OCR Home Economics: Food and Nutrition
2012 onwards
Unit 2
Candidates should be made aware of advances in food and nutrition advice and the impact that advances may have on areas of the specification
content.
2.3.1 Nutrition and health
Candidates should be able to recognise and understand:
Functions and role of nutrients:
 The function and sources of the main macro/micro nutrients in
the diet;
 The consequences of a deficiency of nutrients;
 The importance of water in the diet;
 The importance of fibre in the diet.
Relationship between diet and health:
 The current dietary guidelines, to include the ‘eatwell plate’
showing the balance of foods in a healthy diet;
 Major diet-related health issues, to include obesity, coronary
heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes,
osteoporosis;
 How to adapt meals/diets to follow current dietary guidelines;
 The recommend daily amounts of nutrients for different
groups.
Energy and food:
 The main sources of energy in the diet and how energy is
measured;
 The factors that influence an individual’s energy requirements;
 Energy provision, intake/expenditure/imbalance.
Link to Food – a fact of life and BNF resources:
Energy and nutrients:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=83&siteId=19&sectionId=75
Diet and health:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=75&siteId=19&sectionId=81
Video podcasts – Macronutrients:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/VideoActivity.aspx?siteId=20&sectionId=84&contentI
d=507
What are nutrients?
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/basics/what-are-nutrients
Healthy hydration:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/hydration
Nutrients:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/nutrients
Energy and nutrients:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=83&siteId=19&sectionId=75
Diet and health:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=75&siteId=19&sectionId=81
A healthy varied diet:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/healthyeating/a-healthy-varied-diet
Risk of disease:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/disease
Nutrient requirements:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/nutrients/nutrient-requirements
Energy and nutrients:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=83&siteId=19&sectionId=75
Diet and health:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=75&siteId=19&sectionId=81
Video podcasts – exploring energy:
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http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/VideoActivity.aspx?siteId=20&sectionId=84&contentI
d=513
Energy intake and expenditure:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/energy/energy-intake-and-expenditure
Nutrition through life:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/life
Life stages:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/lifestages
A healthy varied diet:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/healthyeating/a-healthy-varied-diet
Nutrient requirements:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/nutrients/nutrient-requirements
2.3.2 Food commodities
Candidates should be able to recognise and understand:
Nutritional value and role:
 The nutritional value and types of major food commodities;
including meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, fruit, vegetables and
cereals;
 The use of the major food commodities in the diet;
 The types and use of convenience foods;
 The role of genetically modified, organic and functional foods;
 Fortified foods.
Link to Food – a fact of life and BNF resources:
Functional properties of food:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=83&contentId=306
Interactive activity – Overview of the functional properties of food:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/CreatorActivity.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=83&conten
tId=310
Smart foods:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=20&sectionId=85&contentId=368
Functional foods:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/foodfacts/functional-foods
Fortified foods:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/foodfacts/fortification
Food facts and labelling:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/foodfacts/labelling
2.3.3 Meal planning
Candidates should be able to recognise and understand:
Balanced diets:
 The term ‘balanced diet’;
 The importance of a balanced diet for good health;
Link to Food – a fact of life and BNF resources:
Energy and nutrients:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=75
Diet and health:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=75&siteId=19&sectionId=81
A healthy varied diet:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/healthyeating/a-healthy-varied-diet
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Nutritional needs of groups:
 The issues/factors to consider when planning and serving
balanced meals;
 Dietary needs of different age groups;
 The needs of groups with special dietary requirements,
including pregnancy, weight loss, vegetarians, coeliacs,
diabetics, food allergies/intolerances, coronary heart disease;
 That food choice is affected by social and economic factors;
 That food choice is affected by cultural and religious diversity.
Nutrients:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=75&contentId=240
Diet and health:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=75&siteId=19&sectionId=81
Nutrition through life:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/life
Life stages:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/lifestages
A healthy varied diet:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/healthyeating/a-healthy-varied-diet
Food allergy and intolerance:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/allergy
Risk of disease:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/disease
Health issues:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/healthissues
Healthy eating for vegans and vegetarians:
http://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/healthyeating/vegan-and-vegetarian
2.3.4 Food preparation and cooking
Candidates should be able to recognise and understand:
Cooking methods:
 Why food is cooked;
 The transfer of heat to food;
 A range of cooking methods, to include grilling, frying, roasting,
steaming, poaching, baking, stewing, boiling, barbequing and
microwaving.
Effect of preparation and cooking/processing on foods and
nutrients:
 The properties and functions of major ingredients;
 The use of raising agents in recipes;
 The effect of heat on food;
 The changes that take place when food is cooked, to include
cakes, biscuits, scones, pastries, bread, sauces and batters;
Link to Food – a fact of life and BNF resources:
Functional properties of food:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=83&contentId=306
Cooking:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=0&siteId=19&sectionId=108
Food life skills:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=108&siteId=20&sectionId=80
Cook club:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=80&siteId=20&sectionId=82
Functional properties of food:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=83&contentId=306
Cooking:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=0&siteId=19&sectionId=108
Food life skills:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=108&siteId=20&sectionId=80
Cook club:
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
The effect of acid and alkali on food.
The role of additives:
 The function of additives in food products.
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/section.aspx?t=80&siteId=20&sectionId=82
Food manufacturing:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=109&contentId=567
2.3.5 Food safety and preservation
Candidates should be able to recognise and understand:
Preservation:
 The advantages of food preservation;
 The causes of food spoilage and the conditions in which it
occurs;
 The positive and negative effects on food of yeasts, moulds,
enzymes and bacteria,
 The different methods of home preservation and how they
work, to include jam-making, pickling and freezing;
 The different types of commercial methods of preservation and
examples of their use, to include canning, accelerated freeze
drying, controlled-atmosphere packaging, vacuum packaging,
cook-chill, modified-atmosphere packaging, radiation,
cryogenic freezing.
Food safety:
 How to avoid and reduce the risk of food contamination when
preparing, cooking and storing a range of foods in the home;
 The principles of hygienic practice in the kitchen;
 The causes and effects of food poisoning.
Link to Food – a fact of life and BNF resources:
Food hygiene and safety:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=83&contentId=307
Interactive activity – food hygiene:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/CreatorActivity.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=83&conte
ntId=311
Food manufacturing:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=109&contentId=567
Food packaging and labelling:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=109&contentId=568
Food hygiene and safety:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=83&contentId=307
Food manufacturing:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=109&contentId=567
2.3.6 Consumer education
Candidates should be able to recognise and understand:
Consumer education:
 The role of marketing and advertising in influencing food
choices and trends;
 That the purchase of food is dependent upon shopping trends,
facilities and environmental issues;
 Food labelling requirements;
 The function of food labelling for the consumer;
 The rights of the consumer if the goods purchased are faulty of
Link to Food – a fact of life and BNF resources:
Food packaging and labelling:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=109&contentId=568
Farming:
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19&sectionId=92&contentId=569
Food and labelling facts:
http://nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/foodfacts/labelling
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unsatisfactory quality.
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