GATE — Life Sciences (XL), Section U Food Technology · India · IITs and IISc on rotation (2026: IIT Guwahati)
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersThe structure and chemistry of cereal grains and millets and how they are milled into flour, semolina, rice and maize products, with the flour quality tests that decide what each flour can make.
In the exams: GATE XE-G Section 3 (milling of rice, wheat and maize; parboiling; waste utilisation from rice milling); ICAR AICE 35.a Unit 2 (food grain processing)
GATE — Engineering Sciences (XE), Section G Food Technology
Section 3 names milling of rice, wheat and maize, parboiling and waste utilisation from rice milling. Expect MCQs and NATs on kernel structure, extraction rate, tempering water, head rice yield, parboiling effects, wet milling products, rice bran stabilisation and husk utilisation.
GATE — Life Sciences (XL), Section U Food Technology
Same Section 3 content as XE-G, with more emphasis on grain chemistry: gluten proteins, amylose and rice quality, β-glucan, starch modification.
How our questions for GATE spread across the units of Cereal Science & Milling Technology. Difficulty: 13 easy, 11 medium, 4 hard.
| Wheat milling: conditioning, break, reduction and flour streams | 4 | |
| Rice milling and parboiling: quality and by-products | 4 | |
| Structure and composition of wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, sorghum and millets | 3 | |
| Flour quality: protein, gluten, falling number and ash | 3 | |
| Dry and wet milling of maize; starch, syrups and germ oil | 3 | |
| Rice bran stabilisation and by-product utilisation | 3 | |
| Millet processing and products | 2 | |
| Breakfast cereals and instant cereal products | 2 | |
| Dough rheology tests: farinograph, mixograph, extensograph and alveograph | 1 | |
| Malting of barley and other grains | 1 | |
| Oat milling and beta-glucans | 1 | |
| Starch modification: physical, chemical and enzymatic | 1 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
In a wheat flour mill, the break system uses:
C. Corrugated rolls at differential speed
Fluted rolls at differential speed open the kernel and scrape endosperm; reduction uses smooth rolls.
Further reading: Kent and Evers, Kent's Technology of Cereals
The nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor conventionally used for wheat flour is:
A. 5.7
5.7 for wheat; 6.25 is the general factor; 6.38 is used for milk.
Further reading: Kent and Evers; AACC International Approved Methods
Head rice is defined as milled rice kernels that are at least:
A. Three-quarters of full length
Kernels ≥ 3/4 length are head rice; shorter ones are brokens.
Further reading: Juliano, Rice: Chemistry and Technology
1,000 kg of paddy gives 700 kg of milled rice, of which 560 kg is head rice. What is the head rice yield as a percentage of paddy?
D. 56%
560/1,000 = 56% of paddy; 80% is head rice as a share of milled rice.
Further reading: Juliano, Rice: Chemistry and Technology
Why is parboiled rice nutritionally better than raw milled rice?
B. Thiamine and minerals migrate into the endosperm before milling
Water-soluble nutrients move inward during soaking and steaming.
Further reading: Juliano, Rice: Chemistry and Technology
Which millet is notably rich in calcium?
D. Finger millet (ragi)
Finger millet has about 300–350 mg calcium per 100 g.
Further reading: ICAR-IIMR publications on millets
Rice bran oil is valued for its content of:
A. γ-Oryzanol and tocotrienols
Oryzanol and tocotrienols are characteristic; erucic acid is in rapeseed.
Further reading: Juliano; Chakraverty, Post Harvest Technology
Rice bran with germ makes up about what share of paddy?
B. 8–10%
Husk is about 20%; bran with germ about 8–10%.
Further reading: Juliano; Chakraverty, Post Harvest Technology
Pregelatinised starch is useful in instant foods because it:
C. Swells in cold water
It has been cooked and dried, so it thickens without heating.
Further reading: BeMiller and Whistler, Starch: Chemistry and Technology
In gun puffing, grain expands because:
A. Sudden pressure release flashes water to steam
Steam pressure builds in a sealed chamber and is released instantly.
Further reading: Delcour and Hoseney, breakfast cereals chapter
Ten here, 28 in the app. The Laisha app has every practice question we have written to GATE in this subject, marked as you go, with timed papers, a jump-to-unanswered list and a certificate when you pass at 70 per cent.
Free for ten days, then one subscription of US$10 a month. We would rather say so here than have you find it later.
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