The Essential training needed when starting a new food business is explained below.
When the need for this knowledge is set out in the regulations this is summarised for each of the courses. The options available for the essential training are listed at the end of each topic.
The webinars have been organised so that you can select the essential training that your food business needs.
Food Safety
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 852/2004 General Food Hygiene Requirements for Businesses Food business operators are to ensure that food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity.
This training will provide business owners with both an understanding of their obligations under food safety legislation and also the training expected by the regulations. The Level 2 Award in Food Safety should be considered the minimum but for business owners especially for new enterprises we would encourage them to consider the Level 3 Award in Food Safety.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Level 2 Award in Food Safety
Level 3 Award in Food Safety
1 day tutored course
2 day tutored course
HACCP
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 852/2004 General Food Hygiene Requirements for Businesses Food business operators shall put in place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure or procedures based on the HACCP principles and That those responsible for the development and maintenance of the required procedures based on HACCP principles, or for the operation of relevant guides, have received adequate training in the application of the HACCP principles.
There is a lot of support available for the development and implementation of the HACCP food safety plan, but the business is responsible for ensuring the food safety controls are correctly identified, applied and managed. The ownership of the HACCP is the responsibility of the business.
This essential training ensure that those responsible within the business for food safety and the HACCP system are aware of, understand and can apply the HACCP principles. The training will help them apply HACCP principles to their manufacturing process.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Level 2 Award in HACCP
Level 3 Award in HACCP
1 day Tutored course
2 day Tutored course
Allergen Management
Why do you need this training?
The Foods Standard Agency recommends that all food handlers receive training in allergen management.
One of the major causes of product recalls within the UK is due to poor allergen management. This essential training will ensure participants are aware of the risks and cross contamination issues relating to allergens and can effectively protect both the food business and the customers.
It will explore procedures and records designed to control the handling of allergens.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Introduction to Allergen Management
Level 3 Award in Allergen Management
1 hour on-line Webinar
1 day Tutored course
Mandatory Food Labelling Information
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 1169/2011 Food Information for Consumers Any food intended for supply to the final consumer or to mass caterers shall be accompanied by food information in accordance with this Regulation. The Food Business shall ensure compliance with the requirements of food information law and relevant national provisions which are relevant to their activities and shall verify that such requirements are met.
Business owners need to be aware of their responsibilities under the food information regulation and how to meet those obligations. The training will provide an understanding of the mandatory labelling requirements for a food product and what you must declare.
It will ensure the business is able to provide the correct information on packaging
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Mandatory Food Labelling
Level 2 Award in Food Labelling
1 hour on-line Webinar
1 day Tutored course
Implementing & Managing Traceability Systems
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 178/2004 General Food Law Regulation for Businesses Food business operators shall be able to identify any person or organisation from whom they have been supplied with a food, a feed, a food-producing animal, or any substance intended to be, or expected to be, incorporated into a food. To this end, such operators shall have in place systems and procedures which allow for this information to be made available to the competent authorities on demand. Food business operators shall have in place systems and procedures to identify the other businesses to which their products have been supplied. This information shall be made available to the competent authorities on demand
The regulations require that every food business has in place robust procedures and records to allow them to meet their obligations for traceability. It is therefore essential to have the training, knowledge and awareness needed for in order for a food business to develop, control and maintain it’s traceability systems.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Implementing and maintaining Traceability systems and records
1 hour on-line Webinar
Understanding & Managing Calibration
Why do you need this training?
Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 Food in a commercial operation that is likely to support microbial growth or the formation of toxins must be held at a temperature of 8oC or below. Good practice, however, generally specifies 5oC as the maximum temperature for holding or storing chilled foods.
The Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 2006 Require only that equipment used for checking or making up packages be suitable for the purpose to which it is being put. The determination of whether a particular instrument is suitable will depend on the circumstances of the case and the nominal quantity of the product packed. It will be essential for consideration to be taken of the scale interval which must be reasonable for the nominal quantity of the package filled.
Regulation 852/2004 General Food Hygiene Requirements for Businesses. The HACCP principles require the establishing and implementing effective monitoring procedures at critical control points.
The need for the calibration of equipment can cover a number of areas of the operation. It is essential that you can demonstrate the equipment and results are accurate and reliable.
The Food Standards Agency raises the point of how do you prove you are storing your products and ingredients correctly. How can you prove your temperature probes are reading correctly?
How can you prove to an enforcement officer that your weighing equipment is suitable if do not know the accuracy and reliability of the equipment?
Where the HACCP critical controls points involve the use of measuring equipment how can you prove they are accurate and reliable?
Business owners need to understand the requirement for the calibration of equipment and the various options available. This essential training provides this knowledge and discusses the various options that can be employed within a food business.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Understanding, Implementing and Recording Calibration
1 hour on-line Webinar
Implementing & Managing Quantity Control
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 1169/2011 Food Information for Consumers The declaration of the net quantity of a food product is mandatory in the same field of vision as the product name. The Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 2006 The regulation has changed in scope to encompass the requirements of Regulation 1169/2001.
This training will ensure that business owners have an understanding of the options available for quantity declaration.
How to manage and record quantity and how the average weight system (e mark) operates.
What is needed to meet the legislative requirements of the 3 packer’s rules and deciding on the most appropriate quantity control system for the product.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Implementing and Managing Quantity Control
1 hour on-line Webinar
Chemical Handling
Why do you need this training?
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 Every employer who undertakes work which is liable to expose an employee to a substance hazardous to health shall provide that employee with suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training. Employers should establish procedures to ensure that control measures, including PPE and any other item or facility, are properly used or applied and are not made less effective by other work practices or by improper use.
The regulation places a number of duties on the business owner with regard to the use of chemicals. In any food manufacturing facility, cleaning and hygiene are important tasks and will generally involve staff being exposed to chemicals hazardous to health.
The training provides an understanding of the duties and obligations of all staff both the Employer and Employees.
It provides guidance on how to apply the controls, the record keeping and risk assessments needed.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Introduction to COSHH
Level 2 Award in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
1 hour on-line Webinar
1/2 day Tutored course
Date Coding for Food Products
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 1169/2011 Food Information for Consumers The declaration of the date of minimum durability or the ‘use by’ date is mandatory.
Business owners need to understand the mandatory date coding requirements.
This training explains the options permitted under the regulation, how to determine the appropriate code and how to establish the shelf life.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Date Coding for Food Products
1 hour on-line Webinar
Labelling Requirements for On-Line Sales
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 1169/2011 Food Information for Consumers In the case of prepacked foods offered for sale by means of distance communication (e.g. internet) the food business operator shall ensure the mandatory food information, is available before the purchase is concluded and shall appear on the material supporting the distance selling or be provided through other appropriate means clearly identified by the food business operator.
If you are selling on line then Business owners who undertake internet or distant selling of their food products need to understand their obligations under the legislation and how to meet them.
The training provides an understanding of what constitutes the mandatory information and what the various options are for ensuring the information is available to the consumer.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Mandatory Food Labelling
Level 2 Award in Food Labelling
1 hour on-line Webinar
1 day Tutored course
Making Nutrition & Health Claims
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 1924/2006 on Nutrition and Health Claims made on Foods Nutrition and health claims may be used in the labelling, presentation and advertising of foods placed on the market in the Community only if they comply with the provisions of this Regulation.
If you wish to make a nutrition or a health claim then Business owners need to understand the difference between these and the legislative requirements for such claims on a food product. The training provides an understanding of the types of claim that can be made and the conditions that must be met.
What is and is not permitted as a nutrition or health claim.
What actually constitutes a claim, it it not always just the words that you use, how to manage and record the supporting material for making a claim.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Making Nutrition & Health Claims
1 hour on-line Webinar
Making “Free From” Claims
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 178/2004 General Food Law Regulation for Businesses Food shall not be placed on the market if it is unsafe. In determining whether any food is unsafe, regard shall be had to the information provided to the consumer, including information on the label, or other information generally available to the consumer concerning the avoidance of specific adverse health effects from a particular food or category of foods.
Regulation 1169/2011 Food Information for Consumers Food information shall not be misleading as to the characteristics of the food and, in particular, as to its nature, identity, properties, composition by attributing to the food effects or properties which it does not possess or by suggesting that the food possesses special characteristics when in fact all similar foods possess such characteristics.
If you plan to market your product using a ‘free from’ claim then Business owners need to understand the legislative obligations for making such claims on a food product.
If you make a ‘free from’ claim on a product that is not ‘free from’ it can be considered as unsafe food under the regulations.
The training will explain what is involved in making a ‘free from’ claim and outline the 4 guiding principles to be followed when making a claim.
The management and recording of the supporting material for making a claim is discussed.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Making ‘Free From’ Claims
Allergen Management
Allergen Cleaning
Level 3 Award in Allergen Management
1 hour on-line Webinar
1 hour on-line Webinar
1 hour on-line Webinar
1 day Tutored course
Introduction to Nutritional Labelling
Why do you need this training?
Regulation 1169/2011 Food Information for Consumers Subject to the exceptions a nutrition declaration shall be mandatory on the majority of prepacked foods
Unless your product or processing is subject to an exemption clause you are required to display the mandatory nutritional information on your product.
Business owners need to understand the requirements and obligations with regard to mandatory nutritional information.
The course will explain when nutritional information is mandatory and when it is not.
How and what must be displayed and what additional information can be displayed.
The permitted options for determining the nutritional values is discussed.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Introduction to Nutritional Labelling
1 hour on-line Webinar
Controls for Modified Atmosphere & Vacuum Packing
Why do you need this training?
Food Standards Agency guidance on the safety and shelf-life of vacuum and modified atmosphere packed chilled foods with respect to non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum The guidance recommends a maximum 10 day shelf-life for vacuum and modified atmosphere packed foods stored at temperatures between 3°C and ≤ 8°C when other specified controlling factors are not employed.
Regulation 852/2004 General Food Hygiene Requirements for Businesses The food business must be able to provide evidence to the competent authorities on demand to demonstrate the way they control the hazards with their HACCP system, including that of non-proteolytic C. botulinum in relation to their MAP & Vac products.
Business owners who produce MAP/VAC packed products that are stored chilled need to understand the requirements set out in the FSA guidance.
The training provides an essential understanding of the need for the guidance and how it is applied. It explains the additional control factors identified by the guidance are and how these may be applied when a shelf life greater than 10 days is required. The integration of these controls into the HACCP system is discussed.
What are the courses or solutions available ?
Introduction to the MAP/VAC Packing Guidance
1 hour on-line Webinar