Food Standards Continuing Professional Development Module

Start date
Please contact us for the next available date.
Course Type
Postgraduate, Continuing professional development
Fees
Fees for 2024: £650

This module is an excellent introduction to the main areas of food standards. Although primarily aimed at enforcement bodies, the content is likely to be of interest to those working in various sectors of the food industry, especially where the labelling and composition of foods is of importance.

This module is an excellent introduction to the main areas of food standards. Although primarily aimed at enforcement bodies, the content is likely to be of interest to those working in various sectors of the food industry, especially where the labelling and composition of foods is of importance.

Aimed at food safety officers having obtained the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection (HCFPI), completion of the Food Standards module represents half of the conditions required to convert to a Higher Certificate in Food Control (HCFC), as outlined by the Food Law Code of Practice.

The Food Standards module is a ten credit module accredited by the Environmental Health Registration Board which may be taken by holders of the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection.

The course is held over five days and a case study, serving as module assessment, will have to be submitted at an ulterior date.  The lectures will be a combination of online and face to face at the University of Birmingham Edgbaston Campus.

Successful Completion of the module provides evidence that the candidate is suitably qualified to carry out official controls in food standards as indicated in the Food Law Code of Practice, and, together with the Food Inspection Endorsement, will meet the requirements for the Higher Certificate in Food Control. Officers with the Higher Certificate in Food Control may be authorised to use section 9 of the Food Safety Act 1990.

Fees

Fees for 2024: £650

How To Apply

Please make enquiries to:

Iain Ferris, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT,
Tel: (+44) (0) 121 414 5336
Email: i.ferris@bham.ac.uk


There are no prerequisites for this course although some knowledge of food law is recommended.

The module covers the identification and examination of common foods and food sources and judgement of their fitness for human consumption. This module will include:

  • the judgement of fitness
  • gross post-mortem evidence of pathological conditions of common food animals including fish, shellfish and products of animal origin
  • spoilage
  • product recall and traceability,
  • appropriate legal responses to fit, unfit and unsaleable food

Assessment is in a practical examination during which the candidate must demonstrate their ability to correctly identify common foodstuffs and make accurate decisions about their fitness for human consumption.

The course tutors and examiners are food specialists and have a broad experience of food inspection.

Authorised officers delivering official controls on behalf of the local authority must be properly trained and updated.

The Food Inspection module is an ideal update for experienced officers taking on new responsibilities ( e.g. TSO’s moving into food hygiene) or as part of a conversion from the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection to the Higher Certificate in Food Control.