions)
1. Explain the following briefly in 2-3 sentences each:
i) Tempeh
ii) Champagne
iii) Fission
iv) Amoeba
v) Thermoduric organisms
vi) Arsenic Poisoning
vii) Scarlet fever
viii) ERH
ix) Bar Code
x) Risk Analysis
2. Differentiate between the following set of terms with examples:
i) Food contamination and Food adulteration
ii) Risk assessment and Risk Communication
iii) Aflatoxicosis and epidemic dropsy
iv) Food infection and Food intoxication
v) CAP and MAP
3. Match the items in List I to items in List II :
IGNOU MFN-03 (July 2024 – January 2025) Assignment Questions
Section A –Descriptive Questions
There are ten questions in this part. Answer all questions.
1. a) Briefly discuss the role of microorganisms in fermented foods. Substantiate your answer by highlighting the common microbes used in food fermentation and the fermented products obtained.
b) What is a bacterial growth curve? Describe the stages of bacterial growth.
2. a) Discuss the use of chemicals as a measure to control and destroy microorganisms in foods.
b) Explain the factors which influence spoilage of the following foods:
i) Milk and Milk products
ii) Meat
3. a) Mention the microorganisms involved with the following food borne diseases. What measures will you adopt to decrease the risk of infection with regards to each?
i) Botulism
ii) Shigellosis
b) Explain the anti-nutritional factors found in food.
4. a) What are the various toxicants in animal foods? Explain giving examples.
b) Discuss the uses of preservatives, anti-caking agents, emulsifying agents as additives in food industry.
5. a).What are the harmful effects of food adulteration?
b) How will you detect the following in the context of adulteration:
i) Artificial colour added to tea leaves.
ii) Silver foil replaced by aluminum foil
iii) Vanaspati added to Ghee
iv) Metanil yellow added to Turmeric powder
6. a) Describe the food safety measures that should be observed on the premises of a catering establishment?
b) What are street foods? How can we ensure safety and quality of raw materials used in preparation of street foods?
7. a) What are the common disinfectants used in food industry?
b) Enlist the hygiene requirements for licensing and sale of food items in India.
8. a) Discuss the toxicity hazard linked with the interaction between packaging material and food.
b) Give one example each of the uses of the following packaging material:
i) Paper
ii) Paper Boards
iii) Polyethylene
iv) Laminated films
c) List the mandatory labeling requirements of pre-packaged foods.
9. a) Why is risk assessment important? List the four steps involved in risk assessment.
b) Explain the role of critical control points in the implementation of HACCP.
10. a) Describe briefly the role of voluntary product certification with regard to food safety.
b) Define the sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT) agreements.
Section B – OTQ (Objective Type Questions)
1. Explain the following briefly in 2-3 sentences each:
i) Biological Hazard
ii) GM Foods
iii) Irradiation
iv) MAP
v) VOD
vi) Arsenic Poisoning
vii) CODEX
viii) QUATS
ix) GRAS
x) Food safety management system
2. Differentiate between the following set of terms with examples:
i) Food infection and Food intoxication
ii) Direct food additive and Indirect food additive
iii) Vacuum packaging and Gas packaging
iv) Registration and Licensing
v) Thermophiles and Psychrophiles
3. Match the items in List I to items in List II :
List I List II
I Faba beans A Sodium hydroxide
II Lathyrus sativus B Phosphate
III Acid cleaning compound C Poor absorption of iron
IV Alkaline cleaning compound D Predisposes to urinary stones
V Phytate E Cyanide precursors
F Anti-bacterial activity
G BOAA
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