About this event
The team gets 60 minutes to design or reformulate a food product from a scenario, with a nutrition label, ingredient statement and front panel. It then gives a 10-minute pitch to judges and answers their questions for 10 minutes. The project is worth 400 points. The team also audits 4 to 8 food safety situations against set policies, worth 80 points. Each member takes a 60-minute objective test of 50 questions (150 points) and solves five food science math problems (25). Members also answer five customer inquiry cases and five spec checks (50), then run four triangle tests and name four aromas (40). The handbook gives no times for the audit or the practicums. Teams have four members, and all four scores count. The top score is 265 per member. The event is open to grades 7 to 12. FFA Official Dress is highly recommended. Students bring a clean clipboard, two pencils and a basic, non-programmable calculator. Phones, smart watches and other devices are not allowed. Food may contain any of the nine major allergens, and accommodation requests are due by September 15. State winners move on to the national event held with the 100th National FFA Convention and Expo, October 27 to 30, 2027, in Indianapolis.
FormatTest + Presentation
DurationProduct development 60 min build, 10 min pitch, 10 min questions; test 60 min; food safety audit and all practicums not stated
Solo or teamTeam of 4
CategoryFood Products and Processing Systems
Your plan
How to study
Built from the official handbook. Take the check and read every lesson here with no account; a free account keeps your progress and opens flashcards, practice and full exams.
Find your weakest area
Take the 8-question check below: one question from each of the 8 biggest areas. It tells you where to start.
Start the checkLearn every area
Every area of the official handbook is below. Each has a short lesson, flashcards and practice, plus free reading.
See the areasPractice until every bar is full
Practice gives you one question at a time and leans toward the areas you miss. Your readiness meter fills as you get them right in every area.
PracticeTake a full exam at the real pace
50 questions in 60 minutes, the official length. Your readiness meter counts your last 3 full exams from the past 30 days, and 90% fills each one.
Take a practice examRehearse the presentation
Type or say your presentation. The judge scores it on the official scorecard and times you against the 10-minute limit.
Get judged on your presentation
The areas of the exam
Basic principles of food science and technology
Food product development
Nutrition labels, ingredient statements and package panels
Food safety audits and corrective actions
Food science math: conversions, Pearson's square, yield, shrink, calories
Customer inquiries on food quality and safety hazards
Product specification compliance
Sensory evaluation: triangle tests
Aroma identification
Food sanitation
Start here
Find your weakest area
8 questions, one from each of the 8 biggest areas of the Food Science and Technology exam. Each one is graded the moment you answer, with the reason, and the last screen tells you which area to study first. No account needed.
Judging
What judges score
Package display
- Nutrition label, required information present10
- Nutrition label, correct calculations10
- Nutrition label, correct organization10
- Ingredient statement present10
- Ingredient statement, correct order and all ingredients included10
- Ingredient statement, location on package10
- Principal display panel, all required components15
- Principal display panel, correct information15
- Principal display panel, location on package10
Oral presentation
- Cost of goods sold20
- Nutrition20
- Target audience20
- Quality control20
- Marketing and sales20
- Product20
- Processing20
- Packaging20
- Food safety20
- How well the product matched the concept or scenario30
- Category5
- Platform5
- Equitable participation of team members5
- Organization5
- Use of time allowed5
- Professionalism5
- Presence and enthusiasm5
- Mannerisms5
Judges' questions
- Team participation in question response25
- Quality of response25
Exam day
What to expect
50-question written exam in 60 minutes
Official format: Product development 60 min build, 10 min pitch, 10 min questions; test 60 min; food safety audit and all practicums not stated.
Written from the handbook
The exam covers the areas the event's handbook lists, from the references it names. Practice questions here are drawn from the same areas.
How you advance
How many advance from districts to states and on to the National FFA Convention & Expo (National Convention) depends on your association's rules. Study the official handbook: it lists every part of the event and how each is scored.
Exam format
- Time limit60 minutes
- Questions50 questions
- TeamTeam of 4
Competition levels: District Career Development Events, then State Career Development Events, then National FFA Convention & Expo
Official reference books
Listed in the official FFA handbook. Your school or public library may have them.
- Principles of Food Sanitation, 5th edition, Springer Science + Business Media, 2006 (paid book)
- USDA FSIS Processing Inspectors' Calculations Handbook, revised 1995
Guidelines and resources
Bookmark to saveCurated by ChapterPrep. Free unless noted. External links open in a new tab.