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Candidate Handbook 2019
Candidate Handbook 2019
Candidate Handbook 2019
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Candidate Handbook 2019
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Food Safety and Regulatory ................................................................................................................ 15
Product Development/Food Engineering ............................................................................................ 16
Product Development ......................................................................................................................... 16
Regulatory ........................................................................................................................................... 16
Sensory ................................................................................................................................................ 16
Sample Questions.................................................................................................................................... 16
Maintaining Your Certification .................................................................................................................... 17
Accepted Recertification Activities .......................................................................................................... 18
Recertification Activities Generally Not Accepted................................................................................... 19
Using the Credential .................................................................................................................................... 19
Who May Use the CFS Credential............................................................................................................ 19
How the Credential May Be Used ........................................................................................................... 19
Expiration ................................................................................................................................................ 20
Graphic Standards ................................................................................................................................... 20
CFS Credential Logo Usage .................................................................................................................. 20
Size ...................................................................................................................................................... 20
Color .................................................................................................................................................... 20
Logo Misuse......................................................................................................................................... 21
Professional Code of Ethics ......................................................................................................................... 21
Disciplinary Procedures ........................................................................................................................... 22
Contact Information .................................................................................................................................... 22
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What is the Certified Food Scientist Credential?
The Certified Food Scientist (CFS) program—the only global certification for food professionals—
recognizes the applied scientific knowledge and skills of food scientists. The CFS consists of an
examination that focused on the practical applied knowledge of food science and is firmly grounded in the
established fundamental knowledge and skills food scientists apply in all aspects of their jobs. The
program is designed to meet the International Standards Organization (ISO) 17024 standard for personnel
certification programmes.
Currently there are over 2,000 Certified Food Scientists from 55 counties across the world. These
credential holders play important roles in food science, from industry vice presidents and c-level
executives, university deans, government officials, expert consultants, to everything in between. Certified
Food Scientists are employed at all 18 of the 2013 Fortune 500 Beverage and Food Consumer Goods
companies, as well as many other leading organizations in the profession.
Regardless of your career stage or food science background, obtaining the CFS is a career milestone
that demonstrates your expertise and commitment to the profession.
• Display leadership as a champion for the important role food science plays in business operations
• Leverage the CFS as an employee recruitment and retention tool
• Incorporate CFS as a step in technical ladders
About IFT
Envision what the very best minds in food science can achieve when they work together…providing each
and every person on the planet with access to a safe and abundant food supply.
For more than 80 years, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has been unlocking the potential of the
food science community by creating a dynamic global forum where members from more than 100
countries can share, learn, and grow.
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We’ve helped the members of this community connect both in person, through scientific and technical
education venues and forums such as the world’s largest annual food expo, and virtually, through our
publications and other resources.
By serving as a leading advocate for food science and a catalyst for change around the world, we’ve
educated the media and policy makers and worked with governments to shape regulations.
As a visionary organization, IFT is feeding the minds that feed the world.
Endorsements
The CFS has been endorsed by the Australian Institute of Food Science & Technology (AIFST),
Campden BRI and the Canadian Institute of Food Science & Technology (CIFST).
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Eligibility Requirements
Food professionals, regardless of career track, have a variety of educational backgrounds. Whether your
degree is in food science, food engineering, chemistry or agricultural sciences, the chart below will help
you determine if you qualify to take the CFS exam. If you don’t see your educational degree listed in the
chart below or have questions about your eligibility, please email ifscc@ift.org.
Related Sciences
May include but are not limited to agricultural sciences, physical and chemical sciences, life sciences
(biology, nutrition, microbiology, medicine, culinary science) and engineering (chemical, food, biological,
process).
Eligibility Petitions
If you do not meet the eligibility pathways noted above, but feel your educational background and
professional achievements qualify you to sit for the exam, you may petition the International Food
Science Certification Commission to review your application. To submit a petition request, please follow
these steps:
• Credit cards
• American Express
• Visa
• MasterCard
• Discover
These fees are non-refundable. In the event that your CFS application is declined, you will be refunded
your application fee minus a $150 non-refundable processing fee.
Through a special arrangement, members of the Canadian Institute of Food Science & Technology
(CIFST) and the Australian Institute of Food Science & Technology (AIFST) are eligible to apply for the
CFS exam at the IFT member rate. To take advantage of this preferential pricing, please use the
following contacts:
CIFST: cifst@cifst.ca or visit http://www.cifst.ca/default.asp?ID=1330
AIFST: bronwyn@aifst.com.au or visit http://www.aifst.asn.au/certified-food-scientist-cfs-certification.htm
To view upcoming test dates or search for testing centers in your location, go to
https://home.pearsonvue.com/ifscc
Once your application has been approved, you will receive an “authorization to test” e-mail. This e-mail will
include your 20-character Candidate Identification Number, which you will need to schedule your test. You
may schedule online or by phone.
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Once you have received your “authorization to test” email, you will be able to schedule your testing
date/time online. To schedule online, go to http://www.pearsonvue.com/ifscc and click on “Schedule
Online.” You will be prompted to create a login and password and then schedule your test.
We urge you to schedule your test as soon as possible after your application is approved. Your
authorization to test will be valid for one year from the date of approval; after that, it will be necessary to
reapply and pay a new application fee. You may schedule your test up to 24 hours before a testing
window begins.
Accommodations
The IFSCC complies with the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and will make reasonable
accommodations for candidates when needed. If you require special accommodations, please indicate so
on your application. You will be asked to identify the disability that substantially limits your ability to arrive
at, read or otherwise complete the computer-based examination as well as the special testing
accommodation(s) requested. You will also be asked to provide the IFSCC with written documentation
from a healthcare provider that supports the need for the special accommodation(s) you are requesting.
This medical documentation must be provided within 7 business days of submitting your application.
Medical documentation should be emailed to ifscc@ift.org. We will not reimburse you for any costs
associated with obtaining this documentation.
You will need two forms of identification for admission: a primary ID and a secondary ID.
The name that appears in your two forms of identification must match the name under which you are
registered to take the test. This is the legal name that you provided on your CFS application. Please do
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not register under a nickname. If you have done so, you must contact IFSCC well before your testing
appointment to change the name on your record.
* The primary ID must contain a photo and signature unless the signature is embedded in the identification. When
this occurs, the candidate must present another form of signature identification from the primary or secondary list.
The test administrator at the testing center will not allow test takers to take personal items with them into
the examination area. Although locker storage is normally offered, it is best not to bring large bags,
jewelry, electronics, and the like to the testing center. Consideration will be made for comfort items like
pillows and tissues or medical necessities like crutches; the test administrator is required to inspect such
items.
You will be given an erasable note board or a small notebook consisting of erasable and reusable pages
for your use during the exam. You will also have access to a scientific calculator that is located on the
computer in which you are taking the exam. No outside calculators will be permitted into the examination
area.
Biometrics
As part of Pearson VUE’s test-security program, a palm-vein scan is required at all PPC and some Select
PVTC centers. At all test centers, a digital photo of all candidates will be taken and candidates will sign an
electronic keypad to provide an electronic signature.
Testing Tutorial
To learn how to navigate your way through the computer-based examination, you are encouraged to
download and take advantage of the free tutorial at http://www.pearsonvue.com/athena/. This tutorial will
not be provided onsite at the testing center. We encourage you to use this resource before you go to take
the exam.
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Nondisclosure Agreement
You will be required to agree to the terms of the following agreement at the testing center before taking
your CFS Examination.
Nondisclosure Agreement and General Terms for Exams Developed for the International Food
Science Certification Commission
This exam is confidential and is protected by trade secrets law. It is made available to you, the examinee,
solely for the purpose of becoming certified as a food scientist. You understand, acknowledge, and agree:
• That the questions and answers of the exam are the exclusive and confidential property of IFT, are
protected by copyright, and are protected by IFT’s intellectual property rights;
• Not to disclose the exam questions or answers or discuss any of the content of the exam materials
with any person without prior written approval of the IFSCC;
• Not to remove from the examination room any exam material of any kind provided to you or any other
material related to the exam, including, without limitation, any notes or calculations;
• Not to copy or attempt to make copies (written, photographic, or otherwise) of any exam material,
including, without limitation, any exam questions or answers;
• Not to sell, license, distribute, give away, or obtain from any source other than the IFSCC the exam
materials, questions, or answers; and
• That your obligations under this agreement shall continue to be in effect after the examination and, if
applicable, after termination of your certification, regardless of the reason or reasons for termination,
and whether such termination is voluntary or involuntary.
Click the YES button to symbolize your signature and to accept these terms.
Select the NO button if you do not accept these terms. If you decline the agreement, you will not be
permitted to take the examination, and you will forfeit your examination fee.
The IFSCC Exam Committee will review comments and may choose to eliminate a flawed item from
scoring. If you have concerns or complaints about your testing experience, please inform the IFSCC by e-
mailing ifscc@ift.org.
You have the right to appeal adverse decisions made on behalf of the IFSCC. The IFSCC Appeals Panel
will consider all appeals. Its decision will be final.
Refunds
Application and retesting fees are non-refundable. In the event that your CFS application is declined, you
will be refunded your application fee minus a $150 non-refundable processing fee.
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After the Examination
At the end of the exam, you will receive a printout confirming that you have taken the exam. Your exam
results will be sent to you no more than 4 weeks after the end of the testing window.
Score Reporting
If you pass the exam, you will receive communication to that effect along with your CFS certificate.
If you fail the exam, you will receive a diagnostic score report. The score report will let you know how you
did on the exam overall and how you did in each content domain. This information is provided so you can
see the areas of greatest strength and weakness, and better prepare to retake the exam.
No Shows
Please appear at your exam at the scheduled time, or cancel with at least 24 hours notice. Unless you
provide Pearson VUE at least 24 hours’ notice of cancelation, if you miss your exam appointment, you will
be considered a “no show”. Likewise, if you arrive late and are not admitted, if you fail to present adequate
identification, or if you refuse the nondisclosure agreement, you will not be allowed to take the
test and will be considered a “no show”. You will be allowed to schedule a new test appointment upon
payment of the retest fee.
The Certified Food Scientist examination is comprised of 120 questions. Of these, 100 questions count
toward your score. The remaining, unscored questions are included in the test with a view to being used
as scored questions in future examinations. You will not be penalized for guessing, so it is in your best
interest to answer every question on the exam.
The questions cover knowledge in each of the domains in the examination content outline. For each
domain, the content outline shows the proportion of all the questions that cover knowledge in that domain.
The questions have been written by subject-matter experts trained in preparing multiple-choice questions.
Each question has been assessed for content, level of difficulty, accuracy, and correctness.
Passing Score
As is common with many other tests around the world, the CFS exam uses a scaled scoring system. The
scale is between 100 and 900, with the passing score being 650 or higher. The passing score was
established by a group of global Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) representing a wide variety of
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backgrounds in food science and was conducted under the guidance, and validation of professional
psychometricians (experts in the science of educational and psychological measurements).
The content outline reflects the general responsibilities performed by food scientists and the knowledge
required to perform these responsibilities. It was prepared in the course of a systematic job-task analysis
(practice analysis) and validated through a survey of a demographically representative cross-section of
food scientists.
Resource List
The following resource list will help you prepare for the exam. Since the discipline of food science is
broad and your scientific background and work experience may vary from other candidates, this list is
meant to be a study resource for you but is by no means a prerequisite for taking the exam. We
encourage you to determine which resources will best support your exam preparation needs. Many of
these may be available at your local public or university library, as well as through online booksellers
(many of which, including Google Books, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble, offer free previews). You may
also find some other resources not included on this list, but covering the content domains, to be helpful in
your preparation.
General
Potter, Norman N. and Joseph H. Hotchkiss. Food Science, 5th ed. Springer, 1999.
Food Engineering
Singh, R. Paul and Dennis R. Heldman. Introduction to Food Engineering, 4th ed. Academic Press, 2008.
Food Microbiology
Jay, James M., Martin J. Loessner, and David A. Golden. Modern Food Microbiology, 7th ed. Springer,
2005.
Food Safety
Marriott, Norman G. and Robert B. Gravani. Principles of Food Sanitation, 5th ed. Springer, 2010.
Wallace, Carol, William Sperber, and Sara E. Mortimore. Food Safety for the 21st Century: Managing
HACCP and Food Safety throughout the Global Supply Chain. Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
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Product Development/Food Engineering
Morris, Scott A. Food and Package Engineering. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
Product Development
Fellows, P.J. Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice, 3rd ed. CRC Press, 2009.
Fuller, Gordon W. Food Product Development: From Concept to the Marketplace, 3rd ed. CRC Press,
2011.
Singh, R. Paul and Ferruh Erdogdu. Virtual Experiments in Food Processing. RAR Press, 2004.
Regulatory
Shelton, Deborah M. and Ralph Hall. Compilation of FDCA-Related Food and Drug Laws, 2010. The
Food and Drug Law Institute, 2010.
Understanding the Codex Alimentarius. World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations, 2005.
Sensory
Meilgaard, Morten C., B. Thomas Carr, and Gail Vance Civille. Sensory Evaluation Techniques, 4th ed.
CRC Press, 2006.
Sample Questions
The following two sample questions test knowledge of “Product Development” and specifically, “Concept
Development.”
1. You are developing a new gluten-free pasta/macaroni product. Which ingredient would be
suitable for use in your product?
A. rye flour
B. rice flour
C. semolina flour
D. whole wheat flour
2. Your business team conducted an ideation focused on indulgent cream soups. From these ideas
several concepts were created and you’ve been asked to conduct a technical feasibility
assessment for these concepts. A technical feasibility assessment is the process of proving that
the concept is technically possible. Which task below would occur later in the product
development cycle?
A. regulatory review
B. packaging system and materials
C. completed product specifications
D. prototype formula cost estimates
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The following sample question tests knowledge of “Quality Assurance and Control.”
3. A fermented beverage is enhanced with a natural fruit flavoring added post-fermentation, which
increases turbidity. Turbidity could interfere with assessment of several quality attributes. Which
of the following sample preparation techniques would likely NOT assist in an accurate analysis of
the product?
A. filtration
B. acidification
C. centrifugation
D. solid phase extraction
Certificants should provide the IFSCC with the following information for each CH activity:
• Proof of attendance (i.e. certificate of completion, attendee list, letter from instructor)
• Proof of contact hours (i.e. short course program/agenda)
• Description of the activity
• Activity sponsoring organization and contact information
• Date activity was completed
• An indication of the content domain(s) the activity supports
The IFSCC reserves the right to conduct random and triggered audits of recertification documents and
will disallow recertification when instances of fraud are discovered.
• Where the certificant is the learner or is preparing materials for formal instruction or presentation
• That is related to food science or technology and addresses domains within the certification
examination content outline
• That leads to attainment of new knowledge and/or skills, or the enrichment of current knowledge and
skills
• Where the certificant holds responsibility for determining that the professional development activity is
appropriate, relevant, and meaningful to his/her growth in the field of food science
• For which the certificant's attendance can be documented by a third party such as an employer,
educational institution, or sponsoring organization.
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Prior approval of activities by the IFSCC is not required. Certificants are encouraged to explore sub-
disciplines of food science that are outside of the certificants’ primary food science expertise. An
approved-provider program may be developed in the future.
An alternative to professional development activities is taking the certification exam again within 5 years
of the initial certification. An additional fee will apply in such circumstances.
Employer in-house activities such as short Maximum of 8 CH per day Maximum of 16 CH per
courses or technical workshops 5 years
Formal training sessions sponsored by Maximum of 8 CH per day Maximum of 16 CH per
manufacturers of equipment or ingredients, or 5 years
food science-related service providers
Continuing education activities such as Maximum of 8 CH per day No max
seminars and conferences, including poster
sessions, offered by professional associations,
university scientific symposia, and formal
online, non-credit courses offered through a
university (i.e. sensory evaluation, food law,
HACCP)
Serving as speaker in symposia and technical 2 CH per symposia that is instructed Maximum of 10 CH per
sessions at regional, national or international 5 years
scientific conferences
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may be taken by distance education. Official
transcripts are required for all
college/university coursework.
Please note that CFS certification is attributed to the individual only, not to his or her employer. The CFS
logo or designation may not be used to imply that a firm or product is certified or endorsed by the IFSCC
or by IFT.
It is recommended that when the “CFS” designation is used following the credential holder’s name, such
as on a business card, “CFS” should appear following the highest earned degree (such as MS) and any
licensures or state designations, but preceding any awards, honors, or other recognitions. For example:
Graphic Standards
These Graphic Standards provide a snapshot of the core standards for the CFS credential.
Size
The approved versions of the CFS logos should not appear smaller than 0.75 inches wide.
Color
The logo may appear in two colors. Approved color applications include all black, PMS 2718 and Black,
or all white reversed out of a dark background.
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Logo Misuse
Use only the approved versions of the credential logo. Do not re-typeset or alter the logo colors.
Certified
Food Scientist
The CFS logo is the property of IFT and has copyright protection through the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office. Any infringement of the instructions contained herein regarding the use of the logo, print
specifications, size, etc., may result in legal action and/or suspension of the CFS certification.
• Perform your duties with objectivity, due diligence, and professional care
• Strive for continuous learning and comply with recertification requirements
• Be truthful, accurate, and complete with all information provided as part of the certification and
recertification process
• Maintain confidentiality and security of certification examination information and materials
• Cooperate with International Food Science Certification Commission concerning ethics inquiries
• Report personal conduct that may violate this Code of Ethics to the International Food Science
Certification Commission in a timely manner
• Use credentials properly
• Comply with applicable laws, policies, ethical, and professional standards related to the global food
system
• Provide truthful and accurate information about your professional experiences and competency
• Maintain confidentiality when necessary and appropriate unless disclosure is required by legal
authority or failure to release such information would likely result in death or serious physical harm to
employees and/or the public
• Avoid and disclose any actual or perceived conflict of interest or any appearance of impropriety to
ensure that it does not compromise your interests or the interests of an employer, employee, or the
public
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• Avoid engaging in any examination preparation-related activity or any other activity which creates a
conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest with the examination for a period of three (3)
years after taking the examination
• Avoid offering or accepting payments, gifts, or other forms of compensation or benefits intended to
influence professional decisions
Disciplinary Procedures
Individuals may file a complaint against a CFS who they feel has violated the Certified Food Scientist
Code of Professional Ethics. The written complaint must include the stated complaint, relevant supporting
materials, and the complainant's contact information. Anonymous complaints shall not be considered.
Complaints will be addressed based on the IFSCC’s established policies & procedures. Complaints
should be submitted in writing to ifscc@ift.org.
If the Certification Commission determines that grounds exist to take disciplinary action against a
candidate or a certificant, the extent of such sanction shall be commensurate with the nature, severity,
and intent of the violation.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about the CFS exam, applications or material in this candidate handbook,
please call +1.312.782.8424 or e-mail ifscc@ift.org.
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