Food Safety & Hygiene Level 2 Course For Catering

Duration 2 hours

Last audited 13th March 2023

CPD Approved RoSPA Approved IoH Approved
Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Catering
For me
For teams
  • 100% online training

  • Start when you like

  • Learn on any device (desktop, mobile or tablet)

  • Instant assessment and result

  • 1 learner per course

  • Train teams of all sizes

  • Bulk discounts starting at 10% off 10 courses

  • Learn on any device (desktop, mobile or tablet)

£20 +VAT

include vat

Includes a 10% discount for 10+ courses

By law, all food handlers must have an understanding of the principles of food hygiene and know how to work safely so as to protect the food they serve from contamination. This Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety course is suitable for anyone who handles, prepares or serves food in the catering industry.

This level 2 course will inform you of your legal responsibilities and what constitutes best practice in regards to controlling food safety hazards, controlling temperatures, food storage, food preparation, personal hygiene and premises cleaning. You will learn about your responsibilities through a range of interactive exercises, written text, and video content. 

Upon completion of this training, you will be confident in your food hygiene knowledge and have all the skills and tools you need to keep people safe and comply with food hygiene law.

100% online training

Access anywhere

Same day digital certificate

Printed certificate posted next working day

Full audio voiceover

Unlimited assessment attempts

Matches RSPH and CIEH level 2 syllabus

Meets UK and EU legal requirements for food handlers

Accepted by Local Authorities

Accredited by CPD, assured by RoSPA Qualifications and endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality

Fuel for learning

High Speed Training is proud to be working in partnership with Magic Breakfast to ensure that no child is too hungry to learn and thrive.

Magic Breakfast works with schools within high levels of disadvantage to offer students a free, nutritious breakfast and ensure they start their day the right way.

With every Level 2 Food Hygiene for Catering course we sell we’ll donate the cost of a breakfast to enable Magic Breakfast to provide food that is stigma free and open to all.

What you'll learn

By the end of this course, you will:

  • Understand your responsibilities, and those of your employer, under UK and EU food hygiene regulations, and be able to explain the principles of food safety management systems.
  • Identify microbiological, physical, chemical, and allergenic hazards and understand why it’s important to control contamination and how you can control it.
  • Understand safe practices around food storage for different types of food, be able to explain the differences between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates, and know how to carry out effective stock rotation.
  • Understand how to prepare food safely, including how to thaw, cook, cool, reheat, and hold hot food, as well as how to properly take food temperatures.
  • Be aware of the importance of personal hygiene, how to carry out proper hand washing procedures, and recognise when it's important to wash your hands.
  • Understand how premises should be designed to reduce hazards, and be aware of your responsibilities around cleaning and pest control.

Training you can trust

Looking for more information around food hygiene certificate renewal dates? Check our guidance and explanation of food hygiene certificate renewals.

Why take this course?

Over 2 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the UK every year. The risk of illnesses from food increases when workers involved in the preparation, handling and serving of food do not have the information or training necessary to enable them to work safely and hygienically.

Food businesses have a legal responsibility to protect consumers from food that is damaging to health, from receiving food that is not of the nature, substance or quality which consumers expect and from food that is labelled, advertised and presented in a way that is false or misleading. Failure to comply with your duties and responsibilities as a food business may result in action being taken against you by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) or other enforcement agencies. Level 3 Food Hygiene in Catering training would be more appropriate for food business owners, managers and supervisory staff. This Level 2 course is more suitable for staff in non-senior roles.

Employees involved in the preparation, handling and serving of food can be at risk of causing foodborne illnesses if the risks are not managed effectively. Food businesses must provide employees with information, instruction and training suitable to the work that they are carrying out. This will ensure that they understand the food safety legislation and practices in place, helping to protect the health and safety of themselves and others. By taking our Food Safety & Hygiene Level 2 for Catering course, employees will learn about food hygiene and the law, helping them to recognise and work towards best practice principles. The course will explain responsibilities, how to prepare, handle, store and serve food safely, as well as how to maintain high standards of food hygiene.

  • Course Content
  • Assessment
  • Suitable for

Module 1: Introduction to Food Hygiene and Safety

Key definitions, food handler training, The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, The Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS) in Scotland.

Module 2: Food Safety Legislation

Food hygiene and the law, food safety management systems, employer responsibilities, enforcement of food safety law, legal notices, prosecution, due diligence.

Module 3: Microbiological Hazards

Microbiological hazards, food poisoning, bacteria, pathogenic bacteria, food spoilage, damaged packaging, high and low-risk foods, raw foods, controlling bacteria with temperature and time, cross-contamination, food preservation, toxins, viral contamination, preventing microbiological contamination.

Module 4: Physical, Chemical and Allergenic Hazards

Physical hazards, types of physical contamination, controlling physical contamination, chemical hazards, acrylamide, scombrotoxic food poisoning, controlling chemical contamination, allergenic hazards, the 14 named food allergens, anaphylactic shock, controlling allergenic contamination, allergen policy, allergen labelling laws, foods prepacked for direct sale, Natasha's Law.

Module 5: Food Storage

Suppliers and deliveries, food labelling, traceability, use by and best before dates, stock rotation, safe food storage, dry food stores, fruit and vegetable storage, chilled food storage, refrigerator temperatures, frozen food storage, freezing and thawing.

Module 6: Food Preparation

Thawing frozen food, cooking and reheating, taking food temperatures, cooling food, hot holding, cold holding, food service.

Module 7: Personal Hygiene

Food handler responsibilities, hand hygiene, hand washing procedures, protective gloves, further hygiene considerations, protective clothing, first aid kits, wounds and sores.

Module 8: Food Premises Design, Layout, Size and Suitability

Food handler responsibilities, food premises and the law, principles of design, pests, preventing pests, waste management.

Module 9: Food Premises Cleaning and Disinfection

Why do we clean? Cleaning and disinfection, cleaning schedules, safe cleaning, clean as you go, six stages of cleaning, cleaning food storage areas and chillers, cleaning public areas, food handling equipment, dishwashers.

Download Course Overview (PDF)

The online assessment is taken on completion of the training material. You will be asked 30 multiple choice questions with a pass mark of 80%. The answers are marked automatically so you will instantly know whether you have passed. If you don't pass don't worry! You can take the test as many times as you need with no extra charge.


The European Union Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs requires all food handlers to be appropriately trained in how to carry out their roles safely.

This Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Catering course ensures that you comply with this legal responsibility by providing learners with a thorough introduction to the correct food handling practices.

The course is suitable for food handlers in all disciplines of the catering sector, including restaurants, hotels, cafes, bars, fast-food outlets, takeaways, mobile food trucks, kitchens, hospitals, schools and colleges.

This certified online training is ideal for people working in positions such as, but not limited to:

  • Chef / Cook
  • Bartender / Front of House Worker
  • Catering / Kitchen Assistant
  • Teacher
  • Support / Care / Charity Worker
  • Barista
  • Child Minder / Nursery Staff
If you are a manager or supervisor in any of the above sectors, then our Level 3 Food Hygiene & Safety In Catering Course is more suitable for you.


Unsure which Food Hygiene course is right for you?

  • Use our course selector to find the most appropriate training for your needs.

Magic Breakfast

We work with the charity Magic Breakfast (Charity No. 1102510, Scottish Charity No. SC048202) to help provide healthy, nutritious breakfasts to school children in disadvantaged areas of the UK. For every Food Hygiene and Safety Level 2 course sold from 1st December 2023 to 30th November 2024, High Speed Training will donate £0.28 to Magic Breakfast to support their work and fund the equivalent of one breakfast for one child.

Course reviews

How do our courses work?

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Purchase and payment

Add your chosen course to your basket. Once you’ve added all the courses you need, follow our step-by-step checkout process where you can purchase using Debit or Credit card.

For companies ordering 5 or more courses, you’ll also be given the option to pay by invoice.

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Course access

Once you’ve completed your purchase, look out for an email containing the details you’ll need to start your training.

Simply click the "Get Started" button on the email, and from there you can select whether the training is for yourself or for your team.

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Certificate

If your delivery address is in the UK, we will send a hard copy of your certificate to your UK postal address once you’ve completed your course. Although we try to deliver your certificates as soon as possible, please allow 3-4 working days for delivery.

Don’t want to wait? You can instantly download your digital certificate as a PDF after course completion.

Additionally, please note that if your company is paying by invoice we can only issue certificates after your order has been fully paid.

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Continued support

Our friendly customer support team is happy to help at any stage of your training. Call us on 0333 006 7000 or contact support@highspeedtraining.co.uk, and we’ll do our best to answer any questions you may have. 

Additionally, have you seen our help page? It’s full of useful information to help guide you through your training experience.