Over 4 million cases of food poisoning are reported each year in Australia. This figure would be much higher without the food safety procedures put in place by Food Safety Supervisors all over the country.
However, becoming a successful Food Safety Supervisor takes more than a commitment to food safety. If you are taking on this critical role, you must first undergo professional training and obtain certification as mandated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
The Australian Institute of Food Safety (AIFS) offers a comprehensive Food Safety Supervisor course designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills required to implement and monitor food safety procedures throughout your workplace effectively.
In this extensive guide, we’ll showcase what you can expect from the AIFS Food Safety Supervisor course by describing the various lessons and assessment activities involved in achieving certification in accordance with FSANZ Standard 3.3.2A.
Course Curriculum
The AIFS Food Safety Supervisor course includes 19 interactive lessons. Let’s take a look at each one in more detail.
Lesson 1: Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
In this lesson, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of food safety laws in Australia and their significance for you and your workplace. It will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure food safety in your establishment, emphasising the importance of a proactive approach to managing food safety risks and fostering a positive food safety culture.
You'll learn about Australia's three levels of food safety regulation (national, state and local), including an overview of FSANZ, the governing body responsible for setting the food safety standards that all food-related businesses must follow.
Lesson 2: Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
In this lesson, you'll explore the critical topic of food contamination, understanding its types, the risks it poses and its potential to cause food-borne illnesses, particularly among high-risk groups.
The lesson will help you develop a basic understanding of the three types of food contamination (biological, chemical and physical), the significance of maintaining high food safety standards\ and the responsibility of food handlers to prevent contamination. This knowledge is essential for anyone involved in food preparation or handling, aiming to minimise the risk of food-borne illnesses and protect public health.
Lesson 3: Biological Contamination
Lesson 3 explores the topic of biological contamination, its mechanisms, implications for food safety and strategies for prevention, with a particular focus on the role of food handlers in mitigating risks. It will provide a comprehensive understanding of biological contamination, including how to identify high-risk foods, the conditions that enable pathogens to thrive and the critical importance of maintaining strict food safety practices to protect consumers from food-borne illnesses.
Lesson 4: Other Types of Contamination
This lesson will expand your knowledge of food safety by exploring the topics of physical and chemical contamination, along with the concept of cross-contamination. By the end, you’ll have a better grasp of the risks associated with each contamination type, as well as practical strategies to prevent them, ensuring food safety in your commercial kitchen environment.
Lesson 5: Food Allergies
In this lesson, you'll gain in-depth knowledge about food allergies, the importance of handling food allergens properly and the steps to take in case of a food allergy incident.
After completing this lesson, you’ll have an enhanced understanding of the critical nature of food allergies, the steps to prevent allergic reactions through proper food handling and preparation, and how to respond effectively to food allergy incidents to ensure the safety and well-being of all customers.
*If you are participating in the New South Wales (NSW) version of the course, Lesson 5 will be split into two parts.
Lesson 5a (NSW only): Food Allergies
This lesson offers a comprehensive overview of food allergies, emphasising their significance in the food industry and outlining practical steps for managing and preventing allergic reactions. It will help you improve your ability to identify, manage and communicate about food allergies to ensure the safety and well-being of allergic individuals.
Lesson 5b (NSW only): Food Allergen Compliance & Management
The second part of Lesson 5 will help you develop a thorough understanding of your legal obligations regarding food allergen management, the steps required for compliance and the practical aspects of implementing effective allergen management practices within your workplace. You will also learn about the Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL) standards introduced in February 2021.
The lesson is followed by a case study scenario designed to illustrate potential violations of food laws and emphasise the need for adequate allergen management procedures.
Lesson 6: Cleaning & Sanitising
Lesson 6 provides extensive guidance regarding cleaning and sanitising within food handling environments, outlining their critical role in maintaining food safety. It details the procedures, products and practices necessary to maintain a hygienic food-handling environment and comply with regulatory requirements.
Lesson 7: Maintaining Food Premises
This lesson outlines the importance of proactive maintenance, cleanliness and pest control measures to safeguard against food-borne illnesses and adhere to food safety regulations. Preventative measures, regular monitoring and prompt action are all highlighted as crucial steps towards maintaining a safe food environment.
Lesson 8: Hand Washing
This lesson focuses on the critical importance of hand washing in maintaining food safety and preventing cross-contamination. It reaffirms the need for proper hand-washing facilities and practices within food establishments to prevent food-borne illnesses and protect public health.
Lesson 9: Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
Lesson 9 emphasises the significance of personal hygiene and proper workplace behaviour when it comes to preventing food contamination. By adhering to the personal hygiene guidelines outlined in this lesson, food handlers can significantly minimise the risk of food-borne illnesses and ensure a safe eating environment for consumers.
Lesson 10: Illness & Onsite Injuries
Lesson 10 provides guidance for dealing with workplace illnesses and injuries, including reporting procedures. The practices discussed in this lesson can significantly minimise the risk of spreading infections and food-borne illnesses, safeguarding employees and customers alike.
Lesson 11: Time & Temperature Control
This lesson highlights the significance of time and temperature control by focusing on using and maintaining thermometers to ensure food is stored, prepared and served safely. You’ll also learn about the 2 hour / 4 hour rule for potentially hazardous foods as well as about safe temperature zones for hot, cold and frozen foods.
Lesson 12: Receiving & Storing Food
During this lesson on safely receiving deliveries and storing food, you’ll learn essential practices for ensuring food safety from the moment food items arrive at your establishment. The lesson focuses on the importance of vigilance, cleanliness and temperature control in preventing contamination and ensuring food remains safe for consumption.
Lesson 13: Working with Food Safely
Lesson 13 equips you with best practices for handling food at every stage, from receiving and storing to serving. You'll gain essential knowledge regarding time and temperature control, learning the proper processes for freezing, defrosting, preparing, cooking, cooling and reheating food.
Lesson 14: Serving Food Safely
This lesson provides you with a thorough understanding of the critical importance of time and temperature control in food safety, especially in the context of serving and displaying food. This includes best practices for holding hot and cold foods, managing buffets and self-service areas, serving ready-to-eat foods safely and ensuring the safe delivery of food. These practices are vital for reducing the risk of contamination and ensuring the safety and satisfaction of customers in any food establishment.
Lesson 15: Food Safety Programs
This insightful lesson outlines the core concepts and requirements of Food Safety Programs, with a particular focus on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system. It will help you develop a solid understanding of Food Safety Programs within food businesses, the role of HACCP in maintaining food safety standards and the fundamental principles that underpin effective food safety management.
Lesson 16: Identifying Food Safety Hazards
Lesson 16 focuses on the critical aspects of identifying food safety hazards, a foundational skill for implementing effective Food Safety Plans within any food business.
After completing this lesson, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to identify food safety hazards and manage them effectively by identifying Critical Control Points and establishing critical limits. This knowledge is essential for anyone involved in food preparation, storage or service, as it lays the groundwork for preventing food-borne illnesses and ensuring the food you serve is safe for consumption.
Lesson 17: Monitoring, Controlling & Correcting Food Safety Hazards
During this lesson, you'll develop the knowledge and skills required to monitor food safety processes effectively, identify when hazards are not controlled within set limits, and implement necessary corrective actions to prevent food-borne illness outbreaks.
Lesson 18: Reporting, Investigating & Recording Food Safety Breaches
Lesson 18 examines the best ways to handle food safety breaches, focusing on the procedures for reporting, investigating and documenting incidents that pose a risk to food safety.
Lesson 19: Food Safety Management
The final lesson of the course provides an overview of food safety management, focusing on the role of the Food Safety Supervisor, communication strategies, management of the Food Safety Plan, record-keeping, verification processes, handling food recalls and allergen management.
Assessment Activities
The assessment section of the Food Safety Supervisor course is divided into four parts:
1. Lesson Quizzes
After each lesson, you must complete a multiple-choice quiz designed to test your understanding of the topic. Once the target score has been achieved, you can move on to the next lesson or assessment activity.
2. Case Studies
The course includes two case study scenarios you must read before answering questions based on the content provided. The questions assess your ability to apply what you’ve learned to real-life situations.
*In NSW, state regulations require additional case studies.
3. Reading Activity
The reading activity focuses on potentially hazardous foods. To complete this course component, you are required to download a PDF document from the course page and read it in detail before completing a multiple-choice quiz based on its content.
4. Observer Report
The Observer Report is included to assess your practical skills. This activity is completed in person and requires you to conduct hands-on tasks such as hand washing in front of a nominated observer. The observing party then submits a report verifying the satisfactory completion of these tasks.
Task requirements will vary depending on which sector-specific course you select after enrolment.
Sector-Specific Food Safety Supervisor Courses
AIFS offers sector-specific Food Safety Supervisor courses for Hospitality, Retail, Health & Community, Food Processing and Transport & Distribution.
Each course covers the relevant units of competency, providing you with the precise knowledge and expertise required for the industry in which you work.
Hospitality
Hospitality businesses prepare and serve food for customers to consume in-house. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Hospitality covers two units of competency, accepted in all states and territories:
- SITXFSA005 (Use hygienic practices for food safety)
- SITXFSA006 (Participate in safe food handling practices)
Retail
Food retail businesses prepare and sell food to customers for consumption elsewhere. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Retail covers one unit of competency, accepted in all states and territories:
- SIRRFSA001 (Handle food safely in a retail environment)
Food Processing
Food processing businesses manufacture food and have very little direct contact with consumers. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Food Processing covers two units of competency, and is accepted in Queensland and Victoria:
- FBPFSY1002 (Follow work procedures to maintain food safety)
- FBPFSY2002 (Apply food safety procedures)
Health & Community
Organisations in the health and community sector typically serve food to vulnerable people. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Health & Community covers three units of competency, accepted in all states and territories except New South Wales and Northern Territory.
- HLTFSE001 (Follow basic food safety practices)
- HLTFSE005 (Apply and monitor food safety requirements)
- HLTFSE007 (Oversee the day-to-day implementation of food safety in the workplace)
Transport & Distribution
Transport and distribution businesses are involved in delivering and storing food products. The Food Safety Supervisor course for Transport & Distribution covers two units of competency, accepted in all states and territories*.
*Transport and distribution businesses in NSW are not legally required to have a Food Safety Supervisor.
- SITXFSA005 (Use hygienic practices for food safety)
- SITXFSA006 (Participate in safe food handling practices)
Regulatory Compliance
AIFS is a Register Training Organisation (RTO) approved to deliver Food Safety Supervisor training throughout every state and territory in Australia. After completing the AIFS Food Food Supervisor course, you’ll receive a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment listing the relevant units of competency obtained.
Become a Certified Food Safety Supervisor
Food Safety Supervisor training plays a critical role in both customer safety and compliance with Standard 3.2.2A. Take the next step to becoming a certified Food Safety Supervisor by enrolling with the Australian Institute of Food Safety.
Enrol today or contact us for help choosing the right food safety course for you.
