FOOD SCIENCE CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENT
About
The Food Science and Technology Career Development Event (CDE) requires students to have an in-depth understanding of food product development, food presentation, and food safety issues. Participants also use their sensory skills to solve problems and make sound decisions.
Students in this event participate in both team and individual activities. As a team, students respond to a product development scenario describing the need for a new or redesigned product that appeals to a potential market segment. The team’s task is to design a new food product or reformulate an existing product based on information contained within the product development scenario. The team also completed a food safety and sanitation activity. As individuals, an objective test, a problem-solving practicum, sensory evaluation, and a food safety practicum are completed to count towards the team score.
This event reaches students in an area of agriculture that’s continuing to grow in all aspects. By exposing students to issues in food science and technology, students gain experience that prepares them for traditional and non-traditional careers.
2023-24 Details
This year, the Food Science CDE will be offered on regional dates and locations. Teams must compete at one of the regional qualifying events in order to advance to the state competition. Competition info is below:
2023-24 State Event Scenario: (Please contact your region coordinator to confirm regional product)
Category: Snack
Platform: Ready to Eat
Market: Retail
Featured ingredient: Cake donuts
Qualifying Event Locations & Dates
Regional registration details will be distributed through the aginstructors listserve directly to FFA Advisors.
State Semi-finals
Semi-finals will occur virtually on February 28-March 6, 2024 with teams that have advanced from regional competition. Semi-finals will include the written exam, customer inquiry, safety and sanitation, and the math practicum.
State Finals
State finals will occur on March 25, 2024 with the top six teams from the virtual semi-finals. Finals will include the sensory practicums and team product development components.
Location details pending.
Rules and Regulations
Event components include:
- Individual written knowledge test (multiple choice)
- Individual food safety/sanitation practicum
- Individual customer inquiry response practicum
- Individual sensory evaluation practicum
- Individual math exam
- Team product development scenario and presentation
Expectations at Convention for Food Science
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Official Dress is required
What SHOULD students bring? (Tools/equipment/materials)
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Two pencils
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Clean clipboards
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Water to drink
What can students NOT BRING for themselves?
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A calculator
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Any paper materials
What will get a student/team disqualified?
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Using cell phones during the event
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Sharing answers with other participants
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Talking to other participants during individual components of the event
What will be provided by the event?
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Calculator
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Scantron sheet
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Practicum information and problem sheets
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Written test
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All materials needed for sensory evaluation
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Product Development Scenario
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Nutritional information and prices for available products
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Large paper
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Markers
Source:
Principles of Food Science by Janet Ward (Goodheart Wilcox Publishing)