Food Handler training is an essential layer of protection against food-borne illness and allergic reactions.
More than four million cases of food poisoning are reported each year, with over 31,000 of these resulting in hospitalisation. On top of that, Australia also has one of the highest food allergy rates in the world, with food allergies impacting approximately 1 in 10 infants and around 1 in 50 adults.
To comply with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) regulations, Food Handlers must understand the common causes of these food-related incidents and how to mitigate them. This involves participating in a professional Food Handler course with robust assessment criteria.
In this blog, we will explore the comprehensive Food Handler course provided by the Australian Institute of Food Safety (AIFS), focusing on the assessment activities that must be completed to achieve certification.
Before we look at the assessment process in more detail, let’s start with an overview of the topics covered by the course.
Food Handler Course Curriculum
AIFS offers sector-specific Food Handler courses for Hospitality, Health & Community and Food Processing. Each of these courses covers a specific unit of competency encompassing the relevant food safety knowledge required to be a Food Handler in that sector:
- Hospitality: SITXFSA005 - Use hygienic practices for food safety
- Health & Community: HLTFSE001 - Follow basic food safety practices
- Food Processing: FBPFSY1002 - Follow work procedures to maintain food safety
Hospitality
The Food Handler course for Hospitality covers the following topics:
- Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
- Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Biological Contamination
- Other Types of Contamination
- Food Allergies
- Cleaning & Sanitising
- Hand Washing
- Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Time & Temperature Control
- Working with Food Safely
- Serving Food Safety
- Food Safety Programs & Reporting Responsibilities
Health & Community
The Food Handler course for Health & Community covers the following topics:
- Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
- Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Biological Contamination
- Other Types of Contamination
- Food Allergies
- Cleaning & Sanitising
- Maintaining Food Premises
- Hand Washing
- Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Time & Temperature Control
- Receiving & Storing Food
- Working with Food Safely
- Serving Food Safely
- Food Safety Programs
- Identifying Food Safety Hazards
- Controlling & Reporting on Food Safety Hazards
Food Processing
The Food Handler course for Health & Community includes 13 interactive lessons:
- Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Types of Contamination
- Allergen Management
- Cleaning & Sanitising
- Maintaining Food Premises
- Hand Washing
- Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Receiving & Storing Food
- Working with Food Safely
- Food Safety Programs
- Identifying Food Safety Hazards
- Controlling & Reporting on Food Safety Hazards
Assessment Activities
The Food Handler Course includes various assessment activities designed to test the knowledge and skills acquired while studying the above topics.
You must successfully navigate several lesson quizzes and a case study task during the training. Once these sections are complete, an Observer Report must be submitted, verifying the successful completion of practical tasks such as hand washing.
Lesson Quizzes
At the end of each lesson, you will be given a multiple-choice quiz to complete. All questions are based on information provided during the lesson and must be answered correctly before moving on to the next section.
The purpose of these quizzes is to verify your understanding of each topic as you progress through the course.
Case Study
After completing all the lessons, there is a short case study activity to take part in. This section requires you to read through a case study scenario in detail before answering multiple questions relating to the information provided.
As with the lesson quizzes, you need to achieve full marks to progress to the next phase of the course.
Observer Report
Practical skills need to be assessed, too. This assessment is done through the Observer Report, which is designed to gather evidence that determines whether you can perform tasks to the standard expected in a workplace.
These tasks must have been carried out under the supervision of the nominated person, usually a co-worker or supervisor. The nomination of this individual takes place during the registration process.
They will receive an email allowing them to print the Observer Report form or submit it online. This document provides AIFS with evidence that you successfully performed all practical food safety tasks required within the specified timeframe.
The observed tasks can be historic but need to have occurred on multiple occasions within the last 12 months and under various conditions. A mixture of real-life and simulated activities can be included in the report, allowing you to role-play certain tasks where necessary.
Different tasks will be assessed depending on the sector-specific Food Handler course you participate in.
Hospitality
The Food Handler 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 Handler 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 Standards
Food Processing
The Food Handler 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 Handler Certification
AIFS is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) approved by the government to deliver Food Handler training across every state and territory in Australia.
Upon successfully completing the AIFS Food Handler course, you will receive a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment verifying the unit of competency achieved. This document is proof of certification and may be requested by Environmental Health Officers during routine inspections.
The certification process is fast and efficient, enabling you to meet compliance requirements immediately. The course itself can be completed in 3-4 hours. Following that, a Statement of Attainment will typically be issued within 1-2 business days.
If you choose the Express Certification option, your assessment will be processed as a high priority. This typically means you will receive your Statement of Attainment within 1 business day once you have submitted all required assessment material.
Take the Next Step to Become a Certified Food Handler
As you have seen, Food Handler training and assessment are essential for achieving compliance with FSANZ regulations. The AIFS Food Handler course ensures you have all the knowledge and skills required to recognise potential food safety hazards and take the relevant action to protect consumers.
Guarantee compliance by enrolling with AIFS today, or get in touch for help finding the right course for you.
