How Long Does a Food Hygiene Certificate Last?
When it comes to working with food, we all know that it is incredibly important to ensure that we have the relevant understanding of how to handle food. The best place to start is by obtaining a Food Hygiene Certificate. However, one question that is commonly asked is how long does this certification last?
This is somewhat a grey area, with no clear guidance that you can follow. However, there are some different recommendations that you can follow.
The recommendations for renewing a Food Hygiene Certificate
If you look to the Environmental Health to understand more about renewing a Food Hygiene Certificate, then they suggest that refresher training is provided on a regular basis and that it fits in with the risk assessment that relates to your particular business.
What about the law? The law simply states that anyone who handles food in your business must be trained in food hygiene matters. Surprisingly with no recommendation on how often this is repeated.
How Long Before You Have To Renew You Food Safety Qualifications
If you look to best practice within the industry, then a Food Hygiene Assessment should be repeated every 3 years. This will ensure that you are fully up to date and understand what is required in order to be compliant.
Our Food Hygiene Course
- Food Safety Level 1
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Food Hygiene Level 3
- Food Hygiene Level 2 Manufacturing
- Food Allergy Training
- HCAP Level 2 Training
Why is it important to renew your training?
Of course, if something isn’t required by law, then you may wonder whether or not it is worth doing at all? However, when it comes to Food Hygiene, it really does make sense to renew your certification as often as you can.
One of the main reasons for this is because over time, even if you do something on a regular basis, you can still become a little rusty on what you should be doing. You may even pick up some bad habits over time too.
Not only this but over time, changes in legislation can and do happen.This means that you are going to need to make sure that you understand these changes and that you are following the most up to date practices to safely prepare, store and handle any food within your premises.
Finally, you may find that it is worthwhile taking the assessment again if you have changed your job role, or that you have more responsibility that requires a different level of understanding. More on food safety Certificate.
What things should you make sure that you refresh?
When it comes to handling food, there are plenty of things that you should understand and know how to do properly. So, what are the things that you should focus on refreshing on a regular basis?
- Food temperature
- Food hygiene and safety law
- Hazards to food safety
- Safe preparation and storage of food
- Handwashing Steps
- How to prevent pests
- Sickness and personal hygiene
- Proper cleaning activities
It is incredibly important that you have a strong awareness and understanding of how to store, prepare and handle food safely. Especially when working in any form of catering or hospitality setting that serves food. If you don’t, then you may find that this could lead to food poisoning in those who eat with you. Which in turn can harm the reputation of your business.
Certification is easy enough to obtain. Particularly when you come to an expert such as us here at The Training Terminal. We can make sure that you have everything in place that your business is going to need in order to be safe and hygienic as well as offering great food too! What food certificate do you need ?