Food Technology exam trends & analysis (2019–2025)
Across 2019–2025, Core: Food Manufacture is examined most (72 questions), ahead of Core: The Australian Food Industry (67 questions) and Core: Contemporary Nutrition Issues (65 questions). By topic, Diet and health in Australia in HSC Food Technology Contemporary Nutrition Issues, Food preservation and packaging in food manufacture for HSC Food Technology and Sectors and aspects of the Australian food industry in HSC Food Technology come up most, with The food product development process and marketing in HSC Food Technology and Reasons for and factors affecting food product development in HSC Food Technology also recurring.
Based on 263 questions across 7 official NESA exam papers, their marking guidelines and marking feedback.
Work in progress
These exam-trend insights are an early release. The frequencies, mark ranges and figures are still being verified against the official NESA past papers and may change. Treat them as a study guide, not a guarantee of what will be examined.
Most-examined dot points
By module
Every dot point, by exam frequency
Click any dot point for the full verbatim syllabus wording, worked answers and past questions.
Showing 13 of 13 dot points
| Dot point | Times | Marks | Years | Most common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diet and health in Australia in HSC Food Technology Contemporary Nutrition Issuescontemporary-nutrition-issues Gave nutritional advice rather than a strategy; few examples | 51× | 1–15 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Gave nutritional advice rather than a strategy; few examples |
| Food preservation and packaging in food manufacture for HSC Food Technologyfood-manufacture Did not use course terminology related to packaging issues | 40× | 1–15 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Did not use course terminology related to packaging issues |
| Sectors and aspects of the Australian food industry in HSC Food Technologythe-australian-food-industry Did not give characteristics of strategies or link to concerns | 36× | 1–15 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Did not give characteristics of strategies or link to concerns |
| The food product development process and marketing in HSC Food Technologyfood-product-development Did not provide an appropriate example when required | 35× | 1–8 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Did not provide an appropriate example when required |
| Reasons for and factors affecting food product development in HSC Food Technologyfood-product-development Did not correctly identify reasons for developing a product | 24× | 1–6 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Did not correctly identify reasons for developing a product |
| Policies and legislation of the Australian food industry in HSC Food Technologythe-australian-food-industry Weak link between legislative requirements and label features | 21× | 1–15 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Weak link between legislative requirements and label features |
| Production and processing systems in food manufacture for HSC Food Technologyfood-manufacture Listed types of equipment rather than features | 13× | 1–3 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Listed types of equipment rather than features |
| Nutrition through the life cycle and for population groups in HSC Food Technology Contemporary Nutrition Issuescontemporary-nutrition-issues Gave only one supplement or general rather than specific support | 10× | 1–6 | 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Gave only one supplement or general rather than specific support |
| Quality management and food safety in food manufacture for HSC Food Technologyfood-manufacture Did not use syllabus terms such as HACCP and WHS | 10× | 1–6 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Did not use syllabus terms such as HACCP and WHS |
| Physical, chemical, functional and sensory properties of food in HSC Food Technology Food Manufacturefood-manufacture Did not use correct syllabus terminology for the additive | 9× | 1–2 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Did not use correct syllabus terminology for the additive |
| Levels of operation in the Australian food industry for HSC Food Technologythe-australian-food-industry Outlined rather than gave characteristics; weak example | 6× | 1–4 | 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Outlined rather than gave characteristics; weak example |
| Entrepreneurship and the economic contribution of the Australian food industry in HSC Food Technologythe-australian-food-industry Did not provide relevant examples | 4× | 1–5 | 2019, 2021, 2024, 2025 | Did not provide relevant examples |
| Influences on the nutritional status of Australians in HSC Food Technologycontemporary-nutrition-issues Proposed diet changes rather than two different lifestyle practices | 4× | 1–15 | 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025 | Proposed diet changes rather than two different lifestyle practices |