Preserving Crop Products

29 Grade 6 Agriculture questions on Preserving Crop Products, with worked marking schemes. 29 questions are available on this topic in full.

1. Question 1

   1 mark

   Why should the store used for keeping harvested grains be clean and well ventilated?

   A. To keep grains dry and free from pests and mould

   B. To warm up the grains

   C. To make the grains damp

   D. To hide pests inside

   (1 mark)

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2. Question 2

   3 marks

   Explain why drying is one of the most common ways of preserving grains and vegetables in Kenya.

   (3 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Up to 3 marks: drying removes moisture which spoilage germs/mould need to grow (1); it is cheap and uses the sun which is freely available (1); dried foods are light, easy to store and last long (1).

3. Question 3

   1 mark

   Before storing potatoes, a farmer sorts out the cut and rotten ones. This sorting helps to:

   A. Make all potatoes rot together

   B. Add moisture to the store

   C. Increase the number of pests

   D. Prevent the spread of rot to healthy potatoes

   (1 mark)

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4. Question 4

   4 marks

   List FOUR methods of preserving crop products and, for each, name ONE food it suits.

   (4 marks)

   Marking scheme

   1 mark each for a correct method with a matching food (any 4): drying – maize/vegetables/cassava; salting – fish/meat; refrigeration – milk/vegetables; making jam or preserves – fruits/mangoes; smoking – fish; canning/bottling – tomatoes/fruits; making ghee/yoghurt – milk.

5. Question 5

   1 mark

   A granary (traditional grain store) is built with a raised floor and a good roof mainly to:

   A. Keep grains dry and safe from rodents and rain

   B. Let rain fall on the grains

   C. Attract insects

   D. Keep the grains wet

   (1 mark)

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6. Question 6

   1 mark

   Which of the following crops is commonly preserved by making it into flour after drying?

   A. Fresh milk

   B. Fresh tomatoes

   C. Ripe bananas eaten raw

   D. Cassava

   (1 mark)

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7. Question 7

   1 mark

   Making jam from ripe fruits preserves them mainly because the sugar used:

   A. Makes the fruit rot faster

   B. Cools the fruit

   C. Stops the growth of spoilage germs

   D. Adds water to the fruit

   (1 mark)

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8. Question 8

   1 mark

   Which of the following is the MAIN reason for preserving crop products after harvest?

   A. To make the food spoil faster

   B. To attract pests

   C. To reduce the amount of food

   D. To reduce spoilage and store food for future use

   (1 mark)

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9. Question 9

   3 marks

   Explain how salting preserves foods such as fish, and give ONE other food that can be preserved by salting.

   (3 marks)

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10. Question 10

    1 mark

    Which of the following would MOST likely cause stored grains to be spoiled by mould?

    A. Keeping them in an airtight dry tin

    B. Sorting out rotten grains

    C. Storing them while still damp

    D. Drying them thoroughly first

    (1 mark)

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11. Question 11

    1 mark

    Which of the following is a modern method of preserving crop products?

    A. Leaving in the field after ripening

    B. Canning in sealed tins

    C. Heaping in the open air

    D. Storing while wet

    (1 mark)

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12. Question 12

    1 mark

    Salting is used to preserve foods such as fish and meat because salt:

    A. Draws out moisture and stops germs from growing

    B. Adds water to the food

    C. Cools the food

    D. Makes germs grow faster

    (1 mark)

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13. Question 13

    4 marks

    A group of learners in a school farm harvested beans. Describe how they should prepare the beans for long storage.

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Award up to 4 marks: thresh/remove the beans from the pods (1); dry the beans well in the sun to remove moisture (1); sort out damaged, cut or diseased beans (1); treat with an approved storage pesticide and store in clean, dry, airtight containers in a cool ventilated store (1).

14. Question 14

    3 marks

    After harvesting maize, Kamau wants to store the grains for six months. Explain THREE steps he should follow to preserve the maize grains well.

    (3 marks)

    Marking scheme

    1 mark each (any 3): dry the grains well in the sun to remove moisture; sort out and remove rotten/damaged grains; treat the grains with an approved storage pesticide against weevils; store in clean, dry, airtight containers or a well-ventilated raised store; keep the store free of pests and moisture.

15. Question 15

    1 mark

    After harvesting maize, a farmer dries the grains in the sun before storing them. The main reason for drying is to:

    A. Make the grains heavier

    B. Change the colour of the grains

    C. Add moisture to the grains

    D. Remove moisture so the grains do not rot

    (1 mark)

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16. Question 16

    3 marks

    Give TWO advantages and ONE disadvantage of using a refrigerator to preserve food.

    (3 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Advantages (1 mark each, any 2): keeps food fresh for longer; slows growth of spoilage germs; keeps a variety of foods (milk, vegetables, fruit) at once. Disadvantage (1 mark): needs electricity/is costly to run; food spoils if power goes off / not available in all homes.

17. Question 17

    1 mark

    Tomatoes are highly perishable. Which method would BEST preserve tomatoes for use several months later?

    A. Leaving them uncovered on the ground

    B. Keeping them in a warm dark heap

    C. Making them into sauce or paste and bottling

    D. Tying them in a wet sack

    (1 mark)

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18. Question 18

    1 mark

    Which container is BEST for storing dried cereals to keep out moisture and pests?

    A. A leaking bucket

    B. A wet clay pot

    C. A clean, dry airtight container

    D. An open sack left outside

    (1 mark)

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19. Question 19

    1 mark

    Which pair correctly matches a food with a suitable preservation method?

    A. Tomatoes – burying in wet soil

    B. Beans – storing while still green and moist

    C. Maize grain – soaking in water for storage

    D. Milk – making yoghurt or ghee

    (1 mark)

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20. Question 20

    4 marks

    (a) State what is meant by 'food preservation'.

    (b) Give TWO reasons why farmers preserve crop products after harvest.

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme

    (a) 2 marks: food preservation is treating and storing food/crop products to prevent spoilage so they last longer / can be used in future. (b) 1 mark each (any 2): to have food during scarcity/dry seasons; to reduce wastage/losses; to sell later at better prices; to keep food safe and of good quality.

21. Question 21

    3 marks

    State THREE conditions a good grain store should have to keep preserved grains safe.

    (3 marks)

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22. Question 22

    1 mark

    Which of these is used to protect stored grains from weevils and other storage pests?

    A. Approved grain-storage pesticide (dust)

    B. Wet grass

    C. Sugar sprinkled on the grains

    D. Table salt on the floor

    (1 mark)

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23. Question 23

    1 mark

    Fruits such as mangoes can be preserved for a long time by:

    A. Leaving them in a heap to rot

    B. Soaking them in mud

    C. Drying or making jam

    D. Storing them wet in a closed sack

    (1 mark)

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24. Question 24

    4 marks

    Achieng harvested many tomatoes but could not sell them all before they started going bad.

    (a) Explain why tomatoes spoil quickly.

    (b) Suggest TWO ways she could have preserved the extra tomatoes.

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme

    (a) 2 marks: tomatoes contain a lot of water/moisture and are soft, so germs grow in them quickly and they rot fast. (b) 1 mark each (any 2): make them into sauce/paste/jam and bottle them; sun-dry slices; store in a refrigerator; can/bottle them.

25. Question 25

    1 mark

    A farmer keeps dried beans in a well-ventilated store raised off the ground. Raising the store off the ground mainly helps to:

    A. Make the store look nice

    B. Keep the beans dry and away from dampness

    C. Add moisture to the beans

    D. Attract rats to the beans

    (1 mark)

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26. Question 26

    1 mark

    Smoking is a method used to preserve foods such as fish. Smoking preserves the fish by:

    A. Adding water to it

    B. Cooling it in a fridge

    C. Drying it and adding substances that stop germs

    D. Making it very moist

    (1 mark)

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27. Question 27

    1 mark

    Which method is used to preserve milk into a product that lasts longer and is used for cooking?

    A. Adding water

    B. Pouring it into soil

    C. Leaving it in the sun

    D. Making ghee

    (1 mark)

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28. Question 28

    1 mark

    Refrigeration preserves foods such as vegetables and milk mainly by:

    A. Adding germs to the food

    B. Making the food warm

    C. Slowing down the growth of spoilage organisms

    D. Drying the food

    (1 mark)

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29. Question 29

    1 mark

    Which of the following is a traditional method of preserving vegetables such as managu (nightshade) for later use?

    A. Leaving them in the sun to rot

    B. Soaking them in dirty water

    C. Sun-drying the leaves

    D. Burying them wet

    (1 mark)

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