Allergen course
Food Allergen Awareness (Catering)
A short course for everyone who prepares, serves or sells food: the 14 allergens, what the law requires where you work, how to stop cross-contact in the kitchen, how to answer customers and what to do in an emergency.
- About 45 to 60 minutes
- 4 short video lessons
- Works on any phone
- Free test retakes
- Instant PDF certificate
- QR verification page
Who is it for?
Kitchen staff
Chefs, cooks and kitchen porters who make, plate and pack the food.
Front of house
Waiting, bar, counter and delivery staff who take orders and answer questions.
Managers and owners
The people who keep the allergen information right and train the team.
The 4 lessons
- 01
Allergens, the body and where they hide
Food allergy is not a preference. For some customers, a trace of the wrong ingredient can close their airway within minutes.
- 02
What the law requires in the UK
Allergen rules are the same in principle across the UK, with each nation having its own regulations.
- 03
Managing allergens in the kitchen
Most allergen incidents are not caused by a lack of knowledge. They are caused by small changes nobody passed on: a new supplier, a different sauce, a quick substitution on a busy night.
- 04
Front of house and emergencies
The person taking the order is often the only link between the customer and the kitchen.
Written for the law where you work
The allergen rules are not the same in the UK and Ireland, so each country has its own version of lesson 2. You choose your country when you start.
United Kingdom version
- The Food Information Regulations 2014, and the matching rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Natasha's Law: full ingredient labels, with the allergens emphasised, on food prepacked for direct sale (PPDS)
- Allergen information for loose food, and for online and phone orders
- Using "may contain", "free-from" and "gluten-free" correctly
Ireland version
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers
- S.I. No. 489 of 2014: allergen information for non-prepacked food must be in writing, before the customer buys
- Food packed on the premises for direct sale, and online and phone orders
- Using "may contain", "free-from" and "gluten-free" correctly
The final test
- 20 multiple-choice questions
- Pass with 14 correct answers (70%)
- 30 minutes
- Unlocks once you have completed all 4 lessons
- Didn't pass? See which lessons to review and retake for free
Your certificate
A separate certificate from your Level 2 or Level 3 one, ready as soon as you pass. It shows your name, the course and your country's version, your score, the topics covered, the completion date, a recommended refresher date (3 years) and a QR code that anyone, such as an employer or inspector, can scan to check it online.
The certificate confirms completion of training. It is not a regulated qualification.
Prices
On its own
£9.60
£8 + VAT per person
With Level 2 or Level 3
£6
£5 + VAT
Tick it when you buy Level 2 or Level 3, or buy it here once you have one of them. Level 2 and allergen awareness together cost £18; Level 3 and allergen awareness, £36. VAT included.
For teams: add it to any Level 2 or Level 3 team pack for £4 + VAT per learner. See team packs
United Kingdom course
Unlock lessons 2 to 4 and the final test
Lesson 1 is free. One payment gives you the whole Food Allergen Awareness (Catering) course, the final test with free retakes and your certificate.
It costs £6 (£5 + VAT) instead when you add it to Level 2 or Level 3.
Demo mode: no payment is taken, the course unlocks straight away.