Beverages as functional foods – Sea foods, Coffee, Tea MCQs With Answer

Beverages as functional foods combine traditional drinks with targeted health benefits, making them relevant to B.Pharm students studying nutraceuticals and formulation. This introduction explores seafoods as sources of functional ingredients (omega‑3 fatty acids, marine peptides, iodine), and popular functional beverages—coffee (caffeine, chlorogenic acids, diterpenes) and tea (catechins, EGCG, theaflavins). Emphasis is on pharmacology, mechanisms of action, bioavailability, extraction and encapsulation strategies, safety (contaminants, hepatotoxicity), drug–food interactions, analytical methods and regulatory claims. Understanding these aspects links pharmaceutical science to product development and patient counseling. Keywords: beverages as functional foods, seafoods, coffee, tea, bioactive compounds, nutraceuticals, pharmacokinetics. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. What best defines “beverages as functional foods” in a pharmaceutical context?

• Drinks consumed only for hydration without health claims
• Beverages fortified or naturally containing bioactive compounds that provide physiological benefits beyond basic nutrition
• Any beverage that contains caffeine
• Medicinal syrups prescribed by pharmacists

Correct Answer: Beverages fortified or naturally containing bioactive compounds that provide physiological benefits beyond basic nutrition

Q2. Which marine-derived nutrient is most associated with cardioprotective effects in seafoods?

• Vitamin C
• Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA)
• Trans fats
• Saturated fatty acids

Correct Answer: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA)

Q3. Between EPA and DHA, which is more strongly linked to lowering plasma triglycerides?

• DHA only
• EPA only
• Both EPA and DHA, with EPA often emphasized for triglyceride reduction
• Neither; they raise triglycerides

Correct Answer: Both EPA and DHA, with EPA often emphasized for triglyceride reduction

Q4. Marine peptides from seafoods commonly exhibit which bioactivity relevant to pharmacy?

• ACE inhibitory (antihypertensive) activity
• Pro-inflammatory cytokine induction
• Heavy metal chelation only
• Increase of LDL cholesterol

Correct Answer: ACE inhibitory (antihypertensive) activity

Q5. Which micronutrient abundant in many seafoods is crucial for thyroid function?

• Selenium
• Iodine
• Vitamin D
• Calcium

Correct Answer: Iodine

Q6. What is the main safety concern with frequent consumption of certain large predatory seafoods?

• Excess omega‑3 intake
• Mercury (methylmercury) accumulation leading to neurotoxicity
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Excessive fiber intake

Correct Answer: Mercury (methylmercury) accumulation leading to neurotoxicity

Q7. Which processing method best preserves omega‑3 fatty acids in seafood-derived functional ingredients?

• High-temperature open frying
• Cold pressing or low-temperature extraction with antioxidants
• Prolonged roasting at high heat
• Sun drying without protection

Correct Answer: Cold pressing or low-temperature extraction with antioxidants

Q8. Which compound is the primary stimulant in coffee responsible for central nervous system effects?

• Chlorogenic acid
• Caffeine
• EGCG
• Theobromine only

Correct Answer: Caffeine

Q9. Caffeine primarily exerts stimulant effects by antagonizing which receptor?

• Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor
• Adenosine receptors (A1 and A2A)
• GABA-A receptor
• Beta-adrenergic receptor

Correct Answer: Adenosine receptors (A1 and A2A)

Q10. Which coffee constituent has been associated with raising serum LDL cholesterol when present in unfiltered coffee?

• Catechins
• Cafestol and kahweol (diterpenes)
• Chlorogenic acid
• Fiber

Correct Answer: Cafestol and kahweol (diterpenes)

Q11. Chlorogenic acids in coffee are reported to influence which metabolic parameter?

• Increase fasting glucose
• Improve postprandial glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity
• Eliminate dietary iron absorption
• Directly block bile acid reabsorption

Correct Answer: Improve postprandial glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity

Q12. Which analytical technique is commonly used to quantify EPA and DHA in seafood oils for pharmaceutical quality control?

• Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) after methylation
• UV-visible spectrophotometry at 280 nm
• Polarimetry
• Colorimetric iodine test only

Correct Answer: Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) after methylation

Q13. In tea, which polyphenol class is most abundant in green tea and associated with antioxidant and potential chemopreventive effects?

• Anthocyanins
• Catechins, especially EGCG
• Isoflavones
• Proanthocyanidins only

Correct Answer: Catechins, especially EGCG

Q14. What is the effect of tea tannins on oral iron absorption?

• Tannins enhance non-heme iron absorption
• Tannins chelate iron and reduce non-heme iron absorption
• Tannins convert iron into heme form
• No interaction exists between tannins and iron

Correct Answer: Tannins chelate iron and reduce non-heme iron absorption

Q15. Theaflavins are characteristic of which type of tea processing?

• Green tea (non-fermented)
• Oolong tea (partially fermented)
• Black tea (fully fermented/oxidized)
• White tea (minimal processing)

Correct Answer: Black tea (fully fermented/oxidized)

Q16. Which pharmacokinetic factor commonly prolongs caffeine half-life in an individual?

• Smoking (tobacco) induction of CYP1A2
• Pregnancy or concurrent use of CYP1A2 inhibitors
• High dietary fiber intake
• Frequent exercise increasing clearance

Correct Answer: Pregnancy or concurrent use of CYP1A2 inhibitors

Q17. Which statement about EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) is most accurate regarding safety?

• EGCG has no reported adverse effects at any dose
• High-dose concentrated green tea extracts have been associated with rare cases of hepatotoxicity
• EGCG consistently causes severe hypotension
• EGCG irreversibly inhibits CYP3A4 at dietary doses

Correct Answer: High-dose concentrated green tea extracts have been associated with rare cases of hepatotoxicity

Q18. Which mechanism describes how encapsulation improves bioavailability of tea catechins in beverage formulations?

• Increasing gastric acidity to degrade catechins
• Protecting catechins from oxidation and improving intestinal absorption via controlled release
• Converting catechins to insoluble polymers
• Removing all polyphenols to reduce interaction with proteins

Correct Answer: Protecting catechins from oxidation and improving intestinal absorption via controlled release

Q19. Probiotic beverages deliver health benefits mainly by which action?

• Providing dead microbes for fiber enrichment
• Modulating gut microbiota, improving barrier function and immune responses
• Replacing pharmaceutical antibiotics
• Acting as strong systemic immunosuppressants

Correct Answer: Modulating gut microbiota, improving barrier function and immune responses

Q20. Which formulation challenge is most relevant when developing omega‑3-fortified beverages?

• Ensuring solubility of hydrophilic omega‑3 molecules
• Masking fishy odor/taste and preventing lipid oxidation for shelf stability
• Eliminating all fat to prevent mouthfeel
• Maximizing sugar content to bind EPA/DHA

Correct Answer: Masking fishy odor/taste and preventing lipid oxidation for shelf stability

Q21. Which cytochrome enzyme primarily metabolizes caffeine and can be inhibited by certain drugs or compounds?

• CYP2D6
• CYP1A2
• CYP3A4 exclusively
• MAO-B

Correct Answer: CYP1A2

Q22. A pharmacist counseling a patient on tea consumption with warfarin should be aware of which interaction concern?

• Tea catechins directly inactivate warfarin instantly
• Vitamin K content in some herbal teas can alter anticoagulant effect, and tannins may affect absorption
• Tea neutralizes warfarin making it stronger
• No interaction is possible between tea and warfarin

Correct Answer: Vitamin K content in some herbal teas can alter anticoagulant effect, and tannins may affect absorption

Q23. In regulatory terms, what distinguishes a “health claim” from a “structure/function claim” for functional beverages?

• Health claims are general marketing slogans; structure/function claims require FDA approval
• Health claims assert disease risk reduction and often require scientific substantiation or approval; structure/function claims describe physiological roles without mentioning disease prevention
• Structure/function claims imply curing disease
• There is no difference; both are the same legally

Correct Answer: Health claims assert disease risk reduction and often require scientific substantiation or approval; structure/function claims describe physiological roles without mentioning disease prevention

Q24. Which in vitro method is commonly used to assess bioaccessibility of polyphenols from beverage matrices?

• Simulated gastrointestinal digestion models followed by dialysis or Caco-2 cell uptake studies
• Colorimetric sugar assays
• Direct taste testing
• Measuring pH only

Correct Answer: Simulated gastrointestinal digestion models followed by dialysis or Caco-2 cell uptake studies

Q25. Which preservative concern is specific to probiotic functional beverages?

• Use of strong antibiotics for preservation
• Preservatives must not inactivate live probiotic strains while ensuring microbial safety
• Preservatives are unnecessary because probiotics outcompete spoilage microbes
• Only heat sterilization is acceptable for probiotic drinks

Correct Answer: Preservatives must not inactivate live probiotic strains while ensuring microbial safety

Q26. Which analytical marker is typically measured to monitor oxidative rancidity in omega‑3 enriched beverages?

• Peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)
• pH alone
• Glucose concentration
• Protein nitrogen index

Correct Answer: Peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)

Q27. Which beverage processing technique increases solubility and extraction of coffee bioactives while reducing microbial load for ready-to-drink formulations?

• Cold chain only without any thermal process
• High-pressure processing (HPP) or pasteurization combined with optimized extraction
• Sun drying of brewed coffee
• Adding raw coffee grounds directly to beverage without treatment

Correct Answer: High-pressure processing (HPP) or pasteurization combined with optimized extraction

Q28. Which consumer advisory is important for pregnant women regarding seafood-derived functional foods?

• Consume unlimited quantities of large predatory fish for omega‑3s
• Limit consumption of high-mercury seafood and choose low-mercury, high-omega‑3 options
• Avoid all seafood because omega‑3s are harmful in pregnancy
• Only canned tuna provides safe omega‑3s with no mercury risk

Correct Answer: Limit consumption of high-mercury seafood and choose low-mercury, high-omega‑3 options

Q29. Which approach can increase the stability of EPA/DHA in a beverage formulation?

• Exposing oils to air and light to encourage polymerization
• Microencapsulation with antioxidants and oxygen barrier packaging
• Removing all antioxidants from the formula
• Heating the beverage at very high temperatures repeatedly

Correct Answer: Microencapsulation with antioxidants and oxygen barrier packaging

Q30. For a pharmacist recommending a functional coffee drink for alertness, which dosing consideration is most appropriate?

• Assume all individuals tolerate unlimited caffeine equally
• Consider individual sensitivity, total daily caffeine from all sources, interactions (CYP1A2 inhibitors) and pregnancy status
• Recommend the highest-caffeine product for everyone
• Ignore concomitant medications as they don’t affect caffeine

Correct Answer: Consider individual sensitivity, total daily caffeine from all sources, interactions (CYP1A2 inhibitors) and pregnancy status

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