METHODS OF PRESERVATION

Question (a)
The papads have become soft and moist .
Answer:
Papads which have been soft and moist should be kept in sun
for drying. Drying method involves removal of water content
(moisture) from the foodstuffs. Papads when kept in sun for
drying for 2-3 days will become crisp again.

Question (b)
Fruits like mangoes, amlas, guavas and vegetables like peas,
onions, tomatoes, fenugreek are needed all year round. They
are available in plenty only in certain seasons.
Answer:
Different methods of food preservation are used in order to
preserve fruits and vegetables. Mangoes can be preserved by
making their squash preparation. Peas can be peeled from pods
and preserved by keeping them in refrigerator for long time.
Onions can be dried or fried and kept for a longer period of
time. Tomatoes can be preserved by making tomato puree,
squash or sauce.

2. Use your brain power!

Question 1.
Semolina (Shevaya) do not get spoiled for a very long time. But
kheer made from them spoils easily. Why is this so?
Answer:
Semolina (Shevaya) are made by drying them in the sun. Since
they are dried in sun, the water content in them is completely
lost, hence they can be stored for longer time. On the other
hand, kheer is made by using milk and milk is a highly
perishable’’ product, hence kheer gets spoilt quickly.

3. Find and correct the wrong statements:

Question (a)
When something is boiled, the microorganisms in it are
destroyed.
Answer:
It is a correct statement.

Question (b)
Our food does not get spoiled when microorganism begin to
grow in it.
Answer:
It is an incorrect statement.
Correct statement: Our food gets spoiled when microorganisms
begin to grow in it.

Question (c)
Foodstuffs dried in summer cannot be used for the rest of the
year.
Answer:
It is an incorrect statement.
Correct statement: Foodstuffs dried in summer can be used for
the rest of the year.

Question (d)
Foodstuffs get warmth when put in a fridge.
Answer:
It is an incorrect statement.
Correct statement: Foodstuffs get cool temperature when put in
a fridge.

4. Answer the following questions:

Question (a)
What are the different methods of preserving food?
Answer:
Boiling, drying, cooling and placing the foodstuffs in airtight
cans are the different methods of preserving food.

Question (b)
Why do we avoid eating food that has got spoiled?
Answer:
We should avoid eating spoiled food because it can cause
stomach ache, diarrhoea/vomiting etc.
Question (c)
Why do we make jams from fruits?
Answer:
Fruits cannot stay fresh for longer period of time. In order to
preserve them, various food preservatives like sugar is added
to it. By preserving the fruits by adding sugar, we can get jams
even after the season of fruits is over. Hence, we make jams
from fruits.

Question (d)
What are preservatives?
Answer:
Certain substances that are added to the foodstuffs to preserve
them for a long time are called preservatives.

Question (e)
Find out the names of the different spices. Also find out which
part of their plant they are.
Answer:
Cinnamon, cardamom, bill leaves, cloves etc. are different
spices. Cinnamon is a part of the stem of a plant, cardamom is
fruit of plant and clove is a flowerbud of a tree.

Environmental Studies Part 1 Standard 5th Solutions

Chapter 13 Methods of Preserving Food Additional
Important Questions and Answers

Fill in the blanks with the correct answers from the options
given below:

Question 1.
………………. and ……………. are kept to dry in the open air in
summer.
(a) Onions, potatoes
(b) Carrots and brinjals
(c) Milk, milk products
Answer:
(a) Onions, potatoes
Question 2.
……………………, ………………….. and …………………….. are
available where food is kept.
(a) Air, moisture, warmth
(b) Fungus, ants, insects
(c) Spores, mice, rats
Answer:
(a) Air, moisture, warmth

Question 3.
Spoiled food has reduced ………………. value.
(a) nutrition
(b) additional
(c) reductional
Answer:
(a) nutrition

Question 4.
……………….. can be dried and stored for a long time.
(a) Spices
(b) Jams
(c) Mangoes
Answer:
(a) Spices

Question 5.
…………………. are present all around us in air as well as in
water.
(a) Microorganisms
(b) ants
(c) insects
Answer:
(a) Microorganisms

Question 3.
State whether the following statements are True or False:

1. Asafoetida (hing) is a preservative.

2. Spices cannot be stored for a longer period of time.
3. Mango pulp and milk products are not spoiled quickly.
Answer:

1. True
2. False
3. False
Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
What is the advantage of placing the foodstuffs in the airtight
cans?
Answer:
When the foodstuffs are preserved in airtight containers, the
microorganisms are first destroyed and it is ensured that water
or air does not enter the food stuff.

Question 2.
What are the conditions required for the growth of fungus?
Answer:
Availability of food, water, air and warmth are the conditions
required for the growth of fungus.

Question 3.
What is the special feature of drying method?
Answer:
When the foodstuffs are dried by drying method, the water
content in them is lost. This is the special feature of drying
method.

Question 4.
What happens when the foodstuffs are boiled?
Answer:
When the foodstuffs are boiled, the microorganisms present in
them are destroyed.

Question 5.
What precaution should be taken while buying food in sealed
bags or boxes?
Answer:
While buying food in sealed bags or boxes, we should always
check the expiry (use before) date printed on it.
Can you tell?

Talk to the elderly people in your family to find the answers to

the following questions with reference to the foodstuffs
mentioned below:
(milk, vegetables, grains, flours, sugar, jaggery)

Question 1.
When do we say that foodstuff is spoiled? What changes are
seen in it?
Answer:
The foodstuff smells foul and have unpleasant appearance.
There is even growth of fungus on foodstuffs.
Changes that occur in spoilt food: (a) Taste changes (b) Colour
of the food change (c) Presence of black, white patch (fungus)
on food (d) Unpleasant smell (e) Nutritive value reduces.

Question 2.
Is the time in which foodstuffs get spoilt different in different
seasons?
Answer:
Yes, the time in which the foodstuffs gets spoilt is different in
different seasons. Spoilage of any foodstuffs depends on the
presence of temperature and humidity of the environment.
Therefore in winter, foodstuffs are preserved for a long time
than summer season.

Question 3.
Which foodstuffs get spoilt most quickly?
Answer:
Milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables, etc. are the
foodstuffs which get spoilt most quickly.

Question 4.
What measures are taken to keep the foodstuffs in the house in
good conditions, for as long as possible?
Answer:
We can keep the foodstuffs in the refrigerator, some foodstuffs
can be dried, fried, etc. and stored for a long period.