44-701684-AF : Food Chain Coursework (Poster) Assessment Task 1 2025 | Sheffield Hallam University

Assessment Brief – Food Chain Task 1 (Academic-style poster)

Module Leader: Jo Pearce		Level: 7
Module Name: Food Chain		Module Code: 44-701684-AF
Assessment Type: Coursework (Poster)
Individual/Group: Individual	Weighting: 50% of module mark	Wordcount: N/A – must fit on 1 x slide with font no smaller than 12 point.
Submission date and time: Thursday 4th December 2025	Online submission: Yes	Format: PowerPoint/PDF
Assessed Module Learning Outcomes To raise understanding of current regulation with respect to additives, nutrition and health claims. To ensure students recognise the effects of supply, production and preparation of food on nutrient availability and food composition, including sustainability issues. To enable students to deconstruct the different aspects of food labelling.

44-701684-AF Assessment Brief 

Overview

This task requires you to prepare a poster on a commercial food product of your choice. This can be any product, from any country, but to ensure you can discuss your product successfully, your product must have:
–    A label, containing key information about the product
–    Undergone some form of processing, or be ultra-processed
–    A nutrition or health claim included on the label.

If your poster was printed, it would be A2 sized. You do not need to print your poster. To create an equivalent A2 poster electronically, within PowerPoint, you must adapt a power point slide as follows – under the ‘design’ tab in PowerPoint, click ‘slide size’ and then ‘custom slide size’. Set the slide size to 42.0cm width and 59.4cm height, also click ‘portrait’.

There is no word count, but the poster should be created on 1 x Microsoft PowerPoint slide (one slide only). Font must be no smaller than 12 points (large enough to be readable from 1m if the poster were printed).

Citations may be replaced by numbers (to allow more space for text) but full references must be included on the bottom of the poster. The font for references may be smaller than 12 points. Please write the full reference (in the reference section) in number-ordered APA style.

Your poster should include a section on each of the following:

1. Links between ingredients and nutrients. You should list the ingredients contained within your food product and link these to the nutritional information panel. Indicate which ingredients contribute to each nutrient listed on the panel. Discuss how each key ingredient may impact on human health
2. Ingredient functionality. Relate the ingredients and their chemical structure to their functionality in terms of food structure, texture and sensory properties, as well as any interactions between ingredients.
3. Food processing. Describe the food processing technique used to prepare the food and discuss the impact of processing on the food quality (nutrition, physical quality and/or organoleptic properties of the food). You can describe the processes or use a flow chart. Where you cannot find exact information detailing how your product was produced, extrapolate details from similar products and explain why you have chosen to do this.
4. Nutrition/health claims. Comment on any nutrition and/or health claims in the context of the relevant regulation.
5. Sustainability. Describe how your product does or does not impact on the environment, in relation to sustainable food production, distribution or disposal.
6. Experimental determination. Explain the principles behind and critique the experimental determination (how the nutrient content of the food was estimated) of key nutrients contained within your food product. You should offer alternative methods and explain which method would be best for your product.
7. Include a reference list (using APA referencing- further guidance is available from the library site). Marks will be awarded for your creativity and the overall quality and appearance of your poster.

Academic conventions and ethics requirements:

• Please include your name and student number on your poster.
• The poster should be aimed at individuals working within industry. Please write in the third person using correct scientific terminology.
• Citations (in number format) should be included on the poster, and a full reference list of appropriate academic sources included at the bottom of the poster.
• A statement outlining the use of AI within this task is required to be submitted alongside your work. Please include the statement in the comments box when you submit your work – see details below.
• It is expected that you will use manufacturers’ websites, textbooks and journal articles to understand your product and these should be referenced accordingly. Please do not reference lectures

Study skills support:

Guidance for this assessment task is included at various points throughout the module. The lecture and seminar content during weeks 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8 will support the required knowledge, skills and offer opportunity for discussion of your product choice with a tutor. An assessment support session will support specifically with this task, in week 8.

The Skills Centre offers inclusive academic skills development to all students at SHU. From workshops on critical writing and feedback on your assignments, to maths and statistics support and tutorials to develop effective strategies for studying with a learning difference, such as dyslexia – the team is there to help you build confidence and the skills you need for academic success. The Skills Centre is based at both campuses throughout the week and offer a wealth of resources online.

If you are an international student and would like to develop your academic English, you can join a University English Scheme module and/or take advantage of the Language Advisory Service.

Marking Criteria

Class

Distinction

Merit

Pass

Fail

Zero

Category

Exceptio nal

High

Mid

Low

High

Mid

Low

High

Mid

Low

Borderli ne

Mid

Low

Very low

Zero

%

96

89

81

74

68

65

62

58

55

50

45

35

25

10

0

Making the link between ingredients and nutrients(15% of total mark)

Links shows exceptional/ outstanding breadth and depth of knowledge and detail of all key nutrients associated with the product. Evidence of critical thinking and exceptional/outstanding understanding of links between ingredients and health-related issues.

Link shows very good knowledge of the area, relating taught material with concepts/ facts. Evidence of some critical thinking and very good understanding of the links between ingredients, and health-related issues.

Links between key nutrients with respect to target food product is clearly detailed. Shows good knowledge of the area but balanced towards the descriptive rather than analytical. Links between ingredients and health may be limited.

Little or insufficient information. May show knowledge of the link, sufficient to deal with terminology, basic facts and concepts but fails to make meaningful analysis. May contain some evidence/ understanding of health-related issues, generic information, not tailored to product.

Ingredient (including additives) functionality(15% of total mark)

The role and functionality of all key ingredients are explained professionally and succinctly, including detail of chemical structure and interactions with other ingredients.

The role and functionality of ingredients are explained with respect to their chemical structure and interactions with one another.

The role and functionality of ingredients are explained. The link between chemical structure and functionality is weak or missing. The interaction between compounds may be weak or missing.

Little or insufficient attempt to explain the role and functionality of any compound or is inaccurate. The link between chemical structure and functionality or interactions between compounds is incomplete or inaccurate. Generic information, not tailored to product.

Food processing method and impact(15% of total mark)

Precise and concise description of the processing method used and evidence of thorough understanding of impact on food quality.

A very good description of the processing method used and some evidence of understanding of the impact on food quality, but may lack critical view.

Good description of the processing method used and/or evidence of satisfactory understanding of impact on food quality. May be generic at times.

Insufficient or little description of the processing method use. Poor- quality/generic online resources utilised. No, little or some evidence of understanding of food processing and the impact on food quality. Maybe very generic and not related to the food product chosen.

Nutrition & health claims (15% of total mark)

Outstanding/excellent justification of claim in relation to the nutritional information and current regulations.

Very good justification of claims in relation to the nutritional information and current regulations.

Satisfactory justification of claim in relation to the nutritional information and regulations.

Little, or insufficient evidence of claims and no/little/some attempt to justify claims in relation to the nutritional information and/or regulations.Generic information only.

Sustainability(10% of total mark)

Thorough/excellent recognition of & demonstration of critical understanding of your product in relation to sustainable food production and distribution.

Very good interpretation/ understanding of the sustainable production and distribution of your product, may lack a sustained critical view.

Good interpretation/ understanding of the sustainable production and distribution of your product, may lack depth of discussion.

Little or insufficient understanding of sustainability issues relating to your product. Failure to differentiate marketing information from product information. Generic information only.

Information on energy and nutrient content determination(15% of total mark)

Evidence of outstanding or excellent understanding and critical evaluation of the different standard experimental analytical methods to determine food component contents as well as alternative methods to determine nutrient contents and associated calculations.

Evidence of very good understanding and evaluation of the standard experimental analytical methods associated with the key component of target product to determine food component contents and alternative methods to determine nutrient contents and associated calculations.

Evidence of some understanding and evaluation of the standard experimental analytical methods associated with the key component of target product to determine food component contents and/or alternative methods to determine nutrient contents or associated calculations. Some detail may be missing.

Little or poor/incorrect understanding of the experimental analytical methods to determine nutrient content. No or inappropriate alternative methods presented to determine nutrient contents or of associated calculations. Ability to select and evaluate reading/research is limited and more generally descriptive. Nutrients not key within product.

Poster(15% of total mark)

The poster looks professional and is interesting to look at. Makes compelling and persuasive reading.Excellent referencing.

Poster is well structured and creative. Relevant information stands out and the main points are visible.Good referencing.

Sections are well separated with a logical flow; information is clearly presented but may lack creativity or originality.Satisfactory referencing.

Poster is poorly organised or hard to read. Sticks to basic examples with no adaptation or creativity.Poor referencing.

Understanding your mark

As well as assessing your work against the assessment criteria, your marker has used the guidance below to award your final grade for your work. These descriptors also provide you with more general guidance to improve your work:

Class	Category	Markrange	%	General Characteristics
Distinction	Exceptional Distinction	93 – 100	96	Exceptional breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding evidenced by own independent insight and critical awareness of relevant literature and concepts at the forefront of the discipline; evidence of extensive and appropriate independent inquiry operating with advanced concepts, methods and techniques to solve problems in unfamiliar contexts; Cogent arguments and explanations are consistently provided using a range of media demonstrating an ability to communicate effectively in a variety of formats using a sophisticated level of the English language in an eloquent and professional manner to both technical and non-technical audiences; a sustained academic approach to all aspects of the tasks is evidenced; academic work extends boundaries of the disciplines and is beyond expectation of the level and mayachieve publishable or commercial standard.
Distinction	High Distinction	85 – 92	89	Excellent knowledge and understanding evidenced by some clear independent insight and critical awareness of relevant concepts some of which are at the forefront of the discipline; evidence of appropriate independent inquiry operating with core concepts, methods and techniques to solve complex problems in mostly familiar contexts; Arguments and explanations are provided that is well-supported by the literature and in some cases uses a range of media demonstrating an ability to communicate effectively in a limited number of formats using own style that is suited to both technical and non-technical audiences; a sustained academic approach to most aspects of the tasks is evidenced; one or more aspects of the academic work is beyond the prescribed range and evidences a competent understanding of all ofthe relevant taught content.
	Mid Distinction	78 – 84	81
	Low Distinction	70 – 77	74
Merit	High Merit	67 – 69	68	Very good knowledge and understanding is evidenced as the student is typically able to independently relate taught facts/concepts together some of which are at the forefront of the discipline; evidence of some competent independent inquiry operating with core concepts, methods and techniques to solve familiar problems; Arguments and explanations are provided that are typically supported by the literature and in some cases may challenge some received wisdoms; competently uses all taught media and communication methods to communicate effectively in a familiar settings; an academically rigorous approach applied to some aspects of the tasks is evidenced; somebeyond the prescribed range, may rely on set sources to advance work/direct arguments; demonstrates autonomy in approach to learning.
	Mid Merit	64 – 66	65
	Low Merit	60 – 63	62
Pass	High Pass	57 – 59	58	Satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the area of study balanced towards the descriptive rather than critical or analytical and mostly confined to concepts that are not at the forefront of the discipline; evidence of some independent reading and research to advance work and inform arguments and approaches; Arguments and explanations are limited in range and depth although some are adequately supported by the literature albeit descriptively rather than critically; competently uses at least one taught media and communication method to communicate appropriately in familiar settings; although the approach applied to some aspects of the tasks may lack academic rigour, there are some clear areas of competence within the prescribed range. Relies on set sources to advancework/direct arguments and communicated in a way which shows clarity but structure may not always be coherent.
	Mid Pass	54 – 56	55
	Low Pass	50 – 53	50
Fail	Borderline Fail	40 – 49	45	Knowledge and understanding is insufficient as the student only evidences an understanding of small subset of the taught concepts and techniques; fails to make sufficient links between known concepts and facts to adequately solve relevant aspects of the brief/problem; little ability to independently select and evaluate reading/research with almost total reliance on set sources and unsubstantiated arguments/methods; communication/presentation may be competent in places but fails to demonstrate structure, clarity and/or focus; inability to adequately define problems and make reasoned judgements; the