Food Allergen Awareness Course

The Food Allergen Awareness course is an entirely online course which offers learners a basic understanding of food allergen hazards and their associated risks to consumers’ health.  The course has been designed to meet the allergen awareness requirements of the Food Information Regulations 2014.

The estimated duration of the Food Allergen Awareness course is 1.5 hours.  Candidates may log in and out of the system and therefore do not need to complete the course in a single sitting. Learner course progress is automatically saved, so that they may return to the course whenever they wish and as a result course completion is entirely in the hands of the learner.

Learners receive 90 days of access to the Food Allergen Awareness course materials from the date of registration, therefore the course can be completed straightaway or at one’s leisure.  Learners receive individual login details and can access the course using any device, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  This provides learners with the flexibility to train on the go, whenever and wherever they wish and as a result provides a more economical training option for businesses small and large.

Candidates who are registered by their manager using the GROUP option will receive 90 days of course access from the date an account is assigned to them, therefore allowing businesses to purchase multiple user accounts, safe in the knowledge that they will not expire until they are assigned to learners.

Course access ceases immediately following a successful final exam submission, thereafter course materials can not be viewed.

The Food Allergen Awareness course is suitable for the induction of new staff members or development training of existing staff members. It will enable them to understand how allergens can affect the business in which they are working and their subsequent responsibilities.

The Food Information Regulations 2014 state that all staff in a food business whether in production or administration should receive basic allergen awareness training.

This course can also be used as a valuable part of a school, or other educational programme.  Furthermore, the opportunity for learners to gain an instant achievement certificate is highly motivating.

The Food Allergen Awareness course consists of 3 core units, concluded by a final exam:

UNIT 1 – CHARACTERISTICS AND CONSEQUENCES.
UNIT 2 – IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL.
UNIT 3 – COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATION.

Each unit consists of topics and interim quizzes which must be completed before progress.  At each stage, learners must click a ‘MARK COMPLETE’ button to progress. This serves as a means by which course progress can be tracked and is particularly useful in situations where learners are enrolled by a manager.

The use of clearly defined Units and Topics provides candidates with a structured framework which allows them to set achievement targets as they progress through the course.  Each section of the course is marked with a green check following completion, which allows learners to leave and then easily recommence training.

By the end of the Food Allergen Awareness course, learners should.

• Identify the common symptoms of allergic reactions and food intolerance.
• Recognise the importance of providing accurate allergen information and the potential implications of failing to provide correct information to consumers.
• Identify food allergen cross-contamination hazards and controls at specific process steps from purchase to service.
• Identify methods of locating accurate allergen information.
• Identify common food allergens and foods commonly causing intolerance.
• Know common sources and vehicles of contamination, and appropriate hygiene controls that food handlers should follow to prevent allergenic contamination in catering businesses.
• Recognise how allergen information can be provided effectively.

Achievement of these course aims will provide learners and their employers with a degree of confidence that safety levels in the particular work environment have been enhanced.  Additionally, the receipt of an approved certificate will serve as a recognition of learner achievement and also provide proof if necessary of regulatory compliance.