Food Handling Certificate Course: What To Expect During The Assessment Process
Approximately 4.7 million cases of food poisoning are reported each year in Australia, with nearly 48,000 of these leading to hospitalisation. The country also has one of the highest allergy rates in the world, with an estimated 1 in 10 infants and 1 in 50 adults impacted by food allergies.
When you consider that unsafe food handling is the primary cause of food-borne illnesses and allergic reactions, it is easy to see why Food Handling training plays such a pivotal role in preserving public health.
Food Handlers are responsible for recognising potential food safety hazards and implementing preventive measures to minimise the risk of food-borne illnesses or allergic reactions. To ensure that these responsibilities are met on a consistent basis throughout Australia, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has made it mandatory for Food Handling staff to be assessed as part of a professional training program delivered by a Register Training Organisation (RTO).
Food Safety First offers a nationally recognised Food Handling Certificate designed to equip food industry professionals with the knowledge and skills required to comply with Australian food safety and hygiene standards.
In this blog, we will explore the Food Handling Certificate course in more detail, with a special emphasis on the assessment activities that students must complete in order to achieve certification.
Let’s start with a summary of the topics that make up the course curriculum.
Food Handling Certificate Course Curriculum
Food Safety First delivers industry-specific Food Handling training programs for Hospitality, Health & Community and Food Processing. Each program’s interactive lessons are aligned to the relevant unit of competency, ensuring that participants obtain the knowledge and skills required for the industry in which they work.
Hospitality
Unit of Competency: SITXFSA005 - Use Hygienic Practices for Food Safety
The Food Handling Certificate Course for Hospitality covers the following topics:
- Biological Contamination
- Cleaning & Sanitising
- Food Allergies
- Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
- Food Safety Programs & Reporting Responsibilities
- Hand Washing
- Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Other Types of Contamination
- Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Serving Food Safety
- Time & Temperature Control
- Working with Food Safely
Health & Community
Unit of Competency: HLTFSE001 - Follow Basic Food Safety Practices
The Food Handling Certificate Course for Health & Community covers the following topics:
- Biological Contamination
- Cleaning & Sanitising
- Controlling & Reporting on Food Safety Hazards
- Food Allergies
- Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
- Food Safety Programs
- Hand Washing
- Identifying Food Safety Hazards
- Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Maintaining Food Premises
- Other Types of Contamination
- Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Receiving & Storing Food
- Serving Food Safely
- Time & Temperature Control
- Working with Food Safely
Food Processing
Unit of Competency: FBPFSY1002 - Follow Work Procedures to Maintain Food Safety
The Food Handling Certificate Course for Health & Community covers the following topics:
- Allergen Management
- Cleaning & Sanitising
- Controlling & Reporting on Food Safety Hazards
- Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Food Safety Programs
- Hand Washing
- Identifying Food Safety Hazards
- Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Maintaining Food Premises
- Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Receiving & Storing Food
- Types of Contamination
- Working with Food Safely
Assessment Process
To successfully complete the Food Handling Certificate Course, participants must verify their knowledge by completing three types of assessment activities.
These assessment activities demonstrate the student's food safety knowledge and skills, with the student requiring a passing result in each assessment before being provided with their Statement of Attainment.
Online Quizzes
At the end of each lesson, there is a short multiple-choice quiz based on the topics covered. All questions must be answered correctly in order to move onto the next section. This ensures that students have an adequate understanding of the course content as they progress through each lesson.
Case Study
Once all the lessons have been completed, there is a case study activity that involves reviewing a case study scenario before answering multiple-choice questions based on its content. Again, all questions must be answered correctly before moving on to the next part of the course.
Observer Report
The practical application of food safety skills also requires assessment, and this is where the Observer Report comes in. The Observer Report section of the course requires participants to perform practical tasks under the supervision of a nominated professional to confirm their ability to put food safety theory into practice in a workplace setting.
The observer is nominated by the student during the registration process and will typically be a co-worker or supervisor. Once nominated, the observer receives an email with instructions on how to complete and submit the observer report template on behalf of the student. The purpose of the Observer Report is to ensure that there is evidence to show that all the required tasks were performed to an industry standard in the specified timeframe.
Observed tasks can be historic but must have been carried out on multiple occasions within the previous 12 months. A combination of real and simulated activities can be submitted as part of the report, giving you the opportunity to role-play certain tasks if required.
The tasks being assessed will vary depending on the industry-specific Food Handling Certificate course selected.
Hospitality
The Food Handling Certificate Course for Hospitality includes eight Observer Report tasks:
- Personal Hygiene
- Hand Washing Practices
- Food Preparation
- Cleaning and Sanitising Practices
- Reporting Unsafe Work Practices
- Reporting Food or Hygiene Standards
- Reporting Personal Health Issues
- Reading Skills for Food Safety Program Documents
Health & Community
The Food Handling Certificate Course for Health & Community includes 11 Observer Report tasks:
- Personal Hygiene
- Reporting Personal Health Issues
- Hand Washing Practices
- Cleaning and Sanitising Practices
- Pest Reporting
- Food Preparation
- Single-Use Items
- Safe Food Storage
- Safe Food Disposal Practices
- Reporting Unsafe Work Practices
- Reporting Food or Hygiene Hazards
Food Processing
The Food Handling Certificate Course for Food Processing includes 10 Observer Report tasks:
- Food Preparation
- Food Monitoring
- Cleaning and Sanitising Practices
- Safe Food Disposal Practices
- Personal Hygiene
- Hand Washing Practices
- Reporting Unsafe Work Practices
- Reporting Personal Health Issues
- Moving and Transferring Between Tasks
- Reading Skills for Food Safety Program Documents
Food Handling Certification
Food Safety First is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) authorised to deliver Food Handling training in every state and territory in Australia.
Students who pass the course receive a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment outlining the unit of competency obtained. This document acts as proof of certification and must be presented by the student if requested by an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) during an inspection.
The certification process is easy to complete, allowing you to meet compliance requirements quickly. Food Safety First’s online course itself takes approximately 3-4 hours to finish with the subsequent Statement of Attainment typically issued within 1-2 business hours after all assessment materials have been received.
Students who select the Express Certification option will have their Statement of Attainment processing prioritised, which means that they can expect to receive their certification within 1 business day of submitting all the required assessments.
Become a Certified Food Handler
Having a nationally recognised Food Handling Certificate is a way for Food Handlers to ensure compliance with FSANZ regulations. Fortunately, Food Safety First is on hand to provide a nationally recognised Food Handling Certificate Course that not only ensures compliance, but also empowers you to develop the knowledge and skills required to effectively identify and mitigate potential threats to food safety.
Get certified with Food Safety First today. Enrol online or contact us for help finding the right course for you.