Food Safety, sometimes known as Food Hygiene, refers to laws and regulations around the way food and drinks are handled, prepared and stored to reduce the risk of someone becoming ill when they consume them. Food Safety applies to a large range of work places and your manager may ask you to complete a Food Safety and Hygiene certificate to ensure you understand how to comply with the Health and Safety regulations around food products.
Do I need a Food Safety certificate?
Food Safety is important in a wide variety of workplaces, some of these include restaurants, bars, supermarkets, cafés and nurseries. If you work in an environment where food is cooked, prepared or handled, your manager may ask you to complete a Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate.
This course covers all the essentials for working with food, including:
- The correct temperatures for food storage
- Safe preparation and handling of food
- Food hygiene legislation and best practice
- The principles of cleaning and disinfection
- Common food pests and how to control and prevent them
Once you have completed this certificate, you will be allowed to handle food safely and comply with all of the relevant health and safety standards.
If you are interested in a job that involves handling, preparing or cooking food, then you may want to complete a Food Safety and Hygiene certificate online before you apply so you can add this to your CV.
How do I get a Food Safety certificate?
The Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate is an online course and is vital if you want to work in the catering, hospitality or the food retail sectors. The course costs £12, is City and Guilds accredited and you can self-print your certificate or get it sent in the post.
You can view a demo of the course or register to complete the online certificate using the links below:
Food Hygiene Course Demo
Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate
Virtual College have also produced a short video to give you an idea of what to expect:
If you are interested in completing the Food Hygiene and Safety Certificate, or would like any support with your online study, please speak to your manager or Employment Coordinator.