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Level 2 Food Hygiene Course for Catering

97% of our learners recommend this course | Trusted by over 600,000 food handlers

This Virtual College Level 2 Food Hygiene course is designed for anyone who works with, or handles food and wants to meet the UK food training requirements. In this Food Hygiene Online Course you will learn about the impact of food-borne illnesses, food safety hazards and contamination, food preservation, storage and temperature control, as well as HACCP.

This course was reviewed and updated on 20th November 2023

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Course Overview

Format

  • Level 2
  • 2-3 Study Hours
  • Online Study
  • Self-Printed or Posted Certificate

Accreditation

  • 2-3 CPD Hours
  • Meets UK / EU Food Handlers Training Requirements
  • RoSPA Assured

Course description

Anyone who works in catering or hospitality needs to be aware of the latest food hygiene standards.

Knowing how to clean and disinfect equipment, safely store and prepare food, and control common pests will allow you to handle food safely and ensure that you’re complying with all of the relevant health and safety standards.

Our popular Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering course has been re-designed and includes all the latest legislation, information and up-to-date guidance.

We also offer Level 2 Food Hygiene for: Manufacturing | Drinks Manufacturers | Retail.

If you are a Supervisor, Manager, Business Owner or Team Leader working with or handling food we would recommend you complete our RoSPA Assured Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene for Supervisors course.

This Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene Certificate for Catering course satisfies a food handler’s legal obligation to undertake appropriate food safety training.

A sound knowledge of the latest food safety principles will also improve the quality of your product or service whether you’re a self-employed caterer, a chef, a waiter, or any other role within the catering industry.

This RoSPA Assured Level 2 Food Hygiene course is designed to provide an individual or an organisation with the very latest food safety and hygiene training. Alongside information dedicated to explaining the basics of food hygiene, it contains lessons dedicated to:

  • Food safety hazards and contamination
  • Food preservation
  • Storage and temperature control
  • Legislation that governs food handling
  • Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)

We are delighted to announce that our popular Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering course has been re-designed. Not only does it have a design that is modern and meets accessibility standards, but it has also been restructured to create a journey that better fits your needs.

We understand that learners need learning that is flexible, that they can dip in and out of as they require, and that can easily fit into their schedule, and so we have broken down our course into bite-sized chunks, which will allow you to tailor your training more easily to your needs.

The material is provided in an interactive format that is designed to be engaging and accessible. A basic knowledge of food hygiene will mean learners progress quickly, but the course is designed for anyone working in the service or hospitality sectors and should be suitable for any staff member to give them the knowledge needed to work effectively and safely.

What is covered in this Level 2 Food Hygiene course?

Our Level 2 Food Hygiene online training course has been designed for anyone working with or handling food to meet the latest requirements.

Module What it includes
The Importance of Food Safety and Hygiene We look at why food safety and hygiene is important for any business working with food. This section also looks at contamination, food spoilage and the affects of them as well as the terms 'prevention' and 'control' and why they are important when it comes to food hygiene.
Understanding Food Law The understanding food law section looks at who enforces the law, the powers of Environmental Health Practitioners, how laws relate to food hygiene, how to monitor your temperature controls and appropriate personal hygiene and training. It also includes information on the management of food safety, hygienic practices, fines and penalties, defences and record keeping.
Understanding HACCP HACCP is vital in food hygiene and here it explains what it means, what it is, the HACCP process and the seven HACCP principles.
The Importance of Personal Hygiene Personal hygiene is crucial to food safety and this module looks at personal reponsibility, hand washing techniques, other aspects of personal hygiene such as clothes, appearance and habits. Illness can also be transmitted via food, first aid and accurate reporting of illness and injury is important.
The Importance of Design and Premises Layout This module looks at the part premises and equipment design plays in food hygiene, how to maintain clean work areas and how to deter pests from visiting your premises by following good housekeeping.
The Importance of Cleaning Understand why cleaning is important in a food handling environment, know how chemicals are used in the cleaning process, define the six steps for effective cleaning and know how to monitor and assess cleaning.
The Importance of Pest Control and Waste Management Effective pest control and good waste management systems contribute to a hygienic workplace and this module ensures you understand how to prevent pests from becoming a problem and how to manage waste safely and hygienically.
Understanding Allergens This module includes details on the 14 main food allergens, why they should be taken seriously, what to do when working with allergies and what food intolerance is and the symptoms of it.
Understanding Food-Borne Illnesses Food-borne illness can occur when food becomes contaminated, this module looks at the most common causes of food-borne illness and the effects of it, the incubation period, breeding bacteria, vulnerable groups and carriers.
Understanding Food Safety Hazards and Contamination Everyone who handles food needs to be aware of food safety hazards to keep hygienic and prevent food from becoming contaminated, this module includes the main food safety hazards and how to control bacteria.
Understanding Bacterial Growth and Temperature Control Bacteria can cause food contamination and this section of the course includes details on what bacteria is, bacterial growth and what affects the growth, bacterial spores, bacterial toxins, destroying microorganisms, temperature control, cross contamination and how to avoid it.
Applying Food Safety Making food safe and last longer is great for business, this module covers the methods the food industry can use to preserve food and how storage and temperature control safeguard fresh food and keep it safe.

Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering Certificate

At the end of this food hygiene course, you will need to complete a test that consists of 30 multiple choice questions. Learners are required to achieve a 75% pass mark, and - if necessary - may attempt the test three times at no extra cost. If learners do not achieve the 75% pass mark, further attempts may be given by contacting our support team.

Posted & Digital Food Hygiene Certificate

Upon completing the food hygiene course, learners will be able to download a digital food hygiene certificate from Virtual College. If you have bought the posted food hygiene certificate option, a high quality, seal embossed, certificate will be sent out the following working week after completion. 

This certification is universally recognised and can be used to provide evidence of food hygiene and safety training both internally and to external auditors. 

There is no set time for how long a certificate is valid for, but the accepted industry standard is for food hygiene certificates to be renewed every three years. However, some employers may require you to renew your certification more frequently than this.

This online food hygiene course is not a formal RQF food safety & hygiene qualification, the levels only indicate the type of food and hygiene course so that businesses can choose whom it is suitable for.

You will learn

  • An introduction to food safety and hygiene
  • The impact of food-borne illness
  • Understanding food law
  • Food safety hazards and contamination
  • Food preservation, storage and temperature control

Who is it for?

Roles including:

  • Anyone working in a role that involves the handling or preparation of food
  • Anyone who manages staff members in a catering environment
  • Includes anyone working in Hotels, Restaurants, Takeaways, Cafes, Bars, Fast food outlets, Fish & chip shops, Kitchens, Hospitals, Prisons, Schools and Colleges

Legislation

Legislation covered in this course includes:

If you’re working in the hospitality or service industry, you will need to comply with the latest food and hygiene regulations. This Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering course is designed to help you comply with EU Regulation 852/2004, which requires food businesses to ensure that any employee who handles food is fully trained in food hygiene. The contents of this course also adhere to the Industry Standards set by People 1st and the Sector Skills Council for the Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism industries.

Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene for Catering FAQs

  • Can you work in a kitchen without a food hygiene certificate?

    Food businesses are legally required to ensure all food handlers receive an appropriate level of training and supervision in food hygiene and safety. Although a certificate is not required by law, for the majority of food businesses it is the preferred way of proving food handlers have had the correct training.

  • How long is a food hygiene certificate valid for?

    While there is no expiry date on food hygiene certificates, it is widely recognised within the industry that renewal should take place every three years. Some employers, however, may require their staff to renew their certifications every year as part of their ongoing workplace training.

    Food employers have the freedom to decide when they feel a refresher course is necessary for their workforce. Usually re-training occurs when there has been a change in food legislation or technical developments in food hygiene.

    Read more here.

  • How often should you do a level 2 hygiene course?

    While there is no expiry date on food hygiene certificates, it is widely recognised within the industry that renewal should take place every three years. Some employers, however, may require their staff to renew their certifications every year as part of their ongoing workplace training.

    Food employers have the freedom to decide when they feel a refresher course is necessary for their workforce. Usually re-training occurs when there has been a change in food legislation or technical developments in food hygiene.

    Read more here.

  • What do you do on a food hygiene course?

    This online course consists of a series of pages in which an instructor will talk learners through the lesson material. Pages may include supporting pictures, graphs, animation or extra sounds to help with the learning where appropriate. Some lessons will include challenges/quizzes to help learners stay engaged and interested in the material. During the course, you will make your way through modules such as; an introduction to food safety and hygiene, the impact of food-borne illness, understanding food law, food safety hazards and contamination, food preservation, storage and temperature control and will learn much more. See our table above to get an in-depth view of the course.

How the online courses work

  • Buy the course

    When buying one of our courses, you will need to enter a valid email address which will be used to create your account with our Learning Management System – Enable – where you will take the training. We will also send your purchase receipt to this email address, and any additional courses purchased in future using the same email address will be added to your system account.

    Once you have purchased a course, you will be able to send this course to other people using your system account with Enable by entering the new learner’s email address so that they may access the training and set up their own system account with our Learning Management System.

    If you are not 100% satisfied with your course then we offer a 30-day, no hassle money-back guarantee. To request a refund, you should email our learner support team with your receipt stating why you would like to be reimbursed. You, or your learners, must not have completed the training in order to make a valid refund claim. Any claim made after the training has been completed will be invalidated.

  • Find a course

    To begin searching for your online training you can click on the course category section on our website and browse through all of our training categories.

    Alternatively if you already know the title of the training you’re looking for you can use the search bar located in the centre of the homepage and go directly to the course you want.

  • Take the course

    This online course consists of a series of pages in which an instructor will talk learners through the lesson material. Pages may include supporting pictures, graphs, animation or extra sounds to help with the learning where appropriate. Some lessons will include challenges/quizzes to help learners stay engaged and interested in the material. Lessons can be taken in any order and each lesson may be paused and resumed at any stage.

    The course is self-paced so learners decide how fast or slow the training goes. There is no deadline for completion but some of our courses have a test at the end to check that learners have understood the material. If the course has a test at the end then learners are required to achieve a 75% pass mark to successfully complete the course. Once learners have passed the test they are awarded a certificate, which can either be downloaded digitally or sent as a physical copy if this option was chosen when purchasing the course.

  • Your Certificate

    Upon completion of any of our courses, learners will be able to download a digital certificate from Virtual College which will include the accrediting bodies logo where applicable, the learner's name, the title of the course and the date of completion.

    If you have purchased the posted certificate option, available on selected courses, a high quality, seal embossed, certificate will be sent out the following working week after completion.