Organoleptic properties in pre-formulation MCQs With Answer

Organoleptic properties are the sensory characteristics of pharmaceutical materials—appearance, color, odor, taste and texture—that significantly affect patient acceptability, adherence and perception of drug quality. In pre-formulation, systematic assessment of these properties helps formulators identify potential taste or smell issues, choose appropriate excipients and masking strategies, and anticipate stability or compatibility concerns. This set of MCQs targets M.Pharm students preparing for exams or practical formulation work. Questions emphasize mechanisms, objective and subjective evaluation methods (e.g., electronic nose/tongue, colorimetry, sensory panels), regulatory considerations and formulation approaches to manage undesirable organoleptic attributes in early product development.

Q1. What are organoleptic properties in the context of pharmaceutical pre-formulation?

• Physical constants such as boiling point and melting point
• Sensory characteristics such as appearance, odor, taste and texture
• Microbial contamination levels
• Chemical assay and potency

Correct Answer: Sensory characteristics such as appearance, odor, taste and texture

Q2. Which of the following is NOT typically considered an organoleptic property?

• Taste
• Color
• Odor
• Solubility

Correct Answer: Solubility

Q3. In pre-formulation studies, the primary reason to evaluate organoleptic properties is to:

• Determine the compound’s pKa
• Predict patient acceptability and guide formulation design
• Measure the melting point precisely
• Assess sterility of the dosage form

Correct Answer: Predict patient acceptability and guide formulation design

Q4. Which instrument is commonly used for objective measurement of color in pharmaceutical solids?

• High-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC)
• Colorimeter or spectrophotometer
• Pachymeter
• Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA)

Correct Answer: Colorimeter or spectrophotometer

Q5. An electronic nose is primarily designed to detect:

• Taste of non-volatile compounds
• Volatile organic compounds and odor profiles
• Particle size distribution
• Mechanical strength of tablets

Correct Answer: Volatile organic compounds and odor profiles

Q6. Which formulation strategy is most appropriate for immediate taste masking of a bitter active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)?

• Surface coating of granules or pellets
• Increasing the crystalline lattice energy to raise melting point
• Deliberately increasing dissolution rate in saliva
• Reducing tablet hardness

Correct Answer: Surface coating of granules or pellets

Q7. In sensory evaluation, the taste detection threshold refers to the:

• Maximum concentration at which a taste is acceptable
• Minimum concentration at which a taste can be perceived
• Concentration required for therapeutic effect
• Concentration that causes irritation

Correct Answer: Minimum concentration at which a taste can be perceived

Q8. For early stage screening of organoleptic attributes in pre-formulation, which type of sensory panel is most appropriate?

• Trained descriptive panel
• Large consumer preference panel
• Regulatory compliance committee
• Animal sensory panel

Correct Answer: Trained descriptive panel

Q9. Which scale is commonly used to quantify perceived bitterness intensity in sensory studies?

• pH scale
• Visual analogue scale or numeric intensity scale
• Mohs hardness scale
• Kelvin temperature scale

Correct Answer: Visual analogue scale or numeric intensity scale

Q10. Taste masking by ion-exchange resins primarily works by:

• Increasing dissolution in saliva
• Complexing the drug to reduce free drug release in saliva
• Altering the drug’s molecular weight
• Changing tablet color

Correct Answer: Complexing the drug to reduce free drug release in saliva

Q11. Which organoleptic change is most commonly an early indicator of chemical degradation in a solid dosage form?

• Color change of the product
• Increase in tablet mechanical strength
• Improved dissolution rate
• Unchanged odor and taste

Correct Answer: Color change of the product

Q12. Which excipient selection most directly affects mouthfeel and texture of an oral liquid or suspension?

• Xanthan gum or other viscosity modifiers
• Sodium saccharin as a sweetener
• Talc as a glidant
• Preservative such as benzalkonium chloride

Correct Answer: Xanthan gum or other viscosity modifiers

Q13. An electronic tongue is best described as a device that:

• Measures volatile odors similarly to an electronic nose
• Uses sensor arrays to detect dissolved taste-related compounds
• Optically assesses color and gloss of tablets
• Measures mechanical disintegration

Correct Answer: Uses sensor arrays to detect dissolved taste-related compounds

Q14. Which of the following factors would least affect the intrinsic organoleptic properties of a drug product during pre-formulation?

• Polymorphic form of the API
• Particle size distribution of the API
• Packaging color and graphics
• Surface properties and residual solvents

Correct Answer: Packaging color and graphics

Q15. Gustatory sensations in the oral cavity are primarily transmitted by which cranial nerves?

• Olfactory (I) and Optic (II)
• Facial (VII) and Glossopharyngeal (IX)
• Trigeminal (V) and Hypoglossal (XII)
• Accessory (XI) and Vagus (X)

Correct Answer: Facial (VII) and Glossopharyngeal (IX)

Q16. Which sensory evaluation design is best to minimize both subject and administrator bias in organoleptic testing?

• Open-label sequential testing
• Single-blind non-randomized testing
• Double-blind randomized controlled sensory test
• Case study reporting

Correct Answer: Double-blind randomized controlled sensory test

Q17. A hedonic scale in sensory evaluation is used to measure:

• Intensity of a single taste attribute
• Overall liking or preference
• Microbial contamination levels
• Boiling point of formulation solvents

Correct Answer: Overall liking or preference

Q18. Which of the following organoleptic assessments provides a quantitative, objective result rather than a subjective panel score?

• Subjective odor ranking by untrained volunteers
• Colorimetry using standardized instruments
• Hedonic liking survey
• Free-form taste descriptions

Correct Answer: Colorimetry using standardized instruments

Q19. For assessing mouthfeel and suspension texture during pre-formulation, the most informative analytical method is:

• Rheological measurements (viscosity, thixotropy)
• Standard dissolution testing only
• Microbial limit testing
• Particle size assay by titration

Correct Answer: Rheological measurements (viscosity, thixotropy)

Q20. How do many high-intensity sweeteners modulate taste at the molecular level?

• They permanently alter taste bud anatomy
• They bind to and activate G-protein coupled sweet receptors on taste cells
• They raise the oral cavity temperature to enhance sweetness
• They discolor the product to make it appear sweeter

Correct Answer: They bind to and activate G-protein coupled sweet receptors on taste cells

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