Your Questions Answered: Food Handling Certificate Course
As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), Food Safety First is authorised to deliver Food Handler training that provides students with an accredited Statement of Attainment that is recognised throughout Australia. Our nationally accredited course also aligns with the regulatory requirements established by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) in the Food Standards Code and Standard 3.2.2A.
This blog will guide you through the Food Handling Certificate course in more detail, answering some frequently asked questions.
What is a Food Handler?
The term Food Handler refers to anyone who is responsible for preparing, handling or serving food at their place of work, even if it is just a minor part of their role. Food Handlers are present across a number of industries including Food Processing, Hospitality, Retail, Transport & Distribution and Health & Community.
Why is Food Handling training required?
More than four million cases of food poisoning are reported each year in Australia, leading to approximately 31,000 hospitalisations. The country is also known for its high food allergy rate, with an estimated 1 in 10 infants affected.
Food Handling training plays a pivotal role in preventing food-borne illness and allergic reactions among consumers, which is why it is a legal requirement in most states and territories throughout Australia. In order to comply with FSANZ regulations, Food Handlers need to understand the common causes of these food-related incidents and how to mitigate them.
This involves taking part in a professional Food Handling course with strict assessment criteria.
Who should take the Food Handling Certificate course?
The Food Handling Certificate course is suitable for anyone who prepares, handles or serves food as part of their job. This includes chefs, kitchen hands, serving staff and people working in food processing facilities.
However, it is also applicable to jobs outside the food industry where food handling isn’t the primary focus. For example, child care providers or aged care workers may serve food to people in their care. In any job where food handling takes place, especially when serving vulnerable populations, food safety training is essential.
What does the Food Handling Certificate course involve?
The Food Handling Certificate course covers various topics designed to ensure that you have all the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that any food you handle, prepare or serve is safe for human consumption.
Hospitality course
The Food Handling Certificate course for Hospitality encompasses a unit of competency known as SITXFSA005 (Use Hygienic Practices for Food Safety) and includes 13 interactive lessons:
Lesson 1 - Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
Lesson 2 - Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
Lesson 3 - Biological Contamination
Lesson 4 - Other Types of Contamination
Lesson 5 - Food Allergies
Lesson 6 - Cleaning & Sanitising
Lesson 7 - Hand Washing
Lesson 8 - Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
Lesson 9 - Illness & Onsite Injuries
Lesson 10 - Time & Temperature Control
Lesson 11 - Working with Food Safely
Lesson 12 - Serving Food Safety
Lesson 13 - Food Safety Programs & Reporting Responsibilities
Health & Community course
The Food Handling Certificate course for Health & Community encompasses a unit of competency known as HLTFSE001 (Follow Basic Food Safety Practices) and includes 17 interactive lessons:
Lesson 1 - Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
Lesson 2 - Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
Lesson 3 - Biological Contamination
Lesson 4 - Other Types of Contamination
Lesson 5 - Food Allergies
Lesson 6 - Cleaning & Sanitising
Lesson 7 - Maintaining Food Premises
Lesson 8 - Hand Washing
Lesson 9 - Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
Lesson 10 - Illness & Onsite Injuries
Lesson 11 - Time & Temperature Control
Lesson 12 - Receiving & Storing Food
Lesson 13 - Working with Food Safely
Lesson 14 - Serving Food Safely
Lesson 15 - Food Safety Programs
Lesson 16 - Identifying Food Safety Hazards
Lesson 17 - Controlling & Reporting on Food Safety Hazards
Each of these lessons is followed by a multiple-choice quiz that will test your understanding of the subject and track your progress through the course. All questions must be answered correctly before moving on to the next section.
After all the lessons have been successfully completed, there is a short case study to take part in. This exercise requires you to read the scenario carefully before answering a series of multiple-choice questions based on its content.
The course concludes with the completion of an Observer Report. The Observer Report is designed to assess practical skills by having you perform basic food safety tasks, such as hand washing, in front of an observer (usually a manager or Food Safety Supervisor). The observer is nominated during the registration process and will receive an email with instructions on how to submit the report.
The observed tasks can be historic but need to have occurred on multiple occasions within the last 12 months under various conditions. Role play can be used as an alternative if performing these tasks in real-life situations is not feasible.
Once all of the assessment activities described above have been completed, you must fill out and complete your ‘Final Submission’ form. The primary purpose of this form is to confirm that the course was completed solely by you, without assistance from any other party.
You will then receive a copy of your Statement of Attainment via email, within the typical processing time of 2 business days. If you require your certificate sooner, you can opt to purchase express certification which provides prioritised assessment review and Statement of Attainment processing, to help you ensure compliance without a delay.
What is a Statement of Attainment?
A Statement of Attainment is a nationally recognised document listing the unit/s of competency you have achieved. It is important that you keep your Statement of Attainment on file for future reference as it is common for Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) to request proof of certification during onsite inspections.
How long does the Food Handling Certificate course take?
The Food Handling Certificate course has been designed in a way that allows you to complete it at your own pace.
On average, most students complete the lessons and online assessment activities within three to four hours, making it possible for them to sign up and complete the training course on the same day. The speed at which you progress through the course may also depend on your current level of food safety knowledge and comprehension of the English language.
However, it is not compulsory to complete everything in one go. You can log in and out as many times as you like within your 12-month access period, studying a little each day or week until you have finished.
Where does Food Handling Training take place?
Food Safety First offers an online Food Handling Certificate course that can be completed anywhere in Australia without the need for classroom-based learning. The only in-person requirement is the Observer Report, which can be completed at your workplace with a nominated observer of your choice.
It’s time to enrol!
As you have seen, Food Safety First offers a comprehensive Food Handling Certificate course that is recognised by regulators all over Australia. After completing your Food Handler training with Food Safety First, you will be able to identify potential food safety risks, understand how they arise and take appropriate steps to prevent them from causing harm to the public.
All that’s left to do now is enrol! Register online or get in touch with the Food Safety First team for help choosing the right online course for you.