Where does our food come from, what do food miles and food provenance mean, and what are the environmental and ethical issues?
Food provenance and food miles: where food is grown, reared or caught, food miles and the carbon footprint, seasonality, local and organic food, and the environmental and ethical issues of food production.
A focused answer to the WJEC Food Preparation and Nutrition topic on food provenance, covering where food comes from, food miles and carbon footprint, seasonality, local and organic food, food labelling and the environmental and ethical issues of food production.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
You need to know where food comes from (grown, reared or caught), what food miles and carbon footprint mean, what seasonality, local and organic food are, and the environmental and ethical issues around food production.
Where food comes from
Knowing provenance lets people make informed choices about freshness, the environment, animal welfare and supporting producers.
Food miles and carbon footprint
Food miles are the distance food travels from where it is produced to where it is eaten. Food flown or shipped a long way has high food miles and a large carbon footprint (the greenhouse gases released), because transport burns fuel. Greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.
Buying food produced locally reduces food miles and the carbon footprint, and often means fresher food. However, sometimes growing food out of season locally (in heated greenhouses) can use more energy than importing it, so it is not always simple.
Seasonality
Seasonal food is food eaten at the time of year it naturally grows locally (for example UK strawberries in summer). Choosing seasonal food:
- usually means lower food miles and fresher, tastier produce,
- is often cheaper when in season and plentiful,
- needs less energy than forcing food to grow out of season.
Local and organic food
- Local food supports local farmers and the economy, cuts food miles and is fresh, but may cost more and is not available all year.
- Organic food is grown with few or no artificial pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers, and animals are reared to higher welfare standards. It is better for the environment and welfare but usually costs more and yields less.
Food labelling and ethics
Labels help people choose: country of origin, organic certification, Fairtrade (a fair price for producers in developing countries), Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured (UK standards and animal welfare), and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for sustainable fish.
Animal welfare and intensive versus free-range
How animals are reared is an ethical issue many shoppers care about. Intensive (factory) farming keeps many animals in a small space to produce cheap food, but raises animal welfare concerns. Free-range and organic systems give animals more space and a better quality of life, but the food costs more. Eggs, chicken and pork are often labelled to show the system used, so shoppers can choose according to their values and budget. The exam may ask you to weigh cost against welfare and the environment, so be ready to give a balanced view rather than a one-sided answer.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC style6 marksExplain what is meant by food miles and discuss the environmental and other reasons for buying locally produced, seasonal food.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark question. Mark it for the meaning of food miles plus a balanced discussion.
Food miles are the distance food travels from where it is produced to where it is eaten. Food flown or shipped long distances has high food miles and a large carbon footprint, because transport burns fuel and releases greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Buying locally produced, seasonal food reduces food miles and the carbon footprint, often means fresher food with better flavour and more nutrients, supports local farmers and the local economy, and may need less packaging. It can also reduce the energy used to grow food out of season in heated greenhouses. However, local food is not always cheaper or available all year, and growing some out-of-season food locally can use more energy than importing it.
A top answer defines food miles, links them to carbon footprint and climate change, and discusses the benefits of local, seasonal food with at least one limitation.
WJEC style3 marksExplain what organic food is and give one advantage and one disadvantage of buying it.Show worked answer →
A 3-mark question on organic food.
Organic food is produced without (or with very limited) artificial pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers, and animals are reared to higher welfare standards without routine antibiotics. An advantage is that it is better for the environment and for animal welfare, and avoids artificial chemicals. A disadvantage is that it usually costs more and yields can be lower, so it is less affordable and may be less widely available.
Markers reward: a correct definition of organic; one advantage (environment, welfare or fewer chemicals); and one disadvantage (higher cost or lower yield).
Related dot points
- Food security and sustainability: the meaning of food security, the threats to it, sustainable food production including reducing waste and packaging, sustainable fishing and the impact of food choices on the environment.
A focused answer to the WJEC Food Preparation and Nutrition topic on food security and sustainability, covering the meaning of food security and its threats, sustainable food production, reducing food waste and packaging, sustainable fishing, and the impact of food choices.
- Food processing and production: primary and secondary processing, the effect of processing on nutritional value, fortification and additives, and how staple foods such as flour, cheese and yoghurt are produced.
A focused answer to the WJEC Food Preparation and Nutrition topic on food processing and production, covering primary and secondary processing, the effect on nutritional value, fortification and additives, and how staple foods such as flour, cheese and yoghurt are made.
- Factors affecting food choice: cost and income, lifestyle and time, health, religion and culture, ethical and moral beliefs, special diets, enjoyment and preference, and the influence of marketing and labelling.
A focused answer to the WJEC Food Preparation and Nutrition topic on food choice, covering the many factors that influence what people eat, including cost, lifestyle, health, religion and culture, ethical beliefs, special diets, preference, and the influence of marketing and labelling.
- Fruit and vegetables as a food commodity group: their nutritional value, the five-a-day message, how they are classified, enzymic browning, how preparation and cooking affect vitamin C, and storage.
A focused answer to the WJEC Food Preparation and Nutrition commodity group on fruit and vegetables, covering their nutrients and the five-a-day message, classification, enzymic browning, how preparation and cooking affect vitamin C, and how to store them.
- Planning a balanced diet: the Eatwell Guide, the current UK dietary guidelines, and how nutritional needs differ for different life stages and groups.
A focused answer to the WJEC Food Preparation and Nutrition diet and good health topic on planning a balanced diet, covering the Eatwell Guide, the current UK dietary guidelines, and how nutritional needs change across life stages and for different groups.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition specification (from 2016) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)