Health and Food Technology

Home Economics Department

Health and Food Technology is a theory-based course with small elements of practical work to support the learning of each of the Units studied.

The course has three compulsory units:

Contemporary Food Issues
Food for Health
Food Product Development.

Assessment

Learners working towards National 4 & 5 will undertake an assignment drawing on their knowledge and understanding gained during the course.

Added Value Unit (National 4)
Course Assignment (National 5)

Unit Assessments

All Units are internally assessed and will be assessed on a pass/fail basis within centres. SQA will provide external verification.

To gain a National 3 award, learners must pass all 3 Units.

To gain a National 4 or 5 award, learners must pass all 3 Units and the Course Assessment.

Course Assessment at National 4

The Added Value Unit (Assignment) will require learners to demonstrate knowledge and understanding to identify key issues from a given brief, produce ideas for the production of a food product, make the food product and select how the finished product meets the needs of the brief. This will be internally assessed and verified.

Course Assessment at National 5

The Course Assessment consists of an Assignment (60 marks) and a Question Paper (60 marks).

The Assignment will require learners to investigate, plan, develop and evaluate a food product in response to the design brief. This is completed during class time.

The Question Paper will take place during the exam diet.

Both parts of the Course Assessment will be marked externally by the SQA and graded A - D.

Ideal Candidate

This course would suit learners interested in Food, Diet, Health, Food Product Development and Contemporary Food Issues.

What you will learn

Through each Unit, learners will learn:

Contemporary Food Issues

Describe and explain how a range of factors and Contemporary food issues affect a consumer’s choice of foods
Be able to describe how technological developments are used in food production
Learn about consumer organisations and how they protect the consumer.

Food Product Development

Demonstrate and explain appropriate hygiene and safety standards necessary when carrying out food production tasks
Understand and explain the functional properties of specific ingredients in various food products
Be able to describe and explain the stages of the food product development process
Develop and evaluate food products against specific needs
Identify and use appropriate investigation techniques.

Food for Health

Describe the benefits of a balanced and varied diet
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of current dietary advice and the effects on health of doing so
Being able to identify ingredients meeting current dietary advice and/or making adaptions to recipes to meet advice
Understand the functions, effects on health and sources of the five main nutrients
Learn about the functions and the effects on the health of water, dietary fibre and energy
Explain the various dietary requirements of individuals at different ages and stages of life
Describe and explain the effects of different diet-related diseases or conditions on health
Evaluate meals and their suitability against Dietary Reference Values for given groups or individuals.

Future Pathways

Health and Food Technology will help to develop important skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, planning and organising. The skills that are developed in Health and Food Technology are useful in many different career areas, including: