IGCSE Food & Nutrition Topics By Exam Board: Full List

There’s nothing worse than finally gearing yourself up for revision and hitting that all-too-familiar hurdle: not knowing where to begin. Perhaps you’ve tried to find your syllabus online, only to be hit with incomplete lists, conflicting information, or an out-of-date curriculum.

This article offers a clear, reliable breakdown of exactly what you need to study for Cambridge IGCSE Food & Nutrition. Used alongside our revision tips, this comprehensive list will give you the confidence you need to revise in a focused and efficient way.

Key Takeaways

• Cambridge is currently the only exam board offering this course

• The course is divided into 14 topics, ranging from nutritional terms to kitchen safety and first aid

• Knowing the exact topics your exam board covers helps you build a targeted revision plan

Cambridge IGCSE Food & Nutrition (0648)

If you’re studying IGCSE Food & Nutrition, your exam board is Cambridge (0648) (opens in a new tab).

This course is split into two components: Paper 1 (theory) and Paper 2 (practical test). Each component is worth 50% of your grade, and both test your knowledge of the 14 topics below.

Nutrition, Food Science & Health

1. Nutritional terms

• Understand the terms used in nutrition and nutrition-related problems:

  • diet

  • balanced diet

  • metabolism

  • malnutrition

  • undernutrition

  • overnutrition

  • deficiency disease

2. Nutritive value of food

• The sources, uses and functions of food energy:

  • proteins (high biological and low biological value)

  • carbohydrates (monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide)

  • non-starch polysaccharide (NSP)/dietary fibre

  • fats

  • vitamins (A, C, D, E, K, B group – thiamin, riboflavin, nicotinic acid and cobalamin)

  • mineral elements (calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, fluoride, chloride, iodide)

  • water

3. Digestion and absorption

• Digestion at each stage of the digestive system:

  • mouth

  • stomach

  • duodenum

  • ileum

• Enzymes as catalysts in digestion, including 

  • amylase

  • erepsin

  • invertase

  • lactase

  • lipase

  • maltase

  • pepsin 

  • rennin

  • trypsinogen

• Role of bile in emulsifying fats

• Absorption of nutrients, including the structure of ileum

4. Meal planning and dietary guidelines

• Factors affecting food requirements

• Planning and serving of family meals

• Meals for different ages, occupations, cultures and religions

• Special needs of

  • pregnant and lactating women

  • people with food allergies and intolerances, including coeliacs

  • people with medical conditions linked to diet, such as diabetes

  • convalescents

  • vegetarians, including vegans and lacto-vegetarians

• Meals for special occasions and festivals

• Packed meals, snacks and beverages

• Use of herbs, spices and garnishes

• Attractive presentation of food

• Terminology describing recommended dietary intakes, e.g. 

  • Dietary Reference Value (DRV) 

  • Reference Daily Intake (RDI)

• Use of nutritional tools

5. Composition and value of the main foods in the diet

• Sources of protein

  • dairy products

  • eggs

  • fish

  • meat

  • soya

• Cereals 

  • maize

  • millets

  • oats

  • rice

  • wheat

• Fruits and vegetables

  • pulses

  • nuts

• Fats and oils

Food Preparation, Handling & Cooking

6. Cooking of food

• Transfer of heat by

  • conduction

  • convection

  • radiation

• Principles involved in the different methods of cooking:

  • baking

  • boiling

  • braising

  • cooking in a microwave oven

  • frying

  • grilling

  • poaching

  • pressure cooking

  • roasting

  • simmering

  • steaming

  • stewing

  • use of a slow cooker

• Reasons for cooking food

• Sensory properties of food:

  • flavour

  • taste

  • texture

• Effect of dry and moist heat on proteins, fats and oils, sugars and starches, and vitamins to include

  • caramelisation

  • coagulation

  • dextrinisation

  • enzymic and non-enzymic browning (Maillard reaction)

  • gelatinisation

  • rancidity

  • smoking point

• Preparation and cooking of food to preserve nutritive value

• Economical use of 

  • food

  • equipment

  • fuel labour

7. Convenience foods

• Foods partly or totally prepared by a food manufacturer 

  • dehydrated

  • tinned

  • frozen

  • ready-to-eat

  • cook-chill

• Intelligent use of these foods

• Advantages and disadvantages

• Types and function of food additives

• Packaging 

  • types

  • materials used

  • advantages and disadvantages

• Labelling 

  • information found on labels and reasons for it

8. Basic proportions and methods of making

• Biscuits, cookies, scones and cakes made by different methods

  • creaming

  • melting

  • one-stage

  • rubbing-in 

  • whisking

• Pastries 

  • shortcrust

  • flaky 

  • rough puff

• Sauces 

  • pouring and coating

  • roux and blended methods

• Batters 

  • thin (pouring) 

  • coating

• Sweet and savoury yeast products

9. Raising agents

• Air, carbon dioxide and water vapour

• Ways of introducing these gases into a mixture to include 

  • bicarbonate of soda

  • baking powder

  • yeast

10. Food spoilage and hygiene

• Action of 

  • enzymes

  • bacteria

  • yeasts 

• Personal, food and kitchen hygiene

  • in shops and markets

• Food storage

  • at home

  • refrigeration

  • waste disposal

11. Food preservation

• Reasons for preserving food

• Methods of preservation and an understanding of the principles involved:

  • heating – canning, bottling 

  • removal of moisture – dehydrating 

  • reduction in temperature – freezing 

  • chemical preservation – sugar, salt, vinegar 

  • modified atmosphere packaging 

  • irradiation

• Key points involved in milk preservation and production

  • pasteurisation 

  • sterilisation

  • UHT milk

  • evaporated milk

  • condensed milk

  • dried milk

• The use of enzymes and bacteria in the manufacture of cheese and yoghurt

The Kitchen

12. Kitchen planning

• Organisation of cooking area and equipment for efficient work

• Choice, use and care of

  • work surfaces 

  • flooring 

  • walls 

  • wall coverings 

  • lighting 

  • ventilation

13. Kitchen equipment

• Choice, use and care of

  • modern cookers 

  • thermostatic control and automatic time-controlled ovens 

  • microwave ovens

    • advantages and disadvantages of them

  • slow electric cook pots 

  • refrigerators and freezers 

  • small kitchen equipment, e.g. knives, pans 

  • small electrical kitchen equipment, e.g. 

    • food processors

    • electric kettles

14. Kitchen safety and first aid

• Awareness of potential danger areas in the kitchen

• Safety precautions

• First aid for 

  • burns and scalds

  • cuts

  • electric shock

  • fainting

  • shock

For further information, check the official syllabus and our overview of the course.

How to Use This IGCSE Food & Nutrition Topic List for Revision

Turn it into a checklist 

Print the list above or write it out yourself – whichever works for you – and use it as a checklist. As you finish revising each topic, tick it off. This gives you a clear picture of your progress and keeps you motivated.

Personally, I’m a fan of the traffic light revision system (opens in a new tab). This involves dividing topics by colour: red for the areas you’re least confident in, amber for the ones you find okay, and green for the ones you’re strong in. I’ve used this system with a number of my students, and they’ve found it really helpful as a way to prioritise their revision.

Build a revision timetable using the headings

While 14 topics might feel overwhelming, remember the old proverb about eating an elephant: (opens in a new tab) tackle it in chunks. Allocate a set number of hours or days to the 3 headings above, starting with your ‘red’ topics, and then slot those hours into your weekly timetable. Here’s an example of what your allocation might look like:

1. Nutrition, Food Science & Health: 2 hours

2. Food Preparation, Handling & Cooking: 3 hours

3. The Kitchen: 1 hour

Match topics to past paper questions

When you work through past papers (opens in a new tab), note which topic is being tested on each question. Then create a bank of past paper questions organised by topic. That way, you’ll know what question styles to expect in the exam.

Focus on weaker areas based on syllabus weighting

Some topics are worth more marks than others. The Cambridge specification shows the weighting for each topic. If a heavily weighted topic is your weakest area, prioritise it in your revision.

Revise both the theory and the practice

Examiners stress that Paper 1 and Paper 2 are interconnected, so make sure you revise each topic both in theory and in its practical application. That way, examiners will know you understand the real-world application of the content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to know recipes for the exam?

No. Paper 1 doesn't test specific recipes, and while Paper 2 does require you to prepare dishes, you may use recipe books for this. Instead of getting you to learn recipes by heart, the practical exam assesses your ability to make balanced meals using safe food handling practices.

Where can I find the official IGCSE Food & Nutrition syllabus?

The official Cambridge IGCSE Food & Nutrition specification is available here (opens in a new tab).

You should also ask your teacher for the latest syllabus and any updated assessment criteria, as these can change.

Is IGCSE Food & Nutrition hard?

It’s not especially hard compared to other IGCSEs, but whether you’ll find it difficult depends on your interests and strengths. If you enjoy science and cooking, you'll likely find it interesting and manageable. If science isn't your strong suit, the nutrition and digestion topics might feel tricky – but they're perfectly doable with good notes and practice.

Final Thoughts

When you know exactly which 14 topics your exam board includes, your revision becomes so much easier. You can stop second-guessing yourself about whether something's relevant and focus your energy on learning what actually gets marked.

Bookmark this page and use it to build your revision plan. Work through each topic methodically, connect what you learn to your practical coursework, and you'll enter your GCSE exams knowing you’re equipped with the right tools to succeed.

You've got this – now get revising!

References

• Cambridge IGCSE Food & Nutrition (0648) Specification (opens in a new tab)

• Cambridge IGCSE Food & Nutrition (0648) Syllabus – 2023-2025 (opens in a new tab)

• Cambridge IGCSE Food & Nutrition (0648) Syllabus – 2026-2028 (opens in a new tab)

• Cambridge IGCSE Food & Nutrition (0648) Past Papers (opens in a new tab)

• Cambridge IGCSE Food & Nutrition (0648) Examiner Report – June 2023 (opens in a new tab)

• How to Prepare for IGCSEs: Revision Strategies That Work

• How to Start Revising and Where to Begin

• How to Use the Traffic Light System to Improve Your Marks (opens in a new tab)

• Psychology Today: The Only Way to Eat an Elephant (opens in a new tab)