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, providing a more economical training option for small and large businesses.

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.

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.

Using clearly defined Units and Topics provides candidates with a structured framework that allows them to set achievement targets as they progress through the course.  Each course section is marked with a green check following completion, allowing learners to leave and 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.