Online Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate Course

Course last updated: March 2023

From just £4.99, gain a nationally recognised certificate with HSE Docs’ Level 2 Food Hygiene course - ideal for anyone that prepares and serves food directly to the public.

At £9.99 for an individual course, £6.49 if you buy 10 or more, and just £4.99 for bulk orders of 50 or over, you won’t find better value elsewhere.

Course duration: Between 1 ½ and 2 ½ hrs depending on learning speed.

Course format: Three video training modules, with a multiple-choice section at the end of each module.

Entry Requirements: Anyone can complete this course, whether they have previous experience or not.

If you work in a cafe, chip shop, restaurant, fast food outlet, mobile catering unit, hotel kitchen, hospital kitchen, school kitchen, college kitchen, or outdoor cooking events, then this online Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate course is for you.

On completion of your online Food and Hygiene course, your training certificate will be valid for three years, and is recognised by both local authorities and Environmental Health Officers, and counts towards your Food Hygiene Rating.

All successful candidates are entered on the national training register and certificates can be verified by employers or others to prove that they are genuine, by clicking Validate a Certificate and typing in the certificate number.

Download a free food hygiene poster for your workplace here.

Overview of HSE Docs Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate Course

Our Level 2 Online Food Hygiene course follows the current national curriculum. The learning topics covered in this HSE course include:

  • Personal and kitchen hygiene.
  • Risk assessment and control measures.
  • Temperature control and its importance.
  • Cross-contamination risks.
  • Food hazards and how to avoid them.

Personal and kitchen hygiene instructs in the importance of cleanliness and the possible consequences of neglecting the exacting standards required to keep food safeguarded from poor hygiene hazards.

The section on risk assessments shows how and why to evaluate risks within a catering environment, as well as how to implement control measures to lessen or eradicate risks that may present themselves.

Key issues addressed in the section of the course that deals with the importance and relevance of temperature control when storing or cooking, show that it is a precise science and must be strictly observed to avert the probable risks that could happen if ignored.

The potential for poisoning to materialise if cross-contamination between different foodstuffs ensues is extremely feasible, and this section deals with all aspects of possible cross-contamination.

The final section deals with how to avoid hazards using HACCP (Hazard, Analysis, Critical, Control, Point) to record, monitor, and reduce probable risks.

Our Level 2 online Food Hygiene certificate is recognised by local authorities, Environmental Health Officers, and counts towards your Hygiene Rating, which you can find out more about in our latest blog - ‘Your Guide To Food Hygiene Ratings’

  • Instant access and ongoing support throughout your HSE course
  • Conforms to UK and EU legal requirements.
  • 24/7 online access to level 2 Food Hygiene course materials.
  • Food Hygiene course content is accessible on all devices, including mobiles and tablets.
  • 85% first-time pass rate.
  • Unlimited access to the training material and free resits if you fail any of the Level 2 Food Hygiene modules.
  • Certificate of Training available as an instant download upon successful completion of the Online Level 2 Food Hygiene course

If you cook, prepare or handle food for the retail or hospitality sections you will need to hold a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate to show that you are aware of the correct way to handle food and the environment that it is prepared in. This exclusive food hygiene training teaches the essentials of good practices, is available to take on all platforms, and can be taken at your own pace.

The principals and learning objectives taught in this Level 2 Food Hygiene online course are presented in an easy to follow manner, are suitable for all learners, and teach candidates the importance of:

  • Understanding best practices when handling foods, being able to identify hygiene hazards and implement control measures.
  • Understanding safe storage temperatures, cooking temperatures, and which temperatures and conditions fall in the danger zone.
  • Understanding the importance of personal and workstation hygiene.
  • Understanding the industry regulations with regard to preparing, cooking, and handling food safety.
  • Understanding the legal obligations of food handlers.
  • Understanding contamination and food poisoning.
  • Understanding waste management, pest control and safe working environments.
  • Understanding how and why the correct cleaning process should be carried out.

This HSE Food Hygiene certificate course is for all food handlers that work in the retail or hospitality catering sector and satisfies the legal training obligations placed on employers and employees.

Our online Food Hygiene course will cover all legal obligations to undertake adequate training for food safety and hygiene and has a nationally recognised certificate.

The learning objectives covered in this training include:

  • Personal and kitchen hygiene.
  • Risk assessment and control measures.
  • Temperature control and its importance.
  • Cross-contamination risks.
  • Hazards and how to avoid them.

The Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate has become the industry standard because it proves that your staff has received up-to-date training. It meets the legal requirements and responsibilities that a food outlet has to both staff and customers, and counts towards your organisation’s FSE rating.

The main reason for undertaking the food hygiene training isn't to comply with legislation, but to know that all staff understand the importance of the food hygiene course content and are fully aware of their duties and responsibilities when it comes to handling and preparing foodstuff.

By the end of this HSE Docs Food Hygiene course, you should be fully competent in:

  • Best practices to use and implement when handling food.
  • Identifying hygiene hazards and implementing relevant control measures, including HACCP. Find out more about the importance of HACCP in one of our recent food safety blogs.
  • Understanding the reason for safe temperature controls for storage and cooking.
  • Knowing how to avoid foods being in the temperature danger zone and why it should be avoided.
  • Understanding the importance of personal and workstation hygiene and hygiene controls.
  • Knowing the industry regulations with regard to preparing, cooking and handling food safely.
  • Understanding how and what food poisoning and contaminants are, as well as the effect these can have on consumers.
  • Understanding the importance of hygiene with respect to waste management, pest control and safe working environments.
  • Understanding their moral and legal responsibilities to the employer and consumer, including when to undertake risk assessments.

Food Hygiene course certificates unofficially expire after three years. It is recommended that you retrain every few years, if not more often, to maintain up to date knowledge of the latest food safety regulations and best practices.

If you’re keen to learn more about how long a food hygiene certificate stays valid for, plus other vital training information, read our recent blog - ‘How Long Does a Food Hygiene Certificate Last?’

This depends on the level of course that you are taking, the provider that you choose, as well as the format of the course. Our comprehensive level 2 programme takes place online and takes anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours to complete. Face-to-face programmes and higher-level courses generally take longer to complete.

The level of training that you require will depend on several factors, mainly your job role and your day-to-day tasks. This aligns with the EC Regulation 852 which states that your level of food hygiene training must correspond to your job role. We’ve created a handy guide to help you understand the level of food hygiene training that you need in a restaurant setting:

Food Hygiene Level Guide
Front of House & Wait Staff Level 1
Porter & Assistants Level 1
Line Cooks Level 2
Kitchen Managers & Supervisors Level 3
Restaurant Owners or Ops Managers Level 4

For ease of use, the HSE Docs training course is split into three modules with a Q&A multiple-choice section at the end of each module.

The pass rate for each module is 85% and you have to pass each module to move onto the next.

If you don't pass a module first time, you are given as much access to the course material as you need in order to meet the required standard.

Once you have completed the course, you will have instant access to your training certificate which is recognised by Environmental Health Officers and local authorities.

Your Level 2 Food Hygiene UK certificate is valid for three years.

mock certificate

Contact Our Food Health & Safety Experts

We are always happy to help here at HSE Docs, so if you have any questions or concerns about the online Food Hygiene course or any other HSE Docs online training queries, please give us a quick call.

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