Whether you're a food worker, business owner or training manager, our food safety courses make it easy for you to meet your legal requirements.
If you work with food - or train people who do - you'll benefit greatly from our complimentary AIFS membership program.
If you're enrolled at AIFS and need some help - or you'd like information about studying with us - this section is a great place to start.
From cafes to catering companies, market stalls to supermarkets, every food business in Australia must meet all federal, state and local requirements for food safety training.
The AIFS Resource Centre offers a wide variety of food safety resources including templates, posters, guides, videos, fact sheets and more. You can also find the latest food safety news and product recalls.
Learn about the AIFS business and our mission to reduce food-borne illness in Australia.
In Australia, the Food Standards Code requires anyone who works with food to be trained in food safety.
When you study online with AIFS you will:
- attain a nationally recognised skillset
- complete your course faster
- enjoy many benefits of your AIFS membership
Official AIFS Food Handler Course
Accepted as meeting all requirements of the Food Standards Code for Food Handlers.
Study online, whenever you want
Enjoy the convenience of doing your training anywhere, at any time of the day or night.
100% recommended rating
Feel confident taking an AIFS course that 100% of students would recommend to a friend.
Get 2 years AIFS membership
Receive tools, credentials, support and more to promote and boost your food safety knowledge.
Finish in a few hours, or take your time
Complete your Food Handler training in just a few hours, or take up to 12 months.
Receive your documents fast
Receive your documents within 48 hours of course completion. If you need them faster, just get in touch!
Recognised throughout Australia
Be sure of acceptance with a course that's recognised throughout all of Australia.
Get the support you need
Our qualified trainers are here to provide the support you need when you need it.
With AIFS, You Get More than Just a Training Course
Discover the complimentary member benefits for you and your business
Trusted and Recommended Throughout Australia
Relied on by the Australian food industry for a quality training experience
Discover why our students love this course
Trusted by thousands of companies
Recommended by thousands of food workers
"It was simple to learn online. I found the assessment easy and the course very useful for food handling."
"I liked the simplicity of the course, but most notable was the speed and help from the support team."
"I liked that the course was very well written and that the assessment was easy to follow."
Helping the Community
Your enrolment will help feed someone in need
1 in 10 Australians rely on food aid each year, yet in Australia we throw out $10bn of food annually. Together we can help to tackle this issue.
Your enrolment = 1 meal to a vulnerable person
We've partnered with OzHarvest to help deliver meals to people facing hunger issues in the Australian community.
When you enrol onto the official AIFS Food Safety Supervisor course, we'll provide OzHarvest with the resources to donate a meal to someone in need.
Photo Credit: OzHarvest
Course Outline
Develop a solid understanding of food safety in the workplace
When you enrol in the official AIFS Food Handler course, you have access to everything you need to gain a solid understanding of the basics of food safety. With AIFS there are
- no hidden prerequisites
- no hidden assessment requirements
- no hidden fees or charges
Immediate Start
As soon as you enrol, you have instant access to the course.
As the entire training takes around 3 - 4 hours, some students sign up and complete the course on the same day.
If you prefer to take your time, we allow 12 months to complete the course and you can start and stop as often as you like.
Nationally recognised training
AIFS is a Registered Training Organisation that's approved to deliver Food Safety Supervisor training across all food sectors throughout all of Australia.
We're also:
- accepted by local councils Australia-wide
- recommended by Health Inspectors
So you can feel secure in knowing your AIFS qualification is compliant and recognised.
Upgrade to Food Safety Supervisor
When you've completed your Food Handler course, you're half way to becoming a Food Safety Supervisor. Contact our friendly support team if you'd like to discuss upgrade options to attain the full Food Safety Supervisor skillset.
The course is split into 4 lessons, 1 case study, a reading activity and an observer report.
The lessons in the course are:
- Lesson 1 - Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities
- Lesson 2 - Understanding Food Safety
- Lesson 3 - Maintaining a Clean Workplace
- Lesson 4 - Personal Hygiene
Quizzes
At the end of each lesson, there's a multiple choice quiz. You have 5 attempts at each quiz and must score 100% to move onto the next lesson. If you don't pass the quiz after 5 attempts, simply get in touch and we'll help you progress to the next section.
Case Study
After you've completed all the lessons, there's a short case study. To complete this, you'll read a short scenario and then answer a multiple choice quiz, which is similar to the quizzes you've already completed at the end of the lessons.
Reading Activity
As a Food Handler, it's necessary for you to gain a basic understanding of Food Safety Plans and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). Simply download the PDF from the course page and then complete the multiple choice quiz.
Observer Report
There are some things we can't see you doing through your computer — such as washing your hands or wearing the correct clothes for work. In order to comply with the government requirements for Food Handler training, you do need to demonstrate that you can perform such tasks correctly.
To make this as easy as possible for you, we allow you to be observed by a co-worker or supervisor. Simply provide the name and contact information for your nominated observer when you’re filling out your student registration.
Once you complete your registration, your nominated observer will receive an email with options to print the form or complete it online.
Quality Assurance Process
As part of our quality assurance process, we reserve the right to contact you or your nominated observer to conduct a competency conversation or verification of assessment prior to awarding certification.
There are no training prerequisites for this course - you can simply enrol and get started.
Language, Literacy and Numeracy
Whilst there are no training prerequisites, there are some requirements around language, literacy and numeracy. In order to complete this course you should be able to perform everyday tasks such as:
- Using an instant messenger tool
- Sending SMS text messages
- Responding to customer complaints
- Reading weights on a digital scale
If you have any concerns about the skills required to participate in this course, please contact us and we'll be happy to discuss your situation.
You need to make sure that you have the following in order to be able to complete the Food Handler course:
1. A modern web browser
At AIFS we use some of the latest eLearning technologies to deliver the courses. You will need to have a modern web browser to view and complete the course (Google Chrome is recommended), and it's important that you have Javascript enabled.
2. An email address
During the registration process, we will ask you for your email address. This is a mandatory requirement for you to be able to access our systems. Email addresses cannot be shared by students.
3. Adobe PDF Reader or Adobe Acrobat
Some of the forms that you need to complete (such as the Observer Report) are in PDF format. Ensure that you have the latest version of Adobe PDF Reader.
AIFS courses work on most computers, laptops, tablets and mobile devices.
Click on the 'Play' button below to watch a preview of the Food Handler course.
Nationally Recognised Skills
Understand more about the unit of competency for this course
Unit of Competency
The Food Handler course is applicable to Food Handlers working in any industry.
It meets the Australia-wide legal requirement that Food Handlers must be trained in food safety.
The unit of competency for this course is ‘SITXFSA001 Use hygienic practices for food safety’.
Upgrading to Food Safety Supervisor
This unit is from the ‘Tourism & Hospitality’ training package.
This means that if you later wish to upgrade to Food Safety Supervisor, then your Statement of Attainment for this course can be used towards Food Safety Supervisor recognition in the Hospitality sector.
Common Questions
Learn more about what our students ask about this course
How long does the course take to complete?
The online lessons, multiple choice quizzes and case studies take most people around three to four hours to complete.
With the Observer Report and other forms that may need to be completed, the total time for the course is typically a couple of hours more.
However, everyone learns at a different pace. If you've been working in the food industry for years, it's likely you'll already be familiar with much of the course content. If English is not your first language, it may take longer to work through the lessons.
Some AIFS students enrol, complete the course, and receive their Statement of Attainment all on the same day.
How do I enrol in the course?
That's easy! Simply click on the blue 'Start Online Now' button on this page and follow the prompts. You'll be enrolled and ready to start in just a few minutes.
All you need to do is supply some basic details (like your name and address) and your credit/debit card information.
If you'd prefer to enrol over the phone, that's no problem. Just give us a call on 1300 797 020 and we'll help you to get started.
When will I get my Statement of Attainment?
Our assessors work full-time Monday to Friday and often process Statements of Attainment within a few hours of students completing the course.
That means that many of our students receive their Statement of Attainment via email on the day that they complete their course, and via post a few days later.
Do I need to go somewhere for an exam?
No, you don't need to go anywhere. You can complete the entire course within the comfort of your own home and workplace, at a time that suits you.
You simply complete online multiple choice quizzes at the end of each lesson, and also request someone you've worked with (past or present) to complete an Observer Report about tasks that they've already seen you doing.
Is this the course I need for my food business licence?
No. The training you need to complete to get a food business licence in NSW, QLD, VIC and ACT is the Food Safety Supervisor course.
When you complete the Food Safety Supervisor course, you're issued with a Statement of Attainment containing details of the units of competency you've obtained. If you're in New South Wales, you'll also get a NSW Food Authority certificate.
These documents are what you need to present to your local council to nominate a Food Safety Supervisor and get your food business licence.
Where can I learn more?
The Australian Institute of Food Safety has an extensive Resource Centre which includes news, articles, a blog, and a comprehensive FAQ section.
In the Resource Centre, we've tried to address the most common questions we get asked as well as the more obscure ones!
If you still can't find what you need then get in touch via email or phone and we'll be happy to help.