Blanching is a mild thermal pre-treatment applied to fruits and vegetables before canning, freezing, or drying. Its primary purposes are: inactivating heat-resistant quality-degrading enzymes like peroxidase and catalase (A), expelling tissue gases and softening/shrinking vegetables to facilitate container filling (B), and washing away surface dust and reducing initial microbial load (C). It is NOT designed for complete destruction of bacterial pathogens or spores (D), which requires commercial sterilization or pasteurization. Option analysis: (A) Includes incorrect statement (D). (B) (A), (B) and (C) only is the correct answer. (C) Omits microbial reduction (C). (D) Includes incorrect statement (D).

During hydrothermal parboiling (soaking and steaming of paddy), the starch granules gelatinize and expand into internal cracks, fissures, and chalky zones, fusing the endosperm into a hard, vitreous, uniform mass upon drying. This gelatinized structure imparts high mechanical strength and drastically reduces grain breakage during milling. Option analysis: (A) Oil migration affects bran oil yield, not breakage. (B) Parboiled rice becomes translucent, not opaque. (C) Husk loosening aids dehulling, not kernel hardness. (D) Gelatinization of starch heals internal fissures and hardens the kernel.

Correct matching pairs: (A) Canning involves commercial thermal sterilization (IV) in hermetically sealed cans. (B) Cryogenic grinding uses liquid nitrogen to preserve volatile aromatic oils during spice grinding (III). (C) Roller mills are standard equipment for wheat milling (II) to produce flour and semolina. (D) CFTRI method is a recognized standardized dry/wet method for pulse (dal) milling (I). Option analysis: (A) (A)-(IV), (B)-(III), (C)-(II), (D)-(I) is the exact match. (B) Swaps wheat and pulse milling. (C) Incorrect matches. (D) Incorrect matches.