All courses

Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene

Who it’s for: managers, supervisors and anyone with a supervisory role in a catering or retail food business.

£144.00 · Approx. 6–7 hours · Learn at your own pace

Need a Level 3 Food Hygiene certificate?

Get trained by an Environmental Health Officer

Learn food safety from an expert so you feel confident and are ready to get your 5☆ food hygiene rating.

It’s video-based, so that you and your team can watch at any time!

Course content How it works Credentials FAQs Learner reviews

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Logo
Environmental Health Officer Designed and delivered
EHO REVIEWED APPROVED 1
Institute of Hospitality Endorsed

100% Online

Instant course access. Practical video-based learning.

Approximate duration 6-7 hours. No time limits!

Accepted by Local Authorities

Endorsed by Institute of Hospitality. Matches CIEH/RSPH syllabus.

Instant certificate

Instant digital certificate upon completion.

30-day money back guarantee*

Natalie has worked with…

Harvey Nichols
Cafe Spice
Grape & Fig
Savore Logo
oxo
Cake by Amra
Russells Restaurant
Roots Upminster
Namaste Holborn
Excel London
Culyn Art Catering 1
Angel Harp
Chicken Grill
Whole Slice
Piglets Pantry

How the course works

There are no PowerPoint slides. And no voiceover here…

Yes, I’m serious. And you don’t need to read loads of text. Instead, you see a real person in 69 short pre-recorded videos.

EHO Natalie guides you through the key aspects of food safety. Think Netflix but for food safety (alright it’s not quite as fun as Netflix). But you get the point…

That’s not all. You can also check your learning as you complete a fun quiz or interactive activity at the end of each unit. But don’t worry if you can’t complete it all in one go – your progress is saved and you can revisit the course at any time.

Short video lessons with Natalie
Short video lessons with Natalie

“I found it great to be able to stop and re-start as needed. Loved having a small quiz at the end of each unit.”

Jo Brown · Level 3 Food Safety learner
Read the full review →

Why should you take this Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene course?

This Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering course is aimed at managers, supervisors and anyone else within a supervisory role within a catering or retail food business.

It will provide learners with a knowledge of food safety and food hygiene with a focus on their responsibilities when it comes to food safety hazards, chilling, heating and preparing food safely, purchasing and storing food, cleaning and disinfection, design and maintenance of food premises and equipment, pest control and food safety law.

It also focuses on the role of a supervisor in implementing food safety management procedures and ensuring team members follow good food hygiene practices.

Learn directly from an EHO

If you’re just looking to ‘tick the box’ with a food hygiene certificate, you’re in the wrong place. This course is for people who want the best for their business and realise that food safety is key to their success.

Have you ever wondered why other Level 3 Food Safety courses are just “EHO approved” or “accepted by local authorities”?

Well, now you can learn directly from an EHO… like the person who will actually be doing your food hygiene inspection. This means you get direct insights to feel as confident as possible in your food safety standards.

“It was valuable for Natalie to share what the common questions are during an inspection and also of her own experiences along with guests.”

Jessica Wong · Level 3 Food Safety learner
Read the full review →

Choose how to buy

For myself

£144.00

Buy this course for your own account and start learning at your own pace.

For my team

Choose your team size

Choose the number of places and enter your business, team or group name. You can then assign courses and follow your team’s progress.

Already manage a group? Sign in through My learning, open the correct group and choose its add-seats option. Buying for yourself adds the course to your own account; it does not add a place to an existing group.

Prefer to pay by invoice or need help choosing? Email info@thesafetyexpert.co.uk.

Natalie Stanton, your course expert
Natalie Stanton, your course expert

Meet your course expert

With food safety, you want to get it right the first time… That’s why it makes sense to learn from Chartered Environmental Health Officer Natalie Stanton (Malupa).

You will understand how EHOs think, what they look for during your inspection, and feel more engaged being taught by an expert.

With 13 years of experience as an EHO, and having worked for local authorities and in the private sector for clients including ExCeL London, she has a lot of knowledge and experience to share with you.

Environmental Health Officer Designed and delivered

“Despite this being my 3rd time taking my Level 3 course, I still learnt so much from Natalie’s wealth of experience and knowledge! So detailed, engaging and well thought out.”

Cara Taylor · Level 3 Food Safety learner
Read the full review →

Reviewed by Environmental Health Officers

EHO REVIEWED APPROVED

This course will help you to comply with food hygiene law and satisfy your local authority.

Natalie is a former 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 providing technical guidance to food businesses.

Here’s what they have to say:

Laksmi Kerrison, Environmental Health Officer

“A thorough and engaging course, perfect for anyone supervising or managing food safety in the hospitality industry.

This is the only Level 3 course I’ve seen that truly brings the importance of food safety to life in manageable, bite-size chunks. As an Environmental Health Officer, I’ve carried out hundreds of inspections, from takeaways and grocery stores to high-end restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and manufacturers, and I’ve seen countless food hygiene certificates that clearly haven’t translated into real-world understanding.

A certificate alone is meaningless if the principles of food safety aren’t understood and implemented. I’ve required numerous businesses to retrain their staff because their practices were unsafe, even though they held valid certificates. Ultimately, that ends up costing the business more, through additional training, reputational damage, and poor food hygiene ratings.

This course takes a practical, grounded approach that actually supports safer behaviour in the workplace. That’s what makes the difference.”

Laksmi Kerrison · Environmental Health Officer
About Laksmi Kerrison

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.

Nick Lowe, Environmental Health Officer

“If you’re looking for a Level 3 Food Safety course that is clear, practical and easy to understand, this is the course for you.

The individual units and modules make it easy to digest the information, so you can work through it in your own time, whether that’s a few minutes or full session. No more slogging through hours of training in one go, just listen, learn, and gain the knowledge at a pace that suits you.“

Nick Lowe · Environmental Health Officer
About Nick Lowe

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.

Inside the course

These are stills from the course videos. See how practical demonstrations and real hospitality situations bring the learning to life.

Check food temperatures

Check food temperatures

See temperature checks demonstrated in a working kitchen.

Check your thermometer

Check your thermometer

Watch a practical ice-bath check being demonstrated.

Understand the inspection perspective

Understand the inspection perspective

See a food hygiene rating discussed with a chef.

savore logo

The team warmed to Natalie’s courses far more than another online training program.

It was lovely to see that a human was talking in the videos. I’m a firm believer that we behave and react differently when we can see a real human being.

Other online training options are not personal at all. We’re in the service industry. It’s all about people.

Dan Kelly · Creator and Principal at Savore, provider of workplace dining solutions to London businesses and offices

Course Content

Unit 1. Food Safety Intro
  • Introduction
  • Food safety- why do we care?
  • Key food safety definitions
  • High-risk and low-risk foods
  • Food poisoning
  • Food safety culture
Unit 2. Food Safety Hazards
  • Chemical hazards
  • Physical hazards
  • Allergenic hazards
  • The 14 allergens
  • Managing allergens
  • Controlling allergen contamination
  • Microbiological hazards
  • Spores and toxins
  • Cross-contamination
  • The role of the supervisor in managing food safety hazards
Unit 3. Food Poisoning and Foodborne Illness
  • Food poisoning
  • Foodborne disease/ illness
  • Viruses
  • Poisonous fish, plants, chemicals and metals
Unit 4. Chilling Food Safely
  • Chilled storage
  • Cooling down hot food
  • Cook-chill and cook-freeze
  • Frozen storage and defrosting
  • Role of the supervisor in chilling food safely
Unit 5. Heating Food Safely
  • Cooking, reheating and hot holding
  • Taking temperatures
  • How to calibrate a digital temperature probe
  • Acrylamide
  • Role of the supervisor in heating food safely
Unit 6. Purchasing and Storage
  • Food preservation methods
  • Traceability
  • Dry goods storage, stock rotation & food spoilage
  • Suppliers and deliveries
  • Role of a supervisor in purchasing and storage
Unit 7. Food Safety Management
  • HACCP and prerequisites
  • 12 step HACCP process, TACCP and VACCP
  • Documentation, records and small business resources
  • The supervisor’s role in HACCP
Unit 8. Staff Training
  • Why train?
  • How to train?
  • Supervisor responsibilities
Unit 9. Food Handlers and Personal Hygiene
  • Food handler responsibilities
  • Food handler hazards
  • Hand washing
  • Protective clothing and bad habits
  • Supervisor responsibilities
Unit 10. Cleaning and Disinfection
  • Why clean?
  • Two stage (6 stages) of cleaning
  • Cleaning schedules, chemicals and equipment
  • Supervisors responsibilities
Unit 11. Design of Food Premises and Equipment
  • Design of premises and equipment
  • Washing facilities
  • Premises and equipment essentials and waste control
  • The role of a supervisor in food premises and equipment design and waste control
Unit 12. Pest Prevention and Control
  • Pest prevention and control
  • Controlling pests
  • Supervisors responsibilities
Unit 13. The Law
  • Food safety legislation
  • Food business operator responsibilities
  • Enforcement officers
  • Working with enforcement officers
  • Food hygiene inspections
Unit 14. The Role of the Supervisor
  • What is a supervisor
  • Dealing with complaints and food poisoning outbreaks
  • What a good supervisor looks like
  • Food safety policies
  • Summary

What’s included

Included for individual learners

  • 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

Included for teams

  • Everything in single user plus:
  • Multi user discounts
  • Group dashboard to manage your staff
  • Digital certificates for managers to download
  • Progress reports for all team members
  • Bulk add your team via csv file

More course details

Who should take this course?

This Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene course for Catering* helps you comply with your legal requirements. The course is suitable for managers, supervisors and anyone else within a supervisory role within a catering or retail food business, including:

  • Restaurants
  • Cafes
  • Takeaways
  • Pubs
  • B&Bs
  • Hotels
  • Schools and colleges
  • Nurseries
  • Care homes
  • Canteens
  • Mobile caterers
  • Home caterers/ home bakers

*This course is not a formal RQF food safety and hygiene qualification. The level only indicates the type of learner whom it is suitable for.

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

Course aims

By the end of this course you will be able to:

  • Explain the importance of food safety in catering and retail environments, including key concepts such as food safety culture.
  • Identify the main food safety hazards (microbiological, chemical, physical, and allergenic) and explain how to control contamination.
  • Describe the causes and symptoms of food poisoning and food-borne illnesses, and explain how to prevent them, focusing on common pathogens.
  • Explain the principles of safe food handling, including chilling, freezing, defrosting, cooking, reheating, and hot-holding, and state the critical temperatures involved.
  • Describe proper food storage methods, including preservation techniques, stock rotation, and the importance of ‘Best Before’ and ‘Use By’ dates.
  • Explain the principles of HACCP and describe how to implement and manage a food safety management system.
  • Identify the responsibilities of food handlers, including personal hygiene, hand washing, and protective clothing, and explain the supervisor’s role in monitoring these.
  • Describe the role of a supervisor in ensuring compliance with food safety laws and standards, including staff training, hygiene monitoring, and enforcing procedures.
  • Explain the importance of cleaning, disinfection, and waste control, and describe how to implement effective cleaning schedules.
  • Describe how to work with suppliers, manage deliveries, and handle food to ensure traceability and safety.
  • Explain the supervisor’s role in food safety incidents, including managing complaints, responding to food poisoning outbreaks, and handling inspections.
  • Describe how to design food premises and equipment to meet regulations, including pest control, and explain the supervisor’s role in maintaining these standards.

Certification and Accreditation

Institute of Hospitality Endorsed

The course is endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality as providing independently-evaluated, quality content that teaches good practice standards.

Course reviews

Ratings and Reviews

5.0
Avg. Rating
11 Ratings
5
11
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0
What’s your experience? We’d love to know!
loader
c89bab0679741e0082f1ff68105c6cff Jo Brown
Posted 9 months ago
Fantastic course

Easy to follow, easy to understand and not at all dull and boring. I found it great to be able to stop and re-start as needed. Loved having a small quiz at the end of each unit. I highly recommend this course.

×
Preview Image
7d8126d430b6ad279929a524e00d7387 Wendy Leaney
Posted 11 months ago
Great way to learn with a very experienced expert.

I ‘met’ Natalie when she presented on a recent Cake Makers Collective demonstration. Tried the Food Allergy Awareness course before committing to the Level 3 Food Safety course. I trained as a Home Economist many years ago, have taught children cookery and have a home cake business so I’ve taken many courses, lots with Virtual College and these are much more interesting and up to date.

×
Preview Image
456c16d561826eb95794936147a89453 Anton Scoones
Posted 1 year ago
User friendly, super easy to use

Amazing course and very enjoyable

×
Preview Image
aa0eeb79f21a07b6ada3a24228bf8f4b Dila Gungor
Posted 1 year ago
Food Poisoning and Pest Control

I liked the sequencing and detailing of the topics, as well as having quizzes as feedback at the end of each unit. However, more real-life scenarios specific to each topic could have been included, and more visuals/videos could have been incorporated. Thanks to Natalie for her friendly attitude as an Environmental Health Officer and fun way of explaining things!

×
Preview Image
2a76fad40f3f51811a21fc5539c01a49 Ridhima Singh
Posted 1 year ago
Outstanding course.

Outstanding course. Natalie has explained each aspect with great detail and examples. Thank you very much.

×
Preview Image
42425764fd48c9776d8860121de7a3bf Cara Taylor
Posted 1 year ago
THE BEST

This is THE best Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene course EVER. Despite this being my 3rd time taking my Level 3 course, I still learnt so much from Natalie’s wealth of experience and knowledge! So detailed, engaging and well thought out.

×
Preview Image
9eddc870b2e0a7715ad16b34d9614d11 Tamas Varju
Posted 1 year ago
Officially the best Food Safety training I’ve ever done

Officially the best Food Safety training I’ve ever done – and trust me, that’s saying something. I’ve seen, created, and curated more courses than I’ve had hot dinners (safely cooked to 75°C, of course). This one stands out because it’s not just about ticking boxes – it’s actually fun. Highly recommend it to anyone who wants to genuinely understand food safety without falling asleep!

×
Preview Image
0a346c35f668933189e6ae05294520bb Anahi Yanez Pagans
Posted 2 years ago
Fantastic and detailed course!

I’ve taken many different courses and I always felt there was a lot missing and I was left with many doubts. I have my first inspection on Thursday and I am very confident it will go great thanks to everything I learned in this course! It’s a fantastic and detailed course and I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about food hygiene and safety!

×
Preview Image
4e3e6b5077c90c279be607295a07a768 Florengell Eria
Posted 2 years ago
Clear, Practical, and Well-Organized Food Safety Training

The food safety training course was well-organized and informative. The material was clear, easy to follow, and practical. I found the structure effective in helping me understand key food safety principles. Overall, it is a valuable course for anyone needing food safety knowledge.

×
Preview Image
4f040c6e225cd399d835b33c5ea38b6f Jessica Wong
Posted 2 years ago
Educational and professional food safety course in one

As a EH student working in a food catering, retail and manufacturing food business, I found Natalie’s course covered a wide range of key food safety areas that was understandable. It was valuable for Natalie to share what the common questions are during an inspection and also of her own experiences along with guests. I think it will also benefit educational institutions not only food businesses.

×
Preview Image
177500cd2aa9250d5fef36c26322e900 Walter Cuntapay
Posted 2 years ago
Excellent Course

Easy to navigate and very informative!

×
Preview Image
Show more reviews
What’s your experience? We’d love to know!

*30 Day money back guarantee

Money Back Guarantee Logo 1

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

Who is the course suitable for?

The course is suitable for managers, supervisors and anyone else within a supervisory role in all areas of the catering industry, including: restaurants, cafes, takeaways, pubs, B&Bs, hotels, schools and colleges, nurseries, care homes, canteens, mobile caterers, home caterers, and home bakers.

How long does a food hygiene certificate last?

There is no legal requirement, but it’s recommended to refresh your training every 3 years to keep up to date.

What devices can you access the course on?

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.

Is the course accredited?

Yes – the course has the following accreditations and endorsements:

  • The course is endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality.
Can I access the course after I have completed it?

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.

Is there a time limit on completing the course?

No – there is no time limit. Complete the course in your own time and at your own pace. There’s no pressure here.

What payment options are available?

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.

If I fail the exam, can I retake it?

Yes – you can retake as many times as you need. At no extra cost.

How is the course assessed?

After completing all 14 units, you take an online assessment with 60 multiple-choice questions. The pass mark is 80%. You receive the result immediately and a digital certificate is available when you pass. Retakes are included at no extra cost.

How can I buy a course for myself?

Use the individual purchase option under “Choose how to buy”. This adds the course to your own account. It does not add a seat to a company group.

How can I buy a course for my staff?

For a new team, use the company-group option under “Choose how to buy”, select the places you need and name your group. After purchase, enrol your staff from the group dashboard. If you already manage a group, sign in to its dashboard and use the add-seats option for that group.

What happens after I have bought the course?
  • 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.
If I buy multiple courses will I get a discount?

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.
Do you offer bespoke 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.

Natalie Stanton

Ready to get started?

Build your confidence with practical learning you can put to work. Choose the course for yourself or bring your team with you.

“I’ll see you there.” — Natalie

Keep thinking like an EHO

Practical food safety tips and real EHO stories from Natalie, every Tuesday. Join EHO Insider for free.

Course licensing for your business

Want to use The Safety Expert training across your organisation? Explore course licensing and tell us what your teams need →