Cereal and vegetable-based functional foods – Oats, Wheat bran, Rice bran MCQs With Answer

Cereal and vegetable-based functional foods such as oats, wheat bran and rice bran are rich sources of dietary fiber, bioactive phytochemicals, beta-glucans, phenolics and lipids that confer cholesterol-lowering, glycemic-control and prebiotic effects. For B. Pharm students, understanding composition, extraction, stability, formulation and analytical evaluation of these ingredients is essential for developing nutraceuticals, functional food formulations and drug-food interaction assessments. Key concepts include fiber types, physicochemical properties, bioavailability, antioxidant activity, processing impacts and quality control standards. This topic links food science with pharmaceutics and clinical outcomes, highlighting formulation challenges and therapeutic benefits. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which component in oats primarily contributes to lowering serum cholesterol through viscosity and bile acid binding?

• Arabinoxylan
• Beta-glucan
• Gamma-oryzanol
• Phytic acid

Correct Answer: Beta-glucan

Q2. Which bioactive compound is most characteristic of rice bran and associated with antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects?

• Gamma-oryzanol
• Ferulic acid
• Resveratrol
• Catechin

Correct Answer: Gamma-oryzanol

Q3. Wheat bran is particularly rich in which type of dietary fiber that aids laxation and increases fecal bulk?

• Soluble beta-glucan
• Insoluble cellulose and hemicellulose
• Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS)
• Pectins

Correct Answer: Insoluble cellulose and hemicellulose

Q4. Which analytical method is commonly used to quantify total dietary fiber in cereal brans for quality control?

• AOAC enzymatic-gravimetric method
• BCA protein assay
• UV-Vis for phenolics
• Gas chromatography for lipids

Correct Answer: AOAC enzymatic-gravimetric method

Q5. What major problem limits the shelf-life of raw rice bran and requires stabilization?

• High cellulose content
• Endogenous lipase activity causing rancidity
• Excessive mineral content
• High moisture-induced microbial toxin production only

Correct Answer: Endogenous lipase activity causing rancidity

Q6. In terms of glycemic control, which physicochemical property of oat beta-glucan is most important?

• Its molecular weight and viscosity-forming capacity
• Its melting point
• Its color
• Its protein-binding affinity

Correct Answer: Its molecular weight and viscosity-forming capacity

Q7. Rice bran stabilization techniques used to inactivate lipase include:

• Cold-press extraction only
• Heat treatment, extrusion, or enzymatic inactivation
• Lyophilization without heating
• Fermentation only

Correct Answer: Heat treatment, extrusion, or enzymatic inactivation

Q8. Which short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by fermentation of cereal fibers is most associated with colonic health and systemic metabolic effects?

• Butyrate
• Oleate
• Stearate
• Palmitate

Correct Answer: Butyrate

Q9. Which process parameter most strongly affects the particle size and solubility of wheat bran used in formulations?

• Milling intensity
• Salt concentration
• Storage temperature alone
• Light exposure

Correct Answer: Milling intensity

Q10. Which phytochemical class in cereal brans contributes significantly to antioxidant capacity measured by DPPH or FRAP assays?

• Phenolic acids and flavonoids
• Simple sugars
• Saturated fatty acids
• Inorganic phosphates

Correct Answer: Phenolic acids and flavonoids

Q11. Beta-glucan from oats exerts hypocholesterolemic effect primarily by:

• Increasing cholesterol synthesis in liver
• Enhancing bile acid excretion and reducing cholesterol reabsorption
• Direct inhibition of lipase in the gut lumen
• Acting as an antioxidant only

Correct Answer: Enhancing bile acid excretion and reducing cholesterol reabsorption

Q12. Prebiotic activity of cereal-derived oligosaccharides is evaluated by their ability to:

• Support growth of pathogenic bacteria
• Promote selective growth of beneficial gut microbiota like Bifidobacteria
• Cross the intestinal epithelium intact
• Bind to dietary lipids irreversibly

Correct Answer: Promote selective growth of beneficial gut microbiota like Bifidobacteria

Q13. Which technique is suitable to extract oil-rich fraction and bioactives from rice bran for nutraceutical use?

• Cold solvent extraction and steam-inactivated stabilization
• Simple water washing
• Direct air-drying only
• Low-temperature fermentation with no extraction

Correct Answer: Cold solvent extraction and steam-inactivated stabilization

Q14. Which antinutrient present in cereal brans can chelate minerals and reduce their bioavailability?

• Gamma-oryzanol
• Phytic acid (phytate)
• Beta-glucan
• Vitamin C

Correct Answer: Phytic acid (phytate)

Q15. In pharmaceutical formulations, finely milled wheat bran can be used as:

• A superdisintegrant in immediate-release tablets
• An inert lubricant replacing magnesium stearate
• A source of oxidizing agents
• A binder with high solubility

Correct Answer: A superdisintegrant in immediate-release tablets

Q16. Which stability parameter is critical when formulating rice bran oil concentrates for oral nutraceuticals?

• Oxidative stability and peroxide value
• Freezing point alone
• Color only
• Protein content

Correct Answer: Oxidative stability and peroxide value

Q17. Which of the following increases bioaccessibility of phenolics from cereal brans during digestion?

• Thermal processing and enzymatic hydrolysis
• Complete removal of fiber matrix
• Avoiding all processing to keep raw form
• Increasing grain particle size

Correct Answer: Thermal processing and enzymatic hydrolysis

Q18. The hypoglycemic effect of soluble fibers in oats is mainly due to:

• Delayed gastric emptying and reduced postprandial glucose absorption
• Increased intestinal glucose transporters expression
• Direct insulin secretion from fibers
• Destruction of pancreatic alpha cells

Correct Answer: Delayed gastric emptying and reduced postprandial glucose absorption

Q19. Which assay would be most appropriate to quantify beta-glucan content in an oat ingredient?

• Specific enzymatic assay for beta-glucan (e.g., lichenase-based)
• Bradford protein assay
• Chromogenic endotoxin assay
• Atomic absorption spectroscopy

Correct Answer: Specific enzymatic assay for beta-glucan (e.g., lichenase-based)

Q20. During formulation of a cereal-based nutraceutical capsule, which interaction with drugs should a pharmacist consider?

• Fiber reducing absorption of concomitant oral medications
• Fiber enhancing immediate release of all drugs
• Phytochemicals causing narcotic effects
• Bran components acting as antibiotics

Correct Answer: Fiber reducing absorption of concomitant oral medications

Q21. Which factor most reduces the extractable antioxidant activity from wheat bran?

• Strong binding of phenolics to cell wall polysaccharides
• High water-solubility of phenolics
• Low molecular weight of phenolics
• Presence of free sugars

Correct Answer: Strong binding of phenolics to cell wall polysaccharides

Q22. Encapsulation of rice bran oil in a formulation primarily aims to:

• Improve oxidative stability and controlled release
• Increase lipase activity
• Make it highly volatile
• Decrease bioavailability intentionally

Correct Answer: Improve oxidative stability and controlled release

Q23. Which processing of oats can decrease beta-glucan molecular weight and potentially reduce viscosity-related benefits?

• Excessive heat and shear during milling or extrusion
• Gentle steaming only
• Freezing at low temperatures
• Vacuum drying without shear

Correct Answer: Excessive heat and shear during milling or extrusion

Q24. A functional claim for oat beta-glucan on serum cholesterol requires evidence of:

• Clinical trials demonstrating cholesterol reduction at specified beta-glucan dose
• Only in vitro antioxidant data
• Animal anecdotal reports
• Colorimetric assay of oats

Correct Answer: Clinical trials demonstrating cholesterol reduction at specified beta-glucan dose

Q25. Which cereal bran fraction is most likely to act as prebiotic substrate promoting SCFA production?

• Non-digestible oligosaccharides and soluble fibers
• Simple digestible starch
• Saturated triglycerides
• Inorganic salts

Correct Answer: Non-digestible oligosaccharides and soluble fibers

Q26. Which storage condition is most detrimental to maintaining rice bran oil quality in a nutraceutical product?

• Warm temperatures and exposure to oxygen and light
• Storage at -20°C in nitrogen atmosphere
• Vacuum-packed in amber bottles at low temp
• Desiccated cool dark storage

Correct Answer: Warm temperatures and exposure to oxygen and light

Q27. Which of the following describes a pharmacotechnical challenge when incorporating high-fiber cereal brans into tablets?

• Poor compressibility and altered disintegration profile
• Excessive solubility causing rapid dissolution only
• Complete chemical inertness making binding impossible
• Spontaneous sterilization of the blend

Correct Answer: Poor compressibility and altered disintegration profile

Q28. Which cereal-based component has been shown to lower postprandial glucose by forming a viscous gel in the intestinal lumen?

• Soluble beta-glucans from oats
• Rice bran oil triglycerides
• Wheat bran insoluble cellulose
• Starch amylopectin only

Correct Answer: Soluble beta-glucans from oats

Q29. During quality control of bran ingredients, which contaminant is of particular concern requiring routine testing?

• Mycotoxins (e.g., aflatoxin, ochratoxin)
• Excess vitamin C
• High fructose syrup
• Antibiotic residues

Correct Answer: Mycotoxins (e.g., aflatoxin, ochratoxin)

Q30. Which strategy improves mineral bioavailability from phytate-rich wheat or rice bran in a formulation?

• Phytase treatment or fermentation to reduce phytate
• Adding more phytate to the formulation
• Avoiding any processing
• Increasing baking temperature without enzyme action

Correct Answer: Phytase treatment or fermentation to reduce phytate

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