Explore topic-wise MCQs in Microbiology.

This section includes 172 Mcqs, each offering curated multiple-choice questions to sharpen your Microbiology knowledge and support exam preparation. Choose a topic below to get started.

1.

Water activity can act as

A. an intrinsic factor determining the likelihood of microbial proliferation
B. a processing factor
C. an extrinsic factor
D. all of the above
Answer» E.
2.

Which of the following is true about ISO 2002 method for Salmonella detection?

A. Selenite cystine (SC) broth is replaced by Muller Kauffmann tetrathionate novobiocin broth (MKTTn)
B. Rappaport Vassiliadis (RV) broth has been replaced by Rappaport Vassiliadis Soya (RVS) broth
C. XLD is the first isolation medium rather than BGA
D. All of these
Answer» E.
3.

Salmonellois is caused by the

A. enterotoxin of Salmonella spp
B. endotoxin of Salmonella spp
C. neurotoxin of Salmonella spp
D. exoenterotoxin of Salmonella spp
Answer» C. neurotoxin of Salmonella spp
4.

A dense bacterial population caught in a tangled web of fibers sticking to a surface describes

A. coagulation
B. a biodisc
C. a biofilm
D. the membrane filter technique
Answer» D. the membrane filter technique
5.

Which statement is true about flavouring materials spices, garlic etc. added to Dill pickles?

A. These markedly stimulate or inhibit the acid forming bacteria
B. They may be source of considerable numbers of undesirable micro-organisms and cause off-fermentations or spoilage of pickles
C. They may improve texture of the pickle
D. None of these
Answer» C. They may improve texture of the pickle
6.

A psychrophilic halophile would be a microbe that prefers

A. cold temperatures and increased amounts of salt
B. warm temperatures and increased amounts of pressure
C. cold temperatures and the absence of oxygen
D. warm temperatures and increased amounts of acid
Answer» B. warm temperatures and increased amounts of pressure
7.

The death of a river by environmental pollutants ultimately results from

A. the overpopulation of algae
B. the overabundance of toxic proteins
C. the depletion of oxygen
D. the buildup of sediment on the river bottom
Answer» D. the buildup of sediment on the river bottom
8.

Which of the following statement is not correct?

A. The use of 25-40°C temperatures allows the biogas production to be more stable
B. The use of 25-40°C temperatures does not destroy potentially harmful bacteria
C. The use of 25-40°C temperatures destroys potentially harmful bacteria
D. None of the above
Answer» D. None of the above
9.

Botulism is caused by the presence of toxin developed by

A. Clostridium tyrobutyricum
B. Clostridium sporogenes
C. Clostridium botulinum
D. none of these
Answer» D. none of these
10.

Which of the following is not employed as an oxidation method?

A. Oxidation ponds
B. Trickling filters
C. Contact aerators
D. All of these
Answer» E.
11.

Which of the following acid will have higher bacteriostatic effect at a given pH?

A. Acetic acid
B. Tartaric acid
C. Citric acid
D. Maleic acid
Answer» B. Tartaric acid
12.

Ropiness in bread is caused by

A. Bacillus subtilis
B. A. niger
C. R. nigricans
D. P. expansum
Answer» B. A. niger
13.

A special beer yeast of the bottom type is

A. S. cerevisiae
B. S. carlsbergensis
C. S. thermophillus
D. none of these
Answer» C. S. thermophillus
14.

The potential spoilage organism in beer is

A. Saccharomyces diastaticus
B. S. carlsbergensis
C. S. cerevisiae
D. S. lactis
Answer» B. S. carlsbergensis
15.

The use of microbes to break down synthetic waste products such as polychlorinated biphenyls is called

A. bioinformatics
B. biolistics
C. biotechnology
D. bioremediation
Answer» E.
16.

The concept of putting microbes to help clean up the environment is called

A. pasteurization
B. bioremediation
C. fermentation
D. biolistics
Answer» C. fermentation
17.

The different ACC's between food categories reflect the

A. expected level of contamination of the raw material
B. potential for microbial growth during storage
C. potential shelf life
D. all of the above
Answer» E.
18.

Arrange the potencies of toxin in descending order of the following canned foods

A. peas>string beans>spinach> corn
B. corn> string bean>peas>spinach
C. corn> spinach> peas>string beans
D. corn> peas>string beans>spinach
Answer» E.
19.

The crushed grapes used for wine manufacturing are also known as

A. wort
B. must
C. hop
D. pilsener
Answer» C. hop
20.

The biogas production process takes place at the temperature

A. lesser than 25°C
B. 25-40°C
C. 45-60°C
D. all of these
Answer» E.
21.

The most important bacterium developing acidity in both low and high salt brines is

A. L. lactis
B. L. plantarum
C. L. brevis
D. B. subtilis
Answer» C. L. brevis
22.

A bacterial food intoxication refers to

A. illness caused by presence of pathogens
B. food borne illness caused by the presence of a bacterial toxin formed in food
C. both (a) and (b)
D. none of the above
Answer» C. both (a) and (b)
23.

The microbiological examination of coliform bacteria in foods preferably use

A. MacConkey broth
B. violet Red Bile agar
C. eosine Methylene blue agar
D. all of these
Answer» E.
24.

Gassiness resulting from the liberation of carbon dioxide by hetero fermentative lactics is called

A. pousse
B. amertume
C. mannitic
D. none of these
Answer» B. amertume
25.

What is an anaerobic digester?

A. New diet drink
B. Microbe that eats hazardous waste
C. Method to convert agricultural waste into a biogas
D. All of the above
Answer» D. All of the above
26.

The acetate-utilizing methanogens are responsible for

A. 20% of methane produced in a biogas reactor
B. 50% of methane produced in a biogas reactor
C. 70% of methane produced in a biogas reactor
D. 85% of methane produced in a biogas reactor
Answer» D. 85% of methane produced in a biogas reactor
27.

Water testing relies on the detection of certain indicator organisms known as

A. acid-fast bacteria
B. bacteroids
C. coliforms
D. dinoflagellates
Answer» D. dinoflagellates
28.

Grains spoiled by molds are a potential animal or human health hazard as well as a great economic loss. Which is/are the common species of molds in the spoilage of stored grains by molds?

A. Aspergillus
B. Penicillium
C. Fusarium
D. All of these
Answer» E.
29.

Sulfur stinker spoilage, caused by is uncommonly found in

A. low acid foods
B. medium acid foods
C. high acid foods
D. any of these
Answer» B. medium acid foods
30.

An excessively high temperature in the fermentation of sauerkraut may inhibit the growth of

A. Leuconostoc
B. Pediococcus cerevisiae
C. both (a) and (b)
D. none of these
Answer» B. Pediococcus cerevisiae
31.

What are the intrinsic factors for the microbial growth?

A. pH
B. Moisture
C. Oxidation-Reduction Potential
D. All of these
Answer» E.
32.

Flat sour spoilage of acid foods is caused by

A. B. coagulans
B. B. pepo
C. both (a) and (b)
D. B. stearothermophillus
Answer» B. B. pepo
33.

The presence of viable non-spore forming bacteria in heat process canned foods indicates leakage of the container. Which of the following is responsible for the spoilage of leaky cans?

A. Plant equipment
B. Cooling water
C. Highly acidic medium
D. High sugar content
Answer» C. Highly acidic medium
34.

Activated sludge contains large number of

A. bacteria
B. yeasts and molds
C. protozoa
D. all of these
Answer» E.
35.

The Sarcina sickness of beer, caused by Pedicoccus cerevisiae, is characterized by

A. sourness
B. turbidity
C. popiness
D. all of these
Answer» E.
36.

Slippery pickles occur due to

A. growth of encapsulated bacteria
B. broken scums of film yeasts on the surface of brine
C. addition of high amount of salt
D. both (a) and (b)
Answer» E.
37.

The favouring conditions for floaters is

A. high intial amounts of salt
B. thick skin that does not allow gas to diffuse out
C. both (a) and (b)
D. none of these
Answer» D. none of these
38.

Blackening in pickles occurs due to

A. the formation of hydrogen sulfide by bacteria
B. growth of Pencillium
C. both (a) and (b)
D. none of the above
Answer» B. growth of Pencillium
39.

Mined salt has been reported to contain about

A. 50% Micrococcus, 10% Coryneforms and 14% Bacillus
B. 60% Micrococcus, 20% Coryneforms and 14% Bacillus
C. 70% Micrococcus, 20% Coryneforms and 4% Bacillus
D. 70% Micrococcus, 20% Coryneforms and 10% Bacillus
Answer» D. 70% Micrococcus, 20% Coryneforms and 10% Bacillus
40.

Most important species of vinegar bacteria causing sliminess is

A. Acetobacter aceti
B. Saccharomyces carlsbergiensis
C. Lactobacillus lactis
D. None of the above
Answer» B. Saccharomyces carlsbergiensis
41.

Which of the following strain(s), that grow in the jellies and candid fruits, are able to grow in sugar concentration upto 67.5%?

A. Aspergillus
B. Penicillium
C. Citromyces
D. All of these
Answer» E.
42.

High acid foods with a pH < 3.7 undergo spoilage by

A. Saccharolytic anaerobe
B. B. coagulans
C. both (a) and (b)
D. do not undergo spoilage by microorganisms
Answer» E.
43.

Shriveling in fermented pickles results from the physical effect of

A. too strong salt solution
B. too strong sugar solution
C. too strong vinegar solution
D. all of these
Answer» E.
44.

Yeast and mould count determination requires-

A. nutrient agar
B. acidified potato glucose agar
C. MacConkey agar
D. violet Red Bile agar
Answer» C. MacConkey agar
45.

Some cyanobacteria produce potent neurotoxins that, if ingested, will kill humans. These cyanobacteria are most likely to contaminate

A. water rich in organic carbon wastes but poor in phosphate
B. water that are anoxic
C. water rich in phosphate wastes but poor in organic carbon
D. none of the above
Answer» D. none of the above
46.

The elimination of the scum of yeasts in the brine during the fermentation include

A. agitation of the surface
B. addition of the mustard oil
C. addition of the sorbic acid
D. all of these
Answer» E.
47.

Which of the following species can cause bitterness, acidity and curdling in canned milk, cream and evaporated milk?

A. Bacillus
B. Clostridium
C. both (a) and (b)
D. Saccharomyces
Answer» B. Clostridium
48.

When the fermentation of fructose results in the bitter product mannitol, the fermentation is sometime termed as-

A. mannkic
B. mannitic
C. amertume
D. none of these
Answer» C. amertume
49.

Parsnip like odour and taste in beer is caused by

A. Flavobacterium proteus
B. Zygomonas anaeroium
C. Lactobacillus patorianus
D. S. carlsbergensis
Answer» B. Zygomonas anaeroium
50.

Acetic acid bacteria spoiling musts and wines are inhibited by

A. 5-7% alcohol by volume
B. 14-15% alcohol by volume
C. 24-25% alcohol by volume
D. 30-35% alcohol by volume
Answer» C. 24-25% alcohol by volume