CRC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CRC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which type of sensory test asks participants to rank products from best to worst? → Ranking test
2. What does 'single-source' ingredient procurement mean for a food manufacturer? → Relying on one supplier for a critical ingredient
3. When a research chef reformulates a product to use a new supplier's hydrocolloid, which test is most critical before scale-up? → Functional performance testing in the actual formula
4. What does a p-value of 0.03 indicate in a food science experiment using a significance level of α = 0.05? → The result is statistically significant and the null hypothesis is rejected
5. Which document formally communicates to a co-manufacturer exactly how a product must be made? → Manufacturing Specification or Master Formula
6. In the context of culinary research, what is the purpose of a triangle test? → To determine if a detectable sensory difference exists between two products
7. In product development research, what is the primary purpose of a control sample? → To provide a baseline against which experimental samples are compared
8. During the homogenization of milk, what is the primary physical change that occurs to enhance the stability of the emulsion? → Reduction in the size of fat globules
9. When a research chef compares two protein ingredients at different price points, what additional data is needed to make a true cost comparison? → Yield percentage, functional performance, and impact on final product cost per serving
10. What is the purpose of pasteurization in food processing? → To kill harmful microorganisms.
11. Which of the following is a primary objective of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)? → To shift the focus of food safety from responding to contamination to preventing it.
12. What is food cost percentage, and how is it calculated? → Ingredient cost divided by menu selling price × 100
13. What sensory attribute is measured using a trained panel of experts? → Descriptive analysis
14. Which is a primary function of food preservation? → To prevent spoilage and extend shelf life.
15. A research chef uses a 9-point hedonic scale to collect consumer preference data for a new sauce. What level of measurement does this scale represent? → Interval
16. Which certification is commonly required of US suppliers to demonstrate adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices? → SQF (Safe Quality Food)
17. When establishing a critical limit for a Critical Control Point (CCP) in a HACCP plan, the limit must be: → A measurable value that separates acceptability from unacceptability.
18. Which of the following correctly identifies the five mother sauces of classical French cuisine as codified by Auguste Escoffier? → Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Tomato, and Hollandaise
19. Which of the following is a key factor in food quality control? → Safety, nutritional content, and sensory attributes.
20. What is the main role of food science in food production? → To improve the shelf-life and nutritional value of food.
21. Ohmic heating is a novel thermal processing method. On what principle does it rely to heat food products? → The food's electrical resistance as it conducts an electric current
22. Which nutrient is primarily responsible for the formation of muscles? → Proteins.
23. In menu engineering, a menu item classified as a 'Star' has which characteristics? → High popularity, high profit margin
24. What is an example of a functional food? → A fortified yogurt with probiotics.
25. What is the recommended method for conducting nutritional analysis of a new food product? → Sending the product to a certified laboratory for testing
26. What is the role of a 'kill step' verification in the context of sourcing a heat-treated ingredient? → To validate that the supplier's process achieves the required pathogen reduction
27. A research chef calculates that a new entrée has a food cost of $4.20 and a target food cost percentage of 28%. What should the menu selling price be? → $15.00
28. Which of the following is a key factor in food quality control? → Safety, nutritional content, and sensory attributes.
29. A research chef is developing a new shelf-stable cheese sauce. The primary role of the starter culture added during the fermentation process is to: → Produce lactic acid, which lowers the pH and inhibits the growth of spoilage organisms.
30. In a double-acting baking powder formulation, what is the primary function of monocalcium phosphate (MCP)? → To react with the alkaline component as soon as moisture is added.