ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (PhD) — Food Processing Technology, Food Safety & Quality, Processing and Food Engineering · India · ICAR through the National Testing Agency
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersControlling quality in the plant and in the laboratory: quality systems and TQM, control charts and process capability, acceptance sampling and two- and three-class sampling plans, laboratory quality management and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, method validation and proficiency testing.
In the exams: ICAR AICE 35.a Unit 4 (quality systems, control charts, acceptance sampling) and 35.b Units 1 and 3 (ISO 17025, NABL accreditation, 2- and 3-class sampling plans); food analyst examinations
How our questions for ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF spread across the units of Food Quality Assurance, Statistical Process Control & Laboratory Accreditation. Difficulty: 18 easy, 48 medium, 14 hard.
| Statistical process control: control charts for variables and attributes | 9 | |
| Acceptance sampling and operating characteristic curves | 9 | |
| Two- and three-class microbiological sampling plans | 9 | |
| ISO 9001 quality management system | 8 | |
| Process capability indices | 8 | |
| Concepts of quality and quality systems | 7 | |
| Total quality management tools | 6 | |
| Laboratory quality management and ISO/IEC 17025 | 5 | |
| Method validation: accuracy, precision, LOD, LOQ and recovery | 4 | |
| Measurement uncertainty | 4 | |
| Laboratory accreditation bodies and their role | 4 | |
| Proficiency testing and reference materials | 3 | |
| Raw-material, in-process and finished-product quality control | 2 | |
| Non-destructive quality evaluation and online inspection | 2 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
In ISO 9001:2015, what replaced the separate requirement for preventive action?
A. Risk-based thinking
The 2015 edition embeds risk-based thinking (clause 6.1, actions to address risks and opportunities) and removed the preventive-action clause. The quality manual became optional; testing and SPC are not mandated.
Further reading: Juran's Quality Handbook; ISO 9001:2015
Which is one of the seven quality management principles in ISO 9000:2015?
A. Evidence-based decision making
The principles are customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision making and relationship management. Mass inspection and lowest-price purchasing are practices Deming warned against.
Further reading: Juran's Quality Handbook; ISO 9001:2015
A laboratory plots one fat result per day on an individuals chart: mean 4.0%, mean moving range 0.15%. What are the control limits? (E₂ = 2.66)
B. 3.60% to 4.40%
Limits = X̄ ± 2.66 MR̄ = 4.0 ± 2.66 × 0.15 = 4.0 ± 0.40, i.e. 3.60% to 4.40%. 3.55 to 4.45 uses 3 × MR̄; 3.85 to 4.15 uses ±MR̄; 3.70 to 4.30 uses ±2MR̄.
Further reading: Montgomery, Introduction to Statistical Quality Control; ISO 2859-1
A filler must keep the mean at least 3σ above a 500 g minimum. If σ falls from 2.0 g to 1.0 g, by how much can the target be lowered?
B. 3 g
Target = 500 + 3σ: 506 g at σ = 2.0, 503 g at σ = 1.0, a saving of 3 g per pack. 1 g is the change in σ; 6 g is the old safety margin; 2 g is the old σ.
Further reading: Montgomery, Introduction to Statistical Quality Control; ISO 2859-1
For the same plan (n = 5, c = 2, m = 10², M = 10³ cfu/g), one unit gives 2000 cfu/g and the others are below 100. What is the decision?
B. Reject: one unit exceeds M
Any unit above M makes the lot unacceptable regardless of c. Averaging or retesting to replace a result is not permitted by the plan.
Further reading: ICMSF, Microorganisms in Foods 7; Codex CXG 21-1997
Why do wet, salty products reduce the sensitivity of a metal detector?
D. Their conductivity masks small metal
Conductive products give a signal of their own (product effect); the detector is adjusted to ignore it, which also reduces sensitivity to small metal, especially stainless steel. X-ray absorption is irrelevant to metal detection.
Further reading: Juran's Quality Handbook; ISO 9001:2015
What new requirement did ISO/IEC 17025:2017 add for statements of conformity?
B. A documented decision rule that accounts for uncertainty
When reporting conformity with a specification, the laboratory must define and agree the decision rule, including how measurement uncertainty is taken into account. The other options are not requirements.
Further reading: ISO/IEC 17025:2017; Eurachem guides; ISO 13528
A laboratory reports 10.8 ± 0.6 (U, k = 2) against a reference value of 10.0 ± 0.3 (U). What is the En number, and is it satisfactory?
D. 1.19; not satisfactory, since |En| > 1
En = (10.8 − 10.0)/√(0.6² + 0.3²) = 0.8/0.671 = 1.19, which exceeds 1. 0.89 adds the U values linearly; 1.33 divides by 0.6 alone and misjudges the rating; 0.80 omits the denominator.
Further reading: ISO/IEC 17025:2017; Eurachem guides; ISO 13528
What distinguishes a certified reference material from an ordinary reference material?
D. A certificate with value, uncertainty and traceability
A CRM is characterised by a metrologically valid procedure and carries a certificate stating the property value, its uncertainty and traceability. Price and matrix are not defining, and in-house materials are not certified.
Further reading: ISO/IEC 17025:2017; Eurachem guides; ISO 13528
Which Codex guideline recommends accreditation, proficiency testing, validated methods and internal QC for laboratories involved in import and export control of foods?
A. CXG 27-1997
CXG 27-1997 covers assessment of the competence of testing laboratories involved in import and export control. CXG 50-2004 is on sampling, CXG 21-1997 on microbiological criteria and CXC 1-1969 on food hygiene.
Further reading: ISO/IEC 17025:2017; Eurachem guides; ISO 13528
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