Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene Course
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Do you handle or prepare food at work? Our RoSPA-assured Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene course covers everything you need to know about safe food handling, storage and preparation. From temperature control to allergen management, you'll learn practical skills you can use straight away in your career.
This course meets UK/EU Food Hygiene Training Requirements.
Course Level: Level 2
Duration: 2-3 Hours (12 Modules)
Accreditation: RoSPA Assured, CPD Certified
Certificate: Posted or Self-Printed Certificate
Last Updated: 20th November 2023
Description
This RoSPA Assured Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene course is designed for anyone who works with or handles food. It helps trainees meet the necessary UK food training requirements, with up-to-date guidance on the latest legislation.
Covering topics such as safe food storage, disinfecting equipment, the importance of pest control, and protecting against food allergens, our training makes sure you receive all the guidance you need to handle food safely.
From busy commercial kitchens to school cafeterias, a thorough approach to food hygiene is essential in any work environment where food is being prepared or served. Our course will not only teach you all you need to know to ensure a safe food preparation environment, but it will also keep your customers safe, boost your business’s reputation, and improve the quality of your product or service.
A Level 2 Food Safety course breaks down complex food safety principles into practical, real-world skills. With frequent checks to refresh your knowledge, and a comprehensive test to conclude your training, you’ll be able to prove your understanding of key hygiene concepts.
Take your career in food further
Looking to advance your culinary career? We offer training in a wide range of workplace skills and techniques to help you boost your knowledge and improve your service.
Specialise your knowledge with:
- Allergen Awareness Training - Essential for anyone handling food or managing those who do.
- HACCP Level 2 Training - Learn about hazard analysis and critical control points to implement a plan for your business.
Looking to learn the fundamentals of safe food preparation? Check out our Level 1 Food Safety and Hygiene Training course.
Course duration
Our Level 2 Food Hygiene course will take approximately 2-3 hours to complete. As an e-learning module, this training can be completed in convenient stages. The system will automatically record your progress throughout.
Entry requirements
There are no specific entry requirements for this Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene course.
Certification
Learners who complete their course will receive a certificate from Virtual College. This can be downloaded digitally, or if you purchased a printed Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate, a high-quality, seal-embossed document certifying your completion of the course will be delivered a week after you finish.
The training concludes with a 30-question multiple-choice test to confirm your understanding of the materials covered. A mark of 75% or higher is required for completion. Learners may attempt the test up to three times at no extra cost, but our support team may allow further tries.
While our food hygiene certificates have no expiry date, we recommend renewing them every 3 years to ensure your knowledge is up to date.
This online food hygiene course is not a formal RQF food safety & hygiene qualification, although it is RoSPA-assured and CPD-accredited. Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) across the UK accept and recognise our certification, and our training materials are regularly updated to reflect the latest industry guidance and legislative changes.
What you'll learn
- An introduction to food safety and hygiene
- The impact of food-borne illnesses
- Understanding food law
- Food safety hazards and contamination
- Food preservation, storage and temperature control
- Personal Hygiene
- Hygienic premises and equipment
- HACCP
Suitable for
- Bartenders
- Chefs
- Baristas
- Butchers
- School Assistants
- Any other role involving food handling or preparation
- Any other role in an environment where food is served
Course Structure
Setting the scene for the training, you’ll start off with an overview of food contamination and spoilage, and the effects of both of these. You’ll also be introduced to the terms “prevention” and “control”, and develop an understanding as to why they are important when it comes to food hygiene in a retail setting.
Certification
At the end of this food hygiene course, you will need to complete a test that consists of 30 multiple choice questions. Learners are required to achieve a 75% pass mark, and - if necessary - may attempt the test three times at no extra cost. If learners do not achieve the 75% pass mark, further attempts may be given by contacting our support team.
Posted & Digital Food Hygiene Certificate
Upon completing the food hygiene course, learners will be able to download a digital food hygiene certificate from Virtual College. If you have bought the posted food hygiene certificate option, a high quality, seal embossed, certificate will be sent out the following working week after completion.
This certification is universally recognised and can be used to provide evidence of food hygiene and safety training both internally and to external auditors.
There is no set time for how long a certificate is valid for, but the accepted industry standard is for food hygiene certificates to be renewed every three years. However, some employers may require you to renew your certification more frequently than this.
This online food hygiene course is not a formal RQF food safety & hygiene qualification, the levels only indicate the type of food and hygiene course so that businesses can choose whom it is suitable for.
Self-Printed Certificate Option
Upon completion of the course, a digital certificate will be available to download instantly.
Posted Certificate option
A high quality, seal embossed, certificate will be sent out at the beginning of the next working week.
Recommended renewal: 3 years
Whilst none of our certificates have an expiry date it is strongly recommended that the training is completed every three years. This is based on industry best practice to ensure awareness and knowledge of the latest guidance and legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Level 2 Food Safety online training is required for anyone who works in a catering, manufacturing, or retail setting where food is prepared, cooked, and handled. Employers are responsible for identifying which employees need food hygiene training and providing it, whether in person or online. Failure to do so could result in legal consequences, so it’s always better to provide everyone with the relevant training to ensure you’re covered and seen to comply.
Recent Reviews
17th July 2026
Very good easy to understand
Very good easy to understand
16th July 2026
Great sight for learning
Great sight for learning
15th July 2026
Good easy website to use
Good easy website to use. The course had lots of information.
13th July 2026
Good online training course
Good online training course
13th July 2026
Good clear information
Good clear information in the course. Options to watch a video or read a transcript was good in modules.
13th July 2026
Exellent food hygiene courseI completed the Food Hygiene course with Virtual College and it was excellent. The modules were clear, easy to follow and full of useful information. The videos and quizzes
I got my certificate quickly and the support team was helpful. Highly recommend Virtual College!
12th July 2026
Excellent I loved it
Excellent I loved it
9th July 2026
Simple,straightforward
Simple,straightforward
7th July 2026
I recently completed the Food Hygiene…
I recently completed the Food Hygiene course and found it very informative and easy to follow. The course explained important food safety practices clearly, including proper food handling, storage, cleaning, and preventing cross-contamination. The content was well-structured and practical, making it relevant for anyone working with food. I feel much more confident in understanding my responsibilities for maintaining high hygiene standards. Overall, I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to improve their food safety knowledge.
4th July 2026
Course was very in depth and brought…
Course was very in depth and brought out all salient points without it being too difficult to take in. I know this was an online course but it would be good if you could buy printed book detailing all that is on the course. This would make for easy reference when needed.
Excellent
4.8 out of 5
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