The Official AIFS
Food Handler Course
In Australia, the Food Standards Code requires anyone who works with food to be trained in food safety.When you study online with AIFS you will:
- attain a nationally recognised skillset
- complete your course faster
- enjoy the many benefits of AIFS Membership
Official AIFS Food Handler Course
Meets Food Standard 3.2.2A and is accepted in all states of Australia.
Finish in a few hours, or take your time
Complete your food safety training in just a few hours, or take up to 12 months.
Study online, whenever you want
Enjoy the convenience of doing your training anywhere, at any time of the day or night.
Receive your documents fast
If you need them faster, add Express Certification to your order during checkout. Learn More
100% recommended rating
Feel confident taking an AIFS course that 100% of students would recommend to a friend.
Recognised throughout Australia
Be sure of acceptance with a course that's recognised throughout all of Australia.
Get 12 months of free AIFS Membership
Receive updates, tools, resources and more to promote and boost your food handling knowledge.
Get the support you need
Our qualified trainers are here to provide the support you need when you need it.With AIFS, You Get More than Just a Training Course
Discover the complimentary member benefits for you and your food business
AIFS MEMBERSHIP
A complimentary 12-month AIFS Membership is included with all AIFS nationally recognised accredited training courses.
Your membership includes food safety tools, resources and updates that benefit you, your business and your customers.
FOOD SAFETY CARD
You'll receive a handy wallet-sized blue Food Safety Card that contains official proof of your food safety training.
Just keep your card in your pocket at work, so you're always ready to show Health Inspectors during surprise food audits.
FOOD SAFETY UPDATES
As an AIFS member you'll have access to the latest food safety news that may affect the food business where you work.
With these tools, be confident that you're protecting your customers in every way possible.
Trusted and Recommended Throughout Australia
Relied on by the Australian food industry for a quality training experienceDiscover why Food Handlers love this course
100%of students would recommend this course to others
98%of students rate this course assessment as good or excellent
10/10of students say that this food safety course is easy to use
Trusted by thousands of companies
Recommended by thousands of food workers
Binu J
Melbourne VIC
"It was simple to learn online. I found the assessment easy and the course very useful for food handling."
Michael O
Mudgee NSW
"I liked the simplicity of the course, but most notable was the speed and help from the support team."
Jaymee E
Scarsdale VIC
"I liked that the course was very well written and that the assessment was easy to follow."
Course Outline
Develop a solid understanding of food safety in the workplaceWhen you enrol in the official AIFS Food Handler course, you have access to everything you need to gain a solid understanding of the basics of food safety. With AIFS there are
- no hidden prerequisites
- no hidden assessment requirements
- no hidden fees or charges
Immediate StartAs soon as you sign up, you have instant access to your course.As the entire training takes around 3-4 hours, some students sign up and complete the course on the same day.If you prefer to take your time, we allow 12 months to complete the course and you can start and stop as often as you like.
Nationally recognised trainingAIFS is a Registered Training Organisation that's approved to deliver Food Handler training across all Australian food sectors. Be confident knowing that your AIFS qualification is compliant and will be recognised.
Course Outline
Hospitality SectorThe course is split into 13 lessons, one case study, and an Observer Report.The lessons in the course are:
- Lesson 1 - Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
- Lesson 2 - Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Lesson 3 - Biological Contamination
- Lesson 4 - Other Types of Contamination
- Lesson 5 - Food Allergies
- Lesson 6 - Cleaning & Sanitising
- Lesson 7 - Hand Washing
- Lesson 8 - Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Lesson 9 - Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Lesson 10 - Time & Temperature Control
- Lesson 11 - Working with Food Safely
- Lesson 12 - Serving Food Safety
- Lesson 13 - Food Safety Programs & Reporting Responsibilities
- Lesson 1 - Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
- Lesson 2 - Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Lesson 3 - Biological Contamination
- Lesson 4 - Other Types of Contamination
- Lesson 5 - Food Allergies
- Lesson 6 - Cleaning & Sanitising
- Lesson 7 - Maintaining Food Premises
- Lesson 8 - Hand Washing
- Lesson 9 - Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Lesson 10 - Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Lesson 11 - Time & Temperature Control
- Lesson 12 - Receiving & Storing Food
- Lesson 13 - Working with Food Safely
- Lesson 14 - Serving Food Safely
- Lesson 15 - Food Safety Programs
- Lesson 16 - Identifying Food Safety Hazards
- Lesson 17 - Controlling & Reporting on Food Safety Hazards
- Lesson 1 - Food Contamination & High-Risk Groups
- Lesson 2 - Types of Contamination
- Lesson 3 - Allergen Management
- Lesson 4 - Cleaning & Sanitising
- Lesson 5 - Maintaining Food Premises
- Lesson 6 - Hand Washing
- Lesson 7 - Personal Hygiene & Workplace Behaviour
- Lesson 8 - Illness & Onsite Injuries
- Lesson 9 - Receiving & Storing Food
- Lesson 10 - Working with Food Safely
- Lesson 11 - Food Safety Programs
- Lesson 12 - Identifying Food Safety Hazards
- Lesson 13 - Controlling & Reporting on Food Safety Hazards
Assessment Process
QuizzesAt the end of each lesson, there's a multiple choice quiz. You have 5 attempts at each quiz and must score 100% to move onto the next lesson. If you don't pass the quiz after 5 attempts, simply get in touch and we'll help you progress to the next section.Case StudyAfter you've completed all the lessons, there's a short case study. To complete this, you'll read a short scenario and then answer a multiple choice quiz, which is similar to the quizzes you've already completed at the end of the lessons.Observer ReportThere are some things we can't see you doing through your computer — such as washing your hands or wearing the correct clothes for work. In order to comply with the government requirements for Food Handler training, you do need to demonstrate that you can perform such tasks correctly.To make this as easy as possible for you, we allow you to be observed by a co-worker or supervisor. Simply provide the name and contact information for your nominated observer when you're filling out your student registration.Once you complete your registration, your nominated observer will receive an email with options to print the form or complete it online.Quality Assurance ProcessAs part of our quality assurance process, we reserve the right to contact you or your nominated observer to conduct a competency conversation or verification of assessment prior to awarding certification.
Prerequisites
There are no training prerequisites for this course - you can simply enrol and get started.Language, Literacy and NumeracyWhilst there are no training prerequisites, there are some requirements around language, literacy and numeracy. In order to complete this course you should be able to perform everyday tasks such as:
- Completing an application form
- Sending an email to enquire about accommodation
- Passing on phone messages
- Following a recipe
Technical Requirements
You need to make sure that you have the following in order to be able to complete the Food Handler course:1. A modern web browserAt AIFS we use some of the latest eLearning technologies to deliver the courses. You will need to have a modern web browser to view and complete the course (Google Chrome is recommended), and it's important that you have Javascript enabled.2. An email addressDuring the registration process, we will ask you for your email address. This is a mandatory requirement for you to be able to access our systems. Email addresses cannot be shared by students.3. Adobe PDF Reader or Adobe AcrobatSome of the forms that you need to complete (such as the Observer Report) are in PDF format. Ensure that you have the latest version of Adobe PDF Reader.AIFS courses work on most computers, laptops, tablets and mobile devices.
Be Trained for Your Food Industry Sector
Develop expert skills with sector-specific Food Handler trainingHealth & Community Sector
Organisations that serve food to vulnerable people are in the Health and Community sector.The unit of competency awarded for the Health and Community course is:
- HLTFSE001 Follow basic food safety practices
Food Processing Sector
Food Processing businesses manufacture food and have very little direct contact with consumers. The unit of competency awarded for Food Processing is:
- FBPFSY1002 - Follow work procedures to maintain food safety
Training for food sectorsIndustry-specific Food Handler training is offered for the Hospitality, Health & Community and Food Processing sectors.When you complete any AIFS Food Handler training course, you'll receive a Statement of Attainment.This lists the unit of competency you've attained. Different food sectors have different units.
How do I select my food sector?Simply click to enrol in the Food Handler course and then choose either the Hospitality, Health & Community or Food Processing sectors.The sector you choose during enrolment determines which unit of competency is awarded upon successful completion of the course.If you work or plan to work in the Food Retail or Transport & Distribution sectors, we recommend that you choose the Hospitality sector.
What is a Food Handler?
Understand your responsibilities and legal requirements
A Food Handler is someone who's involved in a food handling activity like preparing, serving, packing, displaying and storing food.Food Handlers are required to:
- have food safety skills and knowledge as per Food Standard 3.2.2A
- be able to demonstrate this to a Health Inspector
- handle food in a safe manner that won't cause food-borne illness
Sometimes the term 'Level 1' is used for Food Handler training. This course is a Level 1 Food Handler course and meets all Food Handler training requirements as per Food Standard 3.2.2A.Food workers who wish to learn more about food safety or be nominated as a Food Safety Supervisor should consider the Food Safety Supervisor course (which is a 'Level 1' and 'Level 2' course).
STATEMENT OF ATTAINMENT
A Statement of Attainment is a document (like a certificate) that is issued to a student who has completed a nationally recognised training course.Once you've successfully completed the AIFS Food Handler course, you will receive a valid Statement of Attainment containing the unit of competency for the industry you've selected indicating that you're qualified to:
- protect customers from food-borne illnesses
- manage hazards in the workplace
- take corrective action, when needed
- report unsafe food handling practices
- follow the Food Safety Program
NATIONALLY RECOGNISED TRAINING
As a Registered Training Organisation, the Australian Institute of Food Safety has been approved to deliver Food Handler training across all food sectors across Australia.This means that when you train with AIFS, you can feel secure knowing your qualification:
- is compliant
- will be accepted by local councils Australia-wide
- is recommended by Health Inspectors
Helping the Community
Your enrolment will help feed someone in need1 in 10 Australians rely on food aid each year, yet in Australia we throw out $10bn of food annually. Together we can help to tackle this issue.Your enrolment = 1 meal to a vulnerable personWe've partnered with OzHarvest to help deliver meals to people facing hunger issues in the Australian community.When you sign up for an accredited AIFS course, we'll provide OzHarvest with the resources to donate a meal to someone in needPhoto Credit: OzHarvest
Common Questions
Learn more about what our students ask about this courseHow long does the course take to complete?The online lessons, multiple choice quizzes and case studies take most people around three to four hours to complete.
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How do I enrol in the course?That's easy! Simply click on the blue 'Start Online Now' button on this page and follow the prompts. You'll be enrolled and ready to start in just a few minutes.
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When will I get my Statement of Attainment?Our assessors work full-time Monday to Friday and often process your Statement of Attainment within a few days of students completing the course.
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Do I need to go somewhere for an exam?No, you don't need to go anywhere for an exam. You can complete the entire course within the comfort of your own home and workplace, at a time that suits you.
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Is this the course I need for my food business licence?No. The training you need to complete to get a food business licence is the Food Safety Supervisor course.
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Which food sector should I choose?AIFS offers sector-specific Food Handler training for: Hospitality, Health & Community and Food Processing.
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Where can I learn more?The Australian Institute of Food Safety provides comprehensive information about nationally recognised food safety training, as well as general food safety information.
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