Course Duration: Approximately 1 hour
This IIRSM-approved course provides the knowledge frontline workers need to handle and serve low-risk food in catering and hospitality settings.
Across two modules, trainees learn how to maintain personal and environmental hygiene, control contamination risks and manage allergens in line with Food Standards Agency requirements.
This course meets the recognised training standard for frontline catering staff and helps reduce the risk of foodborne illness in your business.
| Course Duration | Approximately 1 hour |
|---|---|
| Approval body | IIRSM |
| Format | Fully online |
| Assessment | Multiple choice |
| Certification | Same-day digital certificate |
| Certificate Valid For | 3 years |
This course contains the following modules:
Module 1 introduces catering staff to food safety standards and their responsibilities in meeting legal requirements. It provides an overview of key laws, including the Food Safety Act 1990, the Food Hygiene Regulations and Natasha’s Law. The module also explains the main causes of foodborne illness and how these hazards can be controlled in catering environments.
This module includes the following sections:
Module 2 explains the everyday routines and safe working practices that maintain food hygiene across all workplace settings. It outlines how to maintain good personal hygiene, handle and prepare food safely, and prevent cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat items. Learners also see how to check temperatures, separate raw and cooked foods, clean and store items correctly, and manage waste and pests.
This module includes the following sections:
Disclaimer: This course provides general food safety training relevant to the subject and sector covered. It does not replace a food business’s own food safety management system, HACCP procedures, allergen controls, cleaning schedules, supervision or site-specific training. Employers and food businesses must ensure the guidance is applied to the learner’s role, workplace, food handling activities and legal duties.
The course certificate includes:
An IIRSM-approved course certificate will be available for download and printing instantly upon course completion.
Users must complete a final theory test before earning their certificate.
The end-of-course test is:
A score of 80% is required to pass.
Erica is an internationally recognised food safety expert with over 30 years’ experience across industry, academia and government. From 2019 to 2025 she was Director of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the world’s largest collaboration for food safety.
At GFSI, which benchmarks the certification standards used across global food supply chains, she chaired a forum of more than 200 national food safety regulators and worked with WHO, FAO and Codex. Earlier, she authored the World Bank’s Food Safety Investment Climate Toolkit, led the rewrite of the food and water sections of the WHO Guide to Hygiene and Sanitation in Aviation, and led international regulatory missions as Assistant Director at the UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards.
She began her career with 14 years as Technical Director of a UK ready-to-eat food manufacturer, then led MSc Food Safety programmes at the University of Lancashire and the University of Greenwich. She is the author of Aviation Food Safety and has supported Human Focus in developing its food safety courses.
If you manage or operate a catering business, you are legally responsible for ensuring that all staff receive food hygiene training appropriate to their duties. For kitchen assistants, waiting staff, baristas and other workers who handle wrapped or low-risk foods, Level 1 training is the recognised benchmark.
This Level 1 Food Hygiene and Safety for Catering course provides the essential knowledge needed to meet legal standards and keep food safe for customers. It covers personal hygiene, safe food handling, allergen awareness, cleaning routines, temperature control and waste management — all in line with Food Standards Agency guidance.
Providing this training helps maintain consistent hygiene standards across catering teams and food retail sites. Your workers will understand how to reduce risks of foodborne illness and allergen exposure, and hold the Level 1 certification expected of frontline staff. This supports compliance and builds customer confidence in your food, service and standards.
