Earn a certificate & get recognized
Food Safety and Hygiene Essentials
About this course
Food Safety Awareness is a free course for anyone who handles food or food-contact surfaces — food handlers, cooks, prep staff, servers, dishwashers, kitchen managers, and volunteers — whether for a first job in foodservice, onboarding, or a refresher. The journey begins with what food safety is and who is responsible, then moves through the hazards and pathogens that cause foodborne illness, personal hygiene, time-and-temperature control, cross-contamination, allergens, and cleaning and sanitizing — before tying it all together through the flow of food. Along the way you will learn the everyday habits that prevent illness, all anchored in real, named cases rather than abstract scenarios, and reflecting current standards including the Big 9 allergens and the 2022 FDA Food Code.
At the completion of this course, learners will have confident, everyday food-safety literacy — able to handle food safely on the line and understand why each habit matters.
Note: this is an awareness course that builds the foundation for, and prepares you for the exam behind, an accredited Food Handler card; it is not itself a legal Food Handler card. You will also receive a certificate to showcase your skills.
Course outline
Why Food Safety Matters
In this module, you will learn what food safety is, who is responsible across the food chain, who needs training, and — through the $25M Chipotle case — the real-world stakes of getting it wrong, including fines, closures, and harm to real people.
Foodborne Illness: The Enemy
In this module, you will learn what causes foodborne illness — the four hazards and the 'Big 6' pathogens — how bacteria grow using FAT TOM, and how to recognize TCS foods and highly susceptible populations.
Personal Hygiene & Health
In this module, you will learn the personal-hygiene and health practices that keep pathogens out of food — correct handwashing, proper glove use, clean attire, and the rule that sick employees must report symptoms and stay away from food.
Time & Temperature Control
In this module, you will learn to keep food out of the temperature danger zone and to cook, cool, reheat, hold, receive, and store TCS food at safe temperatures using a calibrated thermometer.
Preventing Cross-Contamination
In this module, you will learn how cross-contamination happens and how to prevent it — separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, color-coding, the correct refrigerator storage order, and using FIFO and date marking.
Food Allergens
In this module, you will learn to name the Big 9 allergens, understand why allergic reactions can be life-threatening, prevent allergen cross-contact, and communicate clearly and accurately about allergens.
Cleaning, Sanitizing & Pest Control
In this module, you will learn to clean and sanitize correctly and in the right sequence, follow proper warewashing steps, and prevent pest problems through facility upkeep.
Putting It Together: The Flow of Food & Your Role
In this module, you will learn to trace food through each step of the flow of food and its controls, understand who regulates food safety and what HACCP is, and plan your next steps toward a Food Handler card and the CPFM certification.
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