2015 Notes from the Marking Centre – Food Technology
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Food Technology course. It contains comments on candidate responses to particular parts of the 2015 Higher School Certificate examination, highlighting candidates’ strengths and indicating where they need to improve.
This document should be read along with:
- the Food Technology Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2015 Higher School Certificate Food Technology examination
- the marking guidelines
- Advice for HSC students about examinations
- other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of Food Technology in Stage 6.
Section II
Question 21
Candidates showed strength in the following areas:
- identifying an appropriate target market and giving reason/s for the specified product (a self-heating can) being suitable for the nominated target market (part a)
- demonstrating understanding of specific characteristics and features of a place and distribution system; for example, placement at the end of the aisle or eye level in supermarkets (part b)
- providing specific examples of promotional strategies appropriate for the target market; for example, social media such as Facebook, Instagram (part c)
- using specific detail to make links between the promotional strategies and the target market; for example, placing billboards in places that are highly visible to the target market (part c).
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- making generalised statements about a target market (part a)
- understanding key terminology, such as place, distribution systems and promotional strategies (part b and c)
- addressing all components of the question and in particular making reference to the nominated target market (part b and c)
- reading the question carefully for plurals such as strategies (part c).
Question 22
Candidates showed strength in the following areas:
- identifying strategies organisations adopt to reduce environmental impact; for example, recycling, using biodegradable packaging (part a (ii))
- understanding that ecological sustainable food production methods relate to the environment
- making reference to long-term preservation of resources.
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- selecting a relevant organisation to answer all sections of the question
- linking the activities of the organisation; for example, packaging, the use of heating and cooling processes or machinery, with their specific impact(s) on the environment, such as depletion of non-renewable fossil fuels, emissions that may contribute to air pollution, depletion of the ozone layer and contribution to global warming (part a (ii))
- demonstrating an understanding of the difference between ‘ecologically sustainable’ and ‘environmentally friendly’ (part a (ii) and b)
- identifying a broader range of benefits of ecologically sustainable food production methods using relevant examples (part b).
Question 23
Candidates showed strength in the following areas:
- defining the term malnutrition (part a)
- providing a list of physical effects of malnutrition; for example brittle bones, obesity, lethargy, poor concentration (part b)
- demonstrating knowledge of the role of dietary supplements in the prevention and treatment of conditions caused by malnutrition; for example, iron in the prevention and treatment of anaemia (part c).
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- accurately describing the physical effects of malnutrition for an identified group that has been studied (part b)
- addressing each component of the question (part c)
- making a judgement about the role of dietary supplements in the prevention and treatment of conditions caused by malnutrition, using relevant supporting examples (part c).
Question 24
Candidates showed strength in the following areas:
- identifying current developments in food packaging by using relevant examples, such as active packaging, MAP, biodegradable packaging, sous vide (vacuum packaging)
- demonstrating knowledge of characteristics and features of current developments in food packaging
- providing an impact on either the manufacturer and/or consumer as a result of current developments in food packaging; for example, cost efficiency, competitiveness.
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- linking the packaging development to the impact on the manufacturer and consumer
- demonstrating knowledge of more than one current technological development
- using appropriate terminology when providing the characteristics and features of current developments in food packaging
- providing an impact on both the manufacturer and the consumer.
Question 25
Candidates showed strength in the following areas:
- identifying food additives in the ‘Heat and Eat’ spaghetti; for example, thickeners, vegetable gum, natural flavour and natural colour (part a)
- demonstrating an understanding of functions of the food additives in the specified product (part a)
- using appropriate terminology relating to additives (part a)
- outlining the steps involved in the canning process (part b).
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- providing a detailed explanation of the characteristics and features of the canning process (part b)
- making a relationship between the canning process and the extension of shelf life of the ‘Heat and Eat’ spaghetti (part b)
- using specific terminology relating to the canning process (part b).
Question 26
Candidates showed strength in the following areas:
- demonstrating an understanding of both cultural and social practices; for example, fasting and outdoor entertaining
- using correct nutritional terminology
- understanding of the term ‘evaluate’
- identifying the consequences of cultural and/or social practices on nutritional status; for example iron deficiency, high fat diet, diabetes.
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- demonstrating a depth of knowledge and understanding of the effects of cultural and social practices and their relationship to the nutritional status of Australians
- addressing all key components of the question; for example cultural and social practices, as well as their effects on the nutritional status of Australians
- utilising the available space to comprehensively answer the question.
Section III
Question 27
Candidates showed strength in the following areas:
- outlining an internal factor and its impact on the development of a product (part a)
- demonstrating knowledge of product/consumer testing (part b)
- identifying the raw materials in the given food product; for example, oats, milk, fruit (part c)
- outlining the relevant manufacturing processes and appropriate equipment that would be used to transform the raw materials; for example, milling, sieving, fermentation, pasteurisation into the manufactured food product (part c).
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- distinguishing between an internal and external factor affecting food product development
- demonstrating knowledge of characteristics and features of appropriate prototype testing methods other than sensory tests; for example, packaging tests, market tests and storage trials (part b)
- using appropriate terminology and making links to the example given in the question (part b and part c)
- addressing the processes involved in transforming raw materials into a specific product and providing a more detailed explanation of the characteristics and features of these processes (part c)
- making links between the raw material(s) in the food product to the manufacturing process(es) which would transform these raw materials into the final manufactured food product (part c).
Section IV
Question 28
Candidates showed strength in the following areas:
- using general examples and terminology relevant to the food industry
- outlining a range of government legislation and policy
- acknowledging the role of food manufacturing and food product development in the Australian food industry
- identifying the implications of failure to comply with government legislation and policy; for example fines for non-compliance.
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- providing characteristics and features of a range of specifically identified government legislation and policy which is relevant to food manufacture and food product development
- responding to the term ‘explain’
- presenting a logical and cohesive response.
NSW Government