Food Technology 2025 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• develop a plan for an extended response to assist with the logical sequencing of information
• engage with any stimulus material provided and refer to it in the response
• communicate ideas and information using relevant examples
• review their response to ensure that it addresses the question requirements.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify an appropriate research and development activity within an organisation in the Australian Food Industry and provide a brief outline of what the research involves (a)
• use accurate terminology to describe how the identified research and development activity addressed consumer needs or industry demands (b)
• refer to a specific Australian Food Industry organisation and include relevant examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing characteristics and features, rather than a list of food products, when describing the purpose or impact of the research and development activity. For example, naming an organisation that has launched products with probiotics to support gut health in response to research that shows increasing consumer interest in gut health (b)
• linking how the organisation addresses lifestyle change with a specific food product, for example, naming how an organisation developed high protein cheese to meet consumer expectations (a)
• clearly linking how lifestyle changes have been addressed, such as responding to health trends, dietary needs or product improvement, rather than providing unrelated information (b).

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify two reasons why manufacturers prefer to use plastic packaging, for example, cheaper cost and more lightweight than alternative materials (a)
• demonstrate an understanding of tamper-evident packaging materials. For example, shrink-wrap plastic packaging around the top of a water bottle or a plastic ring collar around a lid (b)
• explain the importance of food labelling and link to safety, for example, allergens such as nuts must be listed to inform consumers who have a food allergy (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing correct examples of tamper-evident packaging, rather than describing general safety features of packaging (b)
• ensuring two tamper-evident examples are described rather than one (b)
• including relevant terminology and ensuring the labelling requirement is linked to importance. For example, batch numbers ensure products can be easily identified and returned in the event of a recall helping to protect consumer safety (c).

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a group that has specific nutritional considerations, for example, adolescent girls (a)
• describe a strategy relevant to the named group. For example, adolescent girls could receive targeted ads to promote the consumption of iron rich and vitamin C rich foods (a)
• justify modifications to the meal plan, for example, swapping white bread for wholemeal bread supports digestive health of the elderly (b)
• provide a detailed description of how the economic environment affects the development of new food products. For example, economic events such as inflation increase the cost of raw materials and equipment which may result in less food product development as manufacturers may not have the financial means to invest during this time (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• naming a group of the population with specific nutritional considerations, rather than naming an organisation (a)
• supporting statements with evidence and avoiding general statements (b)
• providing information about the economic environment rather than providing general statements about the environment. For example, an economic boom would encourage spending and therefore be a suitable time for manufacturers to invest in food product development (c).

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline two reasons why a can of tomatoes may bulge, for example, physical damage to the can causing the lamination to split and allowing air or acid from the tomatoes to react with the aluminium; inadequate heating during manufacture resulting in microbial growth within the can which produces gas and leads to bulging (a)
• describe at least 2 quality management procedures used in the food production process, such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) used to identify potential food safety hazards at critical points in the production process; raw material testing to ensure quality of ingredients before processing (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating a clear understanding of food safety procedures by including specific terminology such as HACCP, raw material testing, and critical control point
• providing a clear link between quality management practices and food safety (b).

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain a range of benefits of preserving food, for example, slowing microbial growth and enzymatic activity, so food lasts longer and it keeps food safe for longer, which reduces food waste (a)
• compare temperature control with one other preservation principle, for example, temperature control preserves food by slowing or destroying microbial activity through heating or cooling processes whereas moisture removal preserves food by reducing water availability so microorganisms cannot grow (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying and explaining a range of benefits of preserving food correctly (a)
• identifying and comparing preservation principles correctly and using relevant subject-specific terminology (b).

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a comprehensive explanation of how two sectors of the Australian food industry have responded to the growing popularity of plant-based food products
• provide suitable examples linked to food trends, such as health, environment and veganism and use specific subject terminology to demonstrate depth of understanding.

Areas for students to improve include:

• explaining the effect of the sectors’ response to the growing popularity of plant-based food products, for example, increasing consumer access to affordable, diverse plant-based options, encouraging more diverse diets and driving further innovation.

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to: 

• describe one food additive using correct and appropriate syllabus terminology, for example, artificial sweeteners providing sweetness with fewer or no kilojoules (a)
• demonstrate understanding of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis in relation to the ice cream company. For example, a strength is that the ice cream company has an existing customer base, more likely to try a line extension of a native flavoured product, than a new company entering the market (b)
• demonstrate understanding of the role of the internal and external factors in relation to SWOT, for example, a strength is the range of internal personnel expertise, and less reliance on outsourcing tasks, decreasing costs and increasing profitability (b)
• use subject-specific terminology to demonstrate depth of understanding, for example, place and distribution strategy and price structure (c)
• correctly identify the marketing plan components, for example, 4Ps – product, price, place and promotion (c)
• explain how the proposed marketing plan ensures the success of the new native ice cream product. For example, the price strategy of price skimming, launching the new flavour ice cream at a high initial price, and gradually lowering price over time. This targets customers willing to pay a premium for a new and innovative product, allowing the company to maximise early revenue and recover costs before attracting more price-sensitive buyers (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing detailed explanation of how each SWOT component impacts the ice cream company and supporting statements with a range of examples (b)
• providing detailed explanations of each component of the marketing plan, supported with examples of the impact of a successful product. For example, explaining how product sampling allows potential customers to try products risk-free which reduces purchase hesitation and generates positive word-of-mouth marketing (c). 

Question 28

In better responses, students were able to: 

• demonstrate understanding of how lifestyle, culture and social practices affect nutritional status
• demonstrate understanding of the relationship between lifestyle, nutrient intake and diet-related disorders. For example, sedentary lifestyles, overconsumption of kilojoules and low energy expenditure contribute to disorders such as weight gain, obesity, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes
• explain the impact of social practices on nutritional health.

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing all three factors in the question, that is, lifestyle, culture and social practice
• providing a clear link(s) between nutrient intake and potential diet-related disorders
• providing a range of relevant food examples and the nutritional implications that can contribute to a positive or negative influence on diet and health
• supporting the response with a range of relevant food technology examples.