Genetic modification in foods MCQs Food science

1. What is genetic modification in foods?

a) Changing the flavor of food
b) Altering the DNA of organisms to achieve desired traits
c) Adding artificial colors to food
d) Increasing shelf life through preservatives
Answer: b) Altering the DNA of organisms to achieve desired traits

2. Which technique is commonly used to introduce new genes into a plant’s genome?

a) Crossbreeding
b) CRISPR-Cas9
c) Traditional breeding
d) Mutation breeding
Answer: b) CRISPR-Cas9

3. What is the primary purpose of genetically modified (GM) crops?

a) To enhance taste
b) To improve nutritional content
c) To increase resistance to pests and diseases
d) To reduce food cost
Answer: c) To increase resistance to pests and diseases

4. Which of the following is a common trait engineered into GM crops?

a) Herbicide resistance
b) Increased sweetness
c) Enhanced color
d) Faster ripening
Answer: a) Herbicide resistance

5. What is Bt corn?

a) Corn that has been modified to resist herbicides
b) Corn that produces a protein toxic to certain insects
c) Corn that grows faster
d) Corn with enhanced nutritional content
Answer: b) Corn that produces a protein toxic to certain insects

6. Which organization is responsible for regulating GM foods in the United States?

a) USDA
b) FDA
c) EPA
d) NIH
Answer: b) FDA

7. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of genetic modification in crops?

a) Increased yield
b) Improved resistance to pests
c) Enhanced nutritional value
d) Guaranteed organic status
Answer: d) Guaranteed organic status

8. What is the role of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens bacterium in genetic modification?

a) It carries foreign genes into plant cells
b) It directly edits plant DNA
c) It acts as a pesticide
d) It increases plant growth rate
Answer: a) It carries foreign genes into plant cells

9. Which of the following GM crops is designed to produce edible vaccines?

a) Golden Rice
b) Bt Cotton
c) Virus-resistant potatoes
d) Edible banana vaccines
Answer: d) Edible banana vaccines

10. What is Golden Rice genetically modified to produce?

a) Increased yield
b) Higher protein content
c) Beta-carotene (Vitamin A)
d) Herbicide resistance
Answer: c) Beta-carotene (Vitamin A)

11. Which of the following is a common method used to create genetically modified plants?

a) Gene gun
b) Cross-pollination
c) Artificial insemination
d) Hybridization
Answer: a) Gene gun

12. What is the primary concern associated with GM foods?

a) Higher cost
b) Loss of flavor
c) Environmental impact
d) Increased cooking time
Answer: c) Environmental impact

13. Which regulatory body in Europe evaluates the safety of GM foods?

a) EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)
b) ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control)
c) WHO (World Health Organization)
d) FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)
Answer: a) EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)

14. What is the purpose of genetic modification in livestock?

a) To improve meat quality
b) To increase milk production
c) To enhance disease resistance
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above

15. Which of the following is an example of a GM fish?

a) Golden Trout
b) AquaAdvantage Salmon
c) Nile Tilapia
d) Bluegill Sunfish
Answer: b) AquaAdvantage Salmon

16. What does the term “transgenic” refer to?

a) The process of hybridization
b) An organism that contains genes from another species
c) The natural variation in crops
d) The process of selective breeding
Answer: b) An organism that contains genes from another species

17. Which of the following GM traits is aimed at reducing food spoilage?

a) Herbicide tolerance
b) Pest resistance
c) Delayed ripening
d) Increased growth rate
Answer: c) Delayed ripening

18. What is the role of the “Roundup Ready” trait in GM crops?

a) To make crops resistant to drought
b) To increase nutritional content
c) To make crops resistant to the herbicide glyphosate
d) To enhance flavor
Answer: c) To make crops resistant to the herbicide glyphosate

19. Which method is used to insert genes into animal cells for genetic modification?

a) Electroporation
b) Gene gun
c) Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
d) Microinjection
Answer: d) Microinjection

20. What is a significant advantage of GM crops over conventional crops?

a) Higher cost of production
b) Greater resistance to environmental stress
c) Increased time for growth
d) Reduced nutritional value
Answer: b) Greater resistance to environmental stress

21. Which genetic modification technique is used to create “knockout” animals, where specific genes are inactivated?

a) CRISPR-Cas9
b) Gene gun
c) RNA interference
d) Electroporation
Answer: a) CRISPR-Cas9

22. What is one potential environmental concern associated with GM crops?

a) Increased biodiversity
b) Crossbreeding with wild relatives
c) Enhanced soil fertility
d) Improved pollinator health
Answer: b) Crossbreeding with wild relatives

23. What is the primary purpose of inserting antibiotic resistance genes into GM plants during the development phase?

a) To enhance plant growth
b) To select for successfully modified cells
c) To increase nutritional value
d) To improve flavor
Answer: b) To select for successfully modified cells

24. Which GM crop was specifically engineered to produce insulin?

a) GM Corn
b) GM Soybean
c) GM Sugar Beet
d) GM Potato
Answer: d) GM Potato

25. What is the term for GM plants that have been developed to improve their ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions?

a) Abiotic stress-tolerant crops
b) Biotic stress-tolerant crops
c) Nutritionally enhanced crops
d) Pest-resistant crops
Answer: a) Abiotic stress-tolerant crops

26. Which of the following is a common method used to transfer genes into plant cells?

a) Electroporation
b) Gene gun
c) Heat shock
d) Microinjection
Answer: b) Gene gun

27. Which regulatory agency is responsible for ensuring the safety of GM foods in Australia and New Zealand?

a) FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand)
b) EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)
c) FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
d) USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)
Answer: a) FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand)

28. What does the term “biosafety” refer to in the context of GM foods?

a) The economic benefits of GM crops
b) The environmental and health risks associated with GM foods
c) The taste improvements in GM foods
d) The increased shelf life of GM foods
Answer: b) The environmental and health risks associated with GM foods

29. Which of the following GM crops has been developed to produce higher levels of essential nutrients?

a) Bt Corn
b) Golden Rice
c) Roundup Ready Soybean
d) AquaAdvantage Salmon
Answer: b) Golden Rice

30. What is the primary aim of “genetic stacking” in GM crops?

a) To combine multiple beneficial traits into one plant
b) To increase the cost of seeds
c) To reduce crop yield
d) To decrease plant resilience
Answer: a) To combine multiple beneficial traits into one plant

31. Which method is commonly used to evaluate the safety of GM foods?

a) Sensory analysis
b) Risk assessment
c) Flavor profiling
d) Colorimetric analysis
Answer: b) Risk assessment

32. What is the term for genetically modified crops that are resistant to certain insects?

a) Herbicide-resistant crops
b) Pest-resistant crops
c) Drought-resistant crops
d) Nutrient-enriched crops
Answer: b) Pest-resistant crops

33. Which of the following is a key feature of GM plants that produce pharmaceutical proteins?

a) Increased resistance to pests
b) Enhanced flavor
c) Ability to produce medicinal proteins
d) Faster growth rate
Answer: c) Ability to produce medicinal proteins

34. What is one of the main concerns about the potential impact of GM crops on non-target organisms?

a) Improved soil health
b) Potential harm to beneficial insects
c) Increased crop diversity
d) Enhanced plant growth
Answer: b) Potential harm to beneficial insects

35. Which of the following methods is used to introduce genes into microorganisms for the production of GM foods?

a) Gene gun
b) Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
c) Transformation by plasmid vectors
d) Microinjection
Answer: c) Transformation by plasmid vectors

36. What is one of the main benefits of genetically modifying crops for increased drought resistance?

a) Reduced soil erosion
b) Increased crop yield in dry conditions
c) Enhanced nutritional content
d) Improved taste
Answer: b) Increased crop yield in dry conditions

37. Which method is used to test the allergenicity of GM foods?

a) Clinical trials
b) Sensory evaluation
c) Microbial testing
d) Nutritional analysis
Answer: a) Clinical trials

38. Which GM crop is known for producing a protein that is toxic to certain insects but not to humans or animals?

a) Bt Cotton
b) Golden Rice
c) Roundup Ready Soybean
d) Virus-resistant Potato
Answer: a) Bt Cotton

39. What does the term “genetic drift” refer to in the context of GM crops?

a) The unintended spread of GM traits to wild plants
b) The deliberate crossing of GM plants with wild types
c) The improvement of crop varieties through traditional breeding
d) The increase in crop yield due to genetic modification
Answer: a) The unintended spread of GM traits to wild plants

40. Which of the following is a concern related to the use of GMOs in agriculture?

a) Increased biodiversity
b) Development of resistant pests
c) Enhanced soil fertility
d) Increased crop rotation
Answer: b) Development of resistant pests

41. What is one advantage of using GM crops in terms of pest management?

a) Reduction in the need for chemical pesticides
b) Increased need for chemical fertilizers
c) Higher cost of production
d) Longer growing season
Answer: a) Reduction in the need for chemical pesticides

42. Which type of GM crop is engineered to produce greater amounts of a specific nutrient to combat deficiencies?

a) Functional foods
b) Nutritionally enhanced crops
c) Pest-resistant crops
d) Herbicide-tolerant crops
Answer: b) Nutritionally enhanced crops

43. What is the main goal of “gene silencing” in GM crops?

a) To increase gene expression
b) To deactivate unwanted genes
c) To enhance plant growth
d) To produce more seeds
Answer: b) To deactivate unwanted genes

44. Which of the following is an example of a GM crop that has been modified for increased shelf life?

a) Bt Corn
b) Flavr Savr Tomato
c) Golden Rice
d) Roundup Ready Soybean
Answer: b) Flavr Savr Tomato

45. What does the term “gene therapy” refer to in the context of genetic modification?

a) Introducing new genes to cure diseases in humans
b) Altering genes to improve crop yield
c) Modifying genes in microorganisms for industrial use
d) Developing plants with enhanced nutritional content
Answer: a) Introducing new genes to cure diseases in humans

46. Which type of GM crop is specifically engineered to enhance soil health through the production of certain proteins?

a) Nitrogen-fixing crops
b) Pest-resistant crops
c) Herbicide-tolerant crops
d) Nutrient-enriched crops
Answer: a) Nitrogen-fixing crops

47. What is the role of molecular markers in GM crop development?

a) To identify genes associated with desirable traits
b) To enhance plant taste
c) To measure nutrient levels
d) To increase growth rate
Answer: a) To identify genes associated with desirable traits

48. What is the primary concern related to the use of GMOs in developing countries?

a) Lack of agricultural expertise
b) Increased agricultural subsidies
c) Improved food security
d) Enhanced market access
Answer: a) Lack of agricultural expertise

49. Which of the following is a common feature of GM foods on the market?

a) Increased labeling requirements
b) Enhanced nutritional value
c) Higher price
d) Improved taste
Answer: a) Increased labeling requirements

50. What does the term “ethical concerns” refer to in the context of GM foods?

a) The impact of GM foods on the environment and human health
b) The economic benefits of GM crops
c) The increase in agricultural productivity
d) The enhanced flavor of GM foods
Answer: a) The impact of GM foods on the environment and human health

Genetic modification in foods MCQs Food science

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