Chapter 3: The Mystery of Food Case Study Questions | Environmental Science - EVS Class 5 CBSE

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Chapter 3: The Mystery of Food Case Study Questions | Environmental Science - EVS Class 5 CBSE | ByteNotes.in

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Case Set 1

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It was a sunny Monday morning when Disha found her lunch box forgotten in school since last Friday. Inside was her favourite food, uttapam, but it smelled very bad when she opened it. She noticed strange coloured patches on the food and wondered what had happened. Her brother Aditya explained that tiny living things called microbes had grown on the food and changed it. These microbes formed a colony called mould.

Question 1: What were the two main changes Disha observed in her forgotten uttapam?

A foul or bad smell came out of the lunch box.
There were strange coloured patches visible on the surface of the food.

Question 2: According to Aditya, what are the tiny living things that caused these changes?

The tiny living things are called microbes.
They are so small that they can usually only be seen using a microscope.

Question 3: Why could Disha see the mould if microbes are too small to be seen with the naked eye?

Mould is visible because it is made up of a colony of thousands of microbes living together.
Single microbes are invisible, but their large groups form the patches we see.
These colonies change the appearance, taste, and smell of the food items.

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Case Set 2

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One afternoon, Disha saw a slice of bread she had left on the balcony for a cat. Two days later, it had coloured patches on it. However, the pickles her Paati had made two months ago were still delicious and safe to eat. She noticed the pickles were completely covered with oil. Disha asked her Anna what microbes need to grow, and he explained they need moisture, air, and the right temperature.

Question 1: Name the three things microbes need to grow on food.

They need moisture or water to survive.
They need air and the right temperature to grow.

Question 2: Why did the bread spoil on the balcony while the pickle stayed fresh?

The bread was exposed to air and moisture on the balcony.
The pickle was protected because it was covered in oil, which keeps air out.

Question 3: Based on Finding #2, how can we stop microbes from growing on our food?

We must remove at least one of the things microbes need to grow.
Keeping air and water away from the food stops them in their tracks.
By controlling the environment, we can prevent food from spoiling quickly.

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Case Set 3

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Disha saw her Amma and Appa drying red chillies on a mat under the Sun on the balcony. Amma said they were doing this to make chilli powder that would last for the entire year. Disha realized that drying in the Sun removes moisture. Without moisture, microbes cannot grow on the chillies. This is one of the oldest ways to preserve food at home.

Question 1: What is the main purpose of drying food like chillies in the sun?

Drying removes the moisture or water from the food.
It helps the food last for a much longer time, like an entire year.

Question 2: Why can't microbes grow on sun-dried chillies?

Microbes absolutely need water or moisture to survive and grow.
Without the moisture that was removed by the sun, they cannot multiply.

Question 3: Give three examples of other food items that can be dried to stay unspoilt.

Items like mangoes can be dried to make aam papad.
Papad is a common item that is dried in the sun to be eaten later.
Fish and certain grains or powders are also preserved by drying.

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Case Set 4

Case Analysis

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In the kitchen, Disha's Paati was pouring mustard oil into a jar of pickled green mangoes. Disha asked why so much oil was needed. Paati explained that oil stops air from getting into the jar, which keeps the pickles safe from microbes. Disha also learned that salt, sugar, and spices like black pepper were used by her grandfather to keep food from spoiling.

Question 1: How does adding oil to a pickle jar preserve the food?

Oil creates a layer that keeps air away from the food items.
By blocking air, it stops the growth of microbes that need it to grow.

Question 2: What other ingredients did Disha's grandfather use to prevent food spoilage?

He used salt and sugar to keep food fresh for longer.
He also used spices like black pepper to protect the food.

Question 3: Why was black pepper famous in history, according to the chapter?

Black pepper became a very popular and valued spice for preserving food.
It was so popular that Vasco da Gama crossed oceans to collect it from India.
Today, we still use these traditional methods to keep our food safe.

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Case Set 5

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Disha opened the fridge and saw milk, vegetables, butter, and a cake stored inside. Her Appa explained that fridges keep the temperature very cold. This cold temperature slows down the growth of microbes. Disha wondered why butter needs a fridge while ghee, which is made from butter, can stay out on a shelf. She learned that making ghee involves heating butter until the water evaporates .

Question 1: Why does food stay fresh longer inside a refrigerator?

The fridge provides a very cold temperature for the stored items.
This cold environment slows down the growth of microbes that spoil food.

Question 2: What happens to the water in butter when it is heated to make ghee?

During the heating process, the water separates from the butter.
Eventually, all the water evaporates, leaving behind pure ghee.

Question 3: Why does ghee not need refrigeration while butter does?

Butter still contains moisture (water), which microbes need to grow.
Ghee has no water left because it all evaporated during cooking.
Without moisture, microbes cannot grow on ghee, so it stays safe at room temperature.

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Chapter sections

Chapter 3: The Mystery of Food | Case Study Questions

Passage

Question 1: What were the two main changes Disha observed in her forgotten uttapam?

Question 2: According to Aditya, what are the tiny living things that caused these changes?

Question 3: Why could Disha see the mould if microbes are too small to be seen with the naked eye?

Passage

Question 1: Name the three things microbes need to grow on food.

Question 2: Why did the bread spoil on the balcony while the pickle stayed fresh?

Question 3: Based on Finding #2, how can we stop microbes from growing on our food?

Passage

Question 1: What is the main purpose of drying food like chillies in the sun?

Question 2: Why can't microbes grow on sun-dried chillies?

Question 3: Give three examples of other food items that can be dried to stay unspoilt.

Passage

Question 1: How does adding oil to a pickle jar preserve the food?

Question 2: What other ingredients did Disha's grandfather use to prevent food spoilage?

Question 3: Why was black pepper famous in history, according to the chapter?

Passage

Question 1: Why does food stay fresh longer inside a refrigerator?

Question 2: What happens to the water in butter when it is heated to make ghee?

Question 3: Why does ghee not need refrigeration while butter does?

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