Level 2 Food Allergen Awareness
Need a Level 2 Food Allergen Awareness for Catering course?
Get trained by an Environmental Health Officer
Learn from Chartered Environmental Health Officer, Natalie Stanton and food allergen management expert, Caroline Benjamin.
The course is video-based, so you and your team can watch it at any time!
Why should you take this Level 2 Food Allergen Awareness for Catering course?
This course is for food handlers, front-of-house teams, and anyone in a food service environment who may need to answer customer questions about allergens.
It covers the basic knowledge needed to identify allergens, understand food allergen risks, communicate safely with customers, and follow procedures to prevent allergen cross-contamination. Learners will gain a clear understanding of their legal responsibilities and how to handle allergens confidently as part of their daily role.
100% Online
Instant course access. Practical video-based learning.
Approximate duration 2 hours. No time limits!
Accepted by Local Authorities
Accepted by EHO's. Endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality and Food Allergy Aware.
Instant certificate
Instant digital certificate upon completion.
30-day money back guarantee*
How is this course delivered?
There are no PowerPoint slides. And no voiceover here…
Yes, really. You also won’t be stuck reading pages of text. Instead, you’ll see real people in real hospitality environments across 30 short, pre-recorded videos.
- 100% Online
- Instant course access
- Practical video-based learning
- Approximate duration: 2 hours
- No time limits!
Get instantly trained by an Environmental Health Officer...
With allergen safety, may be no second chance. That’s why it makes sense to learn from Chartered Environmental Health Officer Natalie Stanton and food allergen management expert Caroline Benjamin.
Natalie brings over 13 years of experience as an EHO. She has worked with both local authorities and major clients such as Excel London, giving her a deep understanding of allergen compliance across the industry.
Caroline has worked in food service since the age of 16, building a career rich in hospitality experience. After developing food intolerances herself, she founded Food Allergy Aware to combine her industry expertise with her personal journey, helping food service businesses improve their allergen management.
Buying for a business?
Bulk discounts- starting from 10% for 10 courses
Group dashboard to manage users
If you would prefer to pay by invoice, email: info@thesafetyexpert.co.uk
We've got the credentials
Assured by Peterborough City Council
Accredited by CPD
Will the local authority accept my certificate?
Yes, this course will help you to comply with food hygiene law and satisfy your local authority.
Natalie is an ex. local authority Environmental Health Officer, so she knows exactly what local authorities are looking for.
The course has also been independently reviewed by Environmental Health Officers who have years of experience inspecting, auditing and giving technical advice to food businesses.
Here’s what they have to say:
“A clear and engaging course that helps food handlers understand how to control food allergens safely in real life.
This course breaks things down into simple, practical steps that make sense for busy kitchens. Natalie’s experience as an Environmental Health Officer shines through, bringing real-world context and relatable examples that help food handlers understand the importance of getting it right.
It’s more than just theory, it gives staff the confidence to handle requests safely, prevent cross-contamination, and protect food hypersensitive customers. A great choice for anyone working in food service who wants to learn properly, not just pass a test.”
Laksmi Kerrison
Environmental Health Officer
Show bio
Laksmi Kerrison is an Environmental Health Officer with extensive experience in food safety enforcement across Borough, District, and Unitary Authorities. She holds registration with the Environmental Health Officers Registration Board (EHORB) and has worked in both food hygiene and food standards roles throughout her career.
Laksmi has also held positions at Port Health, the Food Standards Agency, and the UK Health Security Agency, where she served as the Local Authority Project Lead for Food, Water, and Environmental Safety during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
With a particular interest in allergen management, food standards, and food safety at large-scale events, Laksmi has contributed to sector-wide improvements through both frontline enforcement and national project work. She currently works within the Regulation and Enforcement Division of a large metropolitan authority in the Midlands.
“A very informative and enjoyable course covering a serious topic, which will give greater confidence to food handlers and front of house staff when handling allergens requests from customers and preparing food for the food hypersensitive customer. The information is detailed and is delivered in a clear and logical format which is easy to follow and implement.”
Nick Lowe
Environmental Health Officer
Show bio
Nick Lowe is an Environmental Health Officer with nearly 40 years of experience, primarily in food safety and standards. For most of his career, he has worked in a large metropolitan authority, where he was formerly Head of Food Safety. He has also served as a Port Health Officer at one of the largest containerised ports in Europe.
In addition to Environmental Health, Nick holds qualifications in health & safety, Lead Assessor Role, and Licensing Law. He is a visiting lecturer at both the University of Birmingham and Coventry University, and sits on the Food Standards Agency’s Food Standards and Labelling Focus Group.
Nick has a particular interest in food fraud. He led a year-long enforcement project targeting illegal activities within his authority and was an inaugural member of the first Illegal Meat Task Force and the Food Fraud Advisory Unit (the forerunners to the current National Food Crime Unit).
More recently, Nick has taken on the role of Head of Licensing and Markets, opening a different perspective on food businesses. His work in delivering and managing the markets gives him unique insights into the challenges of operating and maintaining complex sites with numerous food business operators working in partnership.
Single user
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Video-based learning with practical examples
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Taught by an EHO
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Meet your legal obligations
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Instant course access and digital certificate
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Unlimited free retakes
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Engaging and interactive content
Multi User
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Everything in single user plus:
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Multi user discounts
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Group dashboard to manage your staff
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Digital certificates for managers to download
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Progress reports for all team members
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Bulk add your team via csv file
Certification and Accreditation
The course is endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality as providing independently-evaluated, quality content that teaches good practice standards.
This course has been independently audited and endorsed by Food Allergy Aware, confirming that it meets the highest standards of accuracy and effectiveness. Their seal of approval gives you confidence that our training delivers essential guidance on managing food allergens, protecting your customers, and staying compliant with regulations.
The course is assured by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, as providing up-to-date, quality and content-approved training.
The course is endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality as providing independently-evaluated, quality content that teaches good practice standards.
Natalie has worked with...
Ratings and Reviews
And you get a...
*30 Day money back guarantee
Your satisfaction with the course is so important.
Natalie truly hopes that you love this course and that it helps your business succeed safely.
If you’ve started the course and are unsatisfied for any reason, we offer a no-quibble, 30 day money back guarantee. Simply email us at info@thesafetyexpert.co.uk within 30 days of making your purchase*
*provided you have not completed the exam and gained your certificate.
FAQs
This course is for food handlers, front-of-house teams, and anyone in a foodservice environment who may need to answer customer questions about allergens.
Including those working in: restaurants, cafes, takeaways, pubs, B&Bs, hotels, schools and colleges, nurseries, care homes, canteens, mobile caterers, home caterers, and home bakers.
There is no legal requirement, but the Food Standards Agency recommends that you provide staff with suitable allergen and food hypersensitivity training on an annual basis, to appreciate the potential consequences of providing incorrect information – which could be life threatening.
The online course can be accessed on any mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or computer device. You just need an internet connection and a speaker to listen to the videos.
Yes – the course has the following accreditations and endorsements:
- The course is endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality.
- The course is endorsed by Food Allergy Aware.
Yes – there is lifetime access to the course. So you can watch it as many times as you need to but to update your certificate you will need to buy the course again.
No – there is no time limit. Complete the course in your own time and at your own pace. There’s no pressure here.
If you would prefer to pay by invoice, please email us at info@thesafetyexpert.co.uk to arrange this. Otherwise, you can pay online by card.
Yes – you can retake as many times as you need. At no extra cost.
Once all 5 units have been completed you will undertake an assessment online. The assessment has 20 multiple-choice questions. To pass you need to score at least 80%. You will know instantly whether you have passed and a digital certificate will be available immediately. If you do not pass you can re-take as many times as you need at no extra cost.
Select the single user option after clicking ‘Buy Now’. Then proceed through the checkout, create a login, and get instant course access.
Select the multi user option after clicking ‘Buy Now’. Select how many users you need and proceed through the checkout. The admin can then assign course logins to each staff member for instant course access.
- If you have bought a single course for yourself: you will be redirected to the course page and can get started right away.
- If you have bought multiple courses for your staff: you will be redirected to the group dashboard where you can add your staff, all you need is their names and email addresses.
Yes – select the multi user option and get the following discount:
- 10% Discount on 10 or more courses.
- 20% Discount on 50 or more courses.
- 30% Discount on 100 or more courses.
- 40% Discount on 400 or more courses.
If you need a bespoke course, please email us at info@thesafetyexpert.co.uk to explain what you’re looking for and we can let you know if we can help.
Course Content
Unit 1. Why allergens matter
- Introduction
- Why controlling allergens is important
- Food hypersensitivity
- A closer look at gluten
- Food handler and front of house responsibilities
Unit 2. The 14 named allergens
- The 14 named allergens
- Hidden allergens and examples
- Free-from claims and gluten levels
Unit 3. Requirements for allergens and providing allergen information
- The law
- Prepacked food
- Prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food
- Non-prepacked food
- Distance selling
- Product specs, delivery notes, labels and recipes
- Precautionary allergen labelling
- How a catering business could put this into practice
- Consequences of non-compliance
Unit 4. Allergen cross-contamination controls
- What is cross contamination?
- HACCP and prerequisites
- Allergen policy
- Controls to prevent allergen cross-contamination in a catering environment
- Cleaning and hand washing
- What to do when preparing a meal for a food hypersensitive customer
Unit 5. Communication
- Why is communication important?
- How to provide information
- Front of house responsibilities
- Having a conversation
- How allergen communication might work in practice
- Emergencies
Course aims
By the end of this course you will be able to:
- Explain why it is important for a food business to control allergens.
- Understand the differences between food allergy, food intolerance, and coeliac disease, including symptoms and potential health consequences.
- Identify the 14 named allergens that must be declared by law and recognise common and hidden sources across a range of foods.
- Understand the meaning of ‘gluten-free’, ‘very low gluten’, and ‘free-from’ claims, and how to interpret allergen labelling.
- Understand the legal requirements placed on food businesses in relation to allergens and the consequences of non-compliance.
- Understand the principles and requirements of allergen labelling and providing allergen information, including for prepacked, Prepacked for Direct Sale (PPDS), non-prepacked foods, and distance selling, and when precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) may be used.
- Describe how to access and verify allergen information using product labels, recipes, and delivery documentation.
- Explain how to prepare food safely for someone with a food allergy, food intolerance, or coeliac disease, including step-by-step controls.
- Explain how allergen cross-contamination could occur, the importance of controlling it and how to prevent it at all stages of food handling.
- Describe the purpose of an allergen policy in guiding safe practices, including team communication, training and emergency response.
- Explain the importance of good communication with customers, including how to handle allergen requests and explain cross-contamination risks.
- Recognise the symptoms of an allergic reaction and explain what to do in an emergency, including the use of adrenaline auto-injectors.
- Understand how allergens are controlled within a food safety management system, including how they fit into HACCP principles and prerequisite procedures.
Single user
Home Bakers, Sole traders etc-
Video-based learning with practical examples
-
Taught by an EHO
-
Meet your legal obligations
-
Instant course access and digital certificate
-
Unlimited free retakes
-
Engaging and interactive content
Multi User
Restaurants, Cafes etc-
Everything in single user plus:
-
Multi user discounts
-
Group dashboard to manage your staff
-
Certificates accessible to managers for digital download
-
Progress reports for all team members
-
Bulk add your team via csv file
Easy to navigate and understand.