WJEC Level 3 Certificate in Food Science and Nutrition

325 Section A: Structured / short-answer questions Example answers Q: State three personal hygiene rules that all food handlers, especially those working in the food industry, must follow to help prevent food poisoning. [3] (i) Wash hands thoroughly, including finger nails. (ii) Wear a blue waterproof plaster over cuts. (iii) Make sure all hair is tied up and put inside a hair net. Examiner commentary: These responses would be awarded 3 marks as three different personal hygiene rules have been correctly stated . As the command word used in the question was ‘state’, no reasoning as to why these rules should be followed was required. Correct alternative answers could include: (i) Hands must be washed before handling food and after handling raw meat. (ii) Jewellery must be removed. (iii) Keep nails short and clean. (iv) The food handler should not wear strong-smelling deodorant, perfume or aftershave. Examples of incorrect answers: a) If a worker is ill they must not be allowed near food for 48 hours. Examiner commentary: The use of the word ‘ill’ is too generic. Had they stated, ‘ suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting or a foodborne illness ’ and ‘ that symptoms should have been absent for 48 hours ’ then they would have been awarded 1 mark. b) Use colour coded chopping boards. Examiner commentary: Although this response relates to food safety and the rule is correct, it is not a personal hygiene rule, so no mark can be awarded. Section A: Graduated lead in questions These will have a question worth 1 or 2 marks at the beginning, and then lead on to a longer question worth more marks. Example answers Q: (a) Name one good food source of retinol. [1] Cheddar cheese (b) Name one good food source of beta-carotene. [1] Carrots (c) Explain why pregnant women need to include some vitamin A in the diet, but are advised not to exceed recommended amounts. [2] Vitamin A is important in the diet of a pregnant woman to enable her immune system to work as it should against infection. It is important that she does not exceed recommended amounts as this could increase the risk of her baby being born with birth defects. Study Tip When answering this type of question: ⦁ Ensure the response you give is precise and factual. ⦁ Attempt a response for every question even if you are unsure. The marks allocated will be placed next to where you write your answer. In this example, 1 mark will be awarded for each correctly stated rule, up to the maximum of 3 marks In the answer section of the examination paper, one line has been allocated for you to state each rule. The amount of space provided is an indication of how much you are expected to write. The use of the command word ‘state’ is an indication that a concise answer is required. You are only being asked to state the rule, no further explanation is needed. In this example question, all the parts are testing your knowledge of vitamin A. Parts (a) and (b) are testing your ability to recall facts, whereas part (c) is asking for an explanation which will test your ability to apply your knowledge and understanding. How to prepare for the examination