The Most Frequently Asked Questions about Food Safety – FAQs Answered For You
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Food Safety FAQs
What is a basic food hygiene certificate?
A Basic Food Hygiene Certificate is gained when a trainee successfully completes a Level 2 basic food hygiene course. This is known by many different names including Food Handling Certificate, Food Hygiene Certificate, Food Handlers Certificate, Food Certificate NZ, Food Hygiene Certificate NZ, and Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate. The Basic Food Hygiene Certificate food safety course is for people in commercial food premises as well as those who are cooking food at home for sale.
How do I get a food hygiene certificate?
You can get a Basic Food Hygiene Certificate by enrolling in Food Safe‘s online course or on-site course. Our courses are tailored to different sectors like home food businesses, cafes, restaurants ECE, rest homes, age care facilities, and food manufacturing companies. Our Level 2 Basic Food Hygiene Certificate is an NZQA-Approved Training Scheme and fits the general Codex requirements for food handlers globally. It is approved by all Councils and Verifiers.
How much does a food safety course cost?
You can get a Food Safety Certificate for $169.50 NZD+GST by booking here.
How long is a basic food hygiene certificate valid for?
It is recommended that you refresh your training every three years. Some food manufacturing companies require their staff to do this every year as part of their training. You can book your food safety training here.
Can I make and sell food from home?
Yes, as long as your kitchen meets the necessary food safety and hygiene requirements which can be learned as part of our basic food safety certificate course. You can use your home as a base for making and selling food as long as you register your home with your local Council and let them know you intend to use your home as business premises.
Can I get a food safety certificate online?
Yes, you can get a food safety certificate online by booking and completing our food safety course here.
HACCP FAQs
What HACCP stands for
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. HACCP is a logical, structured, and systematic approach to managing risk and controlling food safety.
What HACCP means
HACCP or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is an internationally recognised method of identifying and managing food safety-related risk. HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement, and handling, to manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of the finished product.
What are HACCP principles
The 7 principles of HACCP (as per Codex International Code of Practice):
- Conduct a hazard analysis
- Determine the critical control points (CCPs)
- Establish critical limits for each CCP
- Establish a system to monitor the control of the CCP
- Establish the corrective action when monitoring indicates that a particular CCP is not under control
- Establish verification procedures
- Establish documentation concerning all procedures and records relevant to the HACCP principles and their application
How many HACCP principles are there
There are 7 principles of HACCP (as per the Codex International Code of Practice)
Who uses HACCP
HACCP can be used by companies across all the stages of the food chain – from primary production to final consumption. HACCP is a critical part of risk-based food safety programmes like Risk Management Programmes (RMPs)
What are HACCP prerequisites
HACCP Prerequisites are the Good Manufacturing Procedures, Practices, and Operations which ensure that the food is safe to eat.
- Training
- Production
- Cleaning
- Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM)
- Personal hygiene policies
- Calibration and verification
- Traceability
- Recall procedures
- Complaint monitoring
- Approved supplier lists and approval processes
New Zealand Qualifications FAQs
What is New Zealand Certificate Qualification?
New Zealand Certificate Qualification is designed for people working across any industry in New Zealand after graduating from school (NCEA).
How do I get a New Zealand Certificate Qualification?
You have to be working in a New Zealand company and be signed into a training plan and agreement via Food Safe. We offer this service to companies for groups of 4 or more. Email [email protected] or call us on 0800 003 097.
Read our 5 ☆ Facebook & Google trainee reviews
Keith was such an amazing teacher, he went above and beyond to ensure that we had all of the information that we needed to go forward, and more!Keith’s class was such an amazing learning environment, he answered any and all of our questions as well as providing us with comprehensive resources that made sure we could properly understand the whole topic!Keith was also great at making accomodations for his pupils that required extra learning assistance.Thank you Food Safe!
Nathan Scott
02:41 16 Dec 22
Highly recommend these guys. Over the last 3 years, I have done two of their one day courses - one in the classroom and one online. Each one has been very informative, interactive and personalized to each person in the room. Examples given by the tutor are related to the individual situations each person in the class, is, or will experience. My auditor was extremely impressed with my paperwork and presentation of our Food Caravan. Thank you, Food Safe, for setting me up to succeed in hospitality.
Bobbie Kincaid
01:46 26 Nov 22
I recently did the food safe course with Keith and learned a lot! He manages to keep you interested throughout the course with a variety of stories and examples, as well as many jokes! Keith has an incredible ability to make sure that everyone attending the course is given enough individual attention to help them with the personal reasons that they decided to do the course. I would highly recommend this course for anyone planning to work around food.
Samantha van Iersel
01:40 18 Nov 22
Keith was such an informative yet fun trainer for the course I did and I felt like I learnt so much within the time. He possesses knowledge that helps one feel that they've gained something valuable before heading into or integrating themselves into the food industry. Would highly recommend to anyone looking to gain some knowledge and further education on food heath and safety!!!
Cassandra Tawhai
01:36 28 Oct 22
This course was absolutely amazing and educational! I wish I had learnt these things sooner but I’m glad to have had this chance to study with Keith! An absolute pleasure learning with you today and such a funny positive guy! Highly appreciate all the tips and your efforts into making this course a fun and rewarding experience. Would definitely do this again 😊
Daejha Waretini
01:22 03 Oct 22
Excellent course. Very well delivered. The instructor is very knowledgeable, interesting, clear and covers a lot very efficiently. He also tailored the course to our individual situations and needs making it even more helpful and worthwhile. He made sure I achieved my goals in booking the course, and I appreciated the helpful way he answered all my questions. I highly recommend this course and the Introduction to HACCP which I also did with him.
Alison Diprose
04:08 12 Sep 22
I enjoyed this training day. Keith was well informed on Food safety requirements. He also had a good understanding of what different industries were involved as students so tailored the training to suit.
Leonie Dewhurst
02:27 19 Aug 22
Online training with Keith was excellent. I enjoyed the personal coaching that he managed to fit in alongside the stuff we needed to know. Highly recommend for anyone working in or thinking about working in hospitality 🙂
Amanda Asher
02:23 13 Aug 22
Thank you for a fantastic course today Keith! Keith's course is the best I have done during my career - he met every participant and took the time to learn about every participant's goal for joining the course today. Then he referenced the material with the individual participants in mind which was beneficial to them, but to the group as a whole. The material was exciting to learn about and Keith's presentation style was welcoming, engaging, humorous and very informative. I highly recommend Keith's course for all levels of learners, and for all industry sectors who are involved in the food industry. Thank you again.
Natasha Le Grange
02:47 08 Aug 22
Very helpful course with a great informative tutor! I enjoyed this course very much and would highly recommend Keith. He kept the course fun but is also very professional!
Ariana Haynes
02:41 25 Jul 22
My first time participating in an online course. Keith is an excellent instructor, he made everyone welcome and gave specific advice for each person's business. Very interactive, informative and relaxed. I would highly recommend Food Safe Ltd
Cool Change
02:45 22 Jul 22
I had my online training course with Keith today and wow. I have never been taught (including all my years at University) by someone not only passionate and genuine towards the course but articulates it so well in an interactive and humorous learning session. The content was super helpful for someone working in the frontline of serving customers there ready to eat food but also understanding legislations for future as I am too, a business owner. So I managed to gain so much knowledge and perspective from Keith not only because of the content but because I was thoroughly engaged throughout. Thank you for making learning enjoyable this session Keith! 🙂
Cresta Jane
10:48 18 Jul 22
Although I expected my Basic Food Safety and Hygiene course to be a not-so-interesting experience, Keith kept it engaging, quick and informative. I appreciate his time, stories and the magic tricks that he shared!
Justine Tucker
02:20 08 Jul 22
I had an amazing experience with Keith. Everything was communicated so clear. Keith is very friendly and always mentioned the participants by our name. He remembered where we come from. It's so personal. Thank you Food Safe. From: IGNATIUS
Icpe St Gerards Monastery
02:56 02 Jul 22
What a day...!! Food Safe Ltd really good for company and business owner looking to get Food Hygiene certificate. Thank you Keith my Trainer really friendly, nice, professional and funny. I give 5 Star 👏👏👏👏👏 Recommended!!
Orang Indo Jalan2
02:41 27 Jun 22
I trained with Keith online and highly recommend this training.It was clear, concise and very relaxed. All we need to know was covered efficiently with lots to take away.
Naushad Fareed
02:21 27 May 22
This is the second time I have personally used Keith and his team from Food Safe. He continues to stay abreast of all things food safe within the industry. I found the online course to be informative, engaging and at times, entertaining. Thanks again Keith for your expertise. We will continue to be a customer of yours going forward.
Rex Radford
02:18 27 May 22
I did the online training course with Keith. Hard to believe, but he made the course fun and entertaining. Keith has a wealth of information and advice for the students (especially me as a new business owner). I appreciated his historical knowledge and his ability to make the information relevant to my business needs. This is my first online course in years, and appreciate having a great instructor that provided a great amount of knowledge. Thank you so much Keith!
Paula Montejo
02:31 06 May 22
I completed a food safety course today and found it very informative and interactive. Keith is a fantastic facilitator, he is very knowledgeable and provided accurate information and examples. I particularly enjoyed his recap magic tricks!
The Brotherstons
02:33 22 Apr 22
I enjoyed todays course. Keith was great. He gave us a lot of information while maintaining a positive and bubbly attitude. He made sure to include all of us in all conversations and made sure we went at a good pace so we can understand. thank you very much 🙂
Ocean Phillips
02:34 08 Apr 22
I was nervous prior to doing the course mainly because it has been a long time since I’ve done any courses/study. However Keith was very easy going, funny and made everyone at ease. The course itself is very detailed and he made sure individual students were looked after in terms of what they actually needed from the course. I have learned a lot and now have more confidence in my future project 🙂 thank you!
Maureen Hermawan
03:36 01 Apr 22
Enjoyable training, clear, easy to follow , relevant programme. Knowledgeable presenter who had examples that linked to all participants. Delivered with humour and with ease. Thank you Keith. It was a worthwhile day.
Hiria Tua
06:11 25 Mar 22
Keith was such a hive of information! He spoke clearly, in an engaging style that was easy to listen to for a day-long training session, and he remained focused and on-point right throughout the day.He was careful to include (and individually addressed) all zoom group members, and encouraged interaction (questions) using the group chat function (to allow the training to flow without constant verbal interruptions). He would systematically respond to these group chat questions at appropriate times, ensuring the training remained fluid. I thought this system was a clever use of our training time (which was limited to a time schedule).Keith ascertained, right from the beginning, our specific vocations and tried to tailor the training with additional information where he knew it would benefit individuals.I am a strong visual learner, so really appreciated the photos, images and videos displayed throughout the training (if the training was solely audio/talking I would have struggled to retain as much as I did).I had heard that Keith was a fabulous trainer (knowledgeable, warm, funny), now I can vouch from personal experience that the rumours are true! Thanks heaps, Laura Donovan.
Mike Donovan
02:03 04 Mar 22
Fabulous online class, easy to understand. Explained everything so wellWill certainly recommend your services, looking forward to my refresher class when I am due.Thank you so much Keith
Alverty Lena Chirwa
01:52 26 Feb 22
Awesome and well delivered training by an industry expert! Super knowledgeable and friendly throughout the training with easy to understand and follow resources! Highly recommend to anyone deciding whether or not they should do it 😊
Loretta Hunt
01:33 26 Feb 22
I completed a Food Safety Course with Food Safe Ltd today. They are very professional, prompt and easy to deal with. Information about the online course was sent in timely, clear emails.Keith Michael is an excellent instructor, very knowledgeable with up-to-date information about the food industry and he kept all the participants involved. Each member was given information and tips relevant to their situation and all questions were answered fully.I have come away with plenty of information that will prove very useful in my new venture.Thank you for the magic tricks Keith, may I suggest a magician's hat and a cloak for the next time!! 🙂
Pamela Chada
01:48 18 Feb 22
This training was awesome. Keith shared so much valuable knowledge with all of us. Helpful content but the trainer was so engaging. It made a day of Zoom enjoyable !! Thanks Keith
Kathleen Wright
01:34 18 Feb 22
Keith was such a great teacher! Engaging, informative and very helpful. His patience and connection throughout the class helped me stay focused and learn a lot. It was very much appreciate it!
Hannah Sargent
01:43 03 Feb 22
Most amazing and in detailed help and advice! I had no knowledge of any food safety before this course, I have finished the course and am leaving with a Certificate in food safety and lots of confidence to begin my business within the food industry! Thank you so much Keith you are an excellent, in depth teacher!
Chey brown
01:43 14 Jan 22
Thank you so much Keith for our lesson today. Everything was well presented and clear to understand. This is Judith by the way, using my husbands email account 🙂 Thank you again. Appreciate your help,
Alosio Sefo
01:58 17 Dec 21
Thank you so much Keith. really enjoyed today. Feeling empowered with really clear, helpful info. Engaging session. Loved the jokes too! They were a highlight. Enjoyed the pictures in the powerpoint, video resources, and links. Highly recommend Food Safe Ltd!
Marlena Martin
01:59 03 Dec 21
Overall very good. Full of information, Keith is very knowledgeable. A few technically issues which could have been addressed better. As I have excellent wifi connection and know it wasn't my connection. I couldn't see the screen for almost half of the session and found it a lot harder to follow along.
Emily Lloyd-Jones
01:38 03 Dec 21
I would definitely recommend this course to others. It was very informative and Keith did an excellent job of personalising the course for each individual so they got the information they needed. I really enjoyed this course and look forward to starting my food business. Thank you!
Jessica F
01:48 29 Nov 21
Keith was a really good teacher. Really appreciated how he related the subject matter to each of us in the class, made it very easy to apply to our workplace. Would definitely recommend him + this course to others. Thanks!
Jessie Allen
01:46 26 Nov 21
The training was full of relevant information and tips for each individual business. Well paced, focused on practice, all questions got answered straight away. Friendly, encouraging, engaging teaching style. Thanks so much, Keith!
Astrid Brauksiepe
02:00 06 Nov 21
Keith was so great in my training today. Very positive, uplifting and motivational. So much information but he takes it nice and slowly for all to understand. Thanks so much!
Holly Waddell
01:57 01 Nov 21
Great course for those int he food industry. Was well structured and engaging. The tutor uses lots of examples and tailored it to your situation
Pippa Lucas
01:57 30 Oct 21
I did the online training course for Food Safety. Our instructor, Keith, was fantastic- very knowledgable with real world experience that I would imagine everyone found helpful. He was professional and interesting as well. I was very impressed. Highly recommend.
Maria Cantrell
01:53 18 Oct 21
It was a very clear and fun workshop. We had a lot of information to get through, but Keith made it very easy to understand. Answered all our questions and made the day enjoyable, I recommend to others.
Melanie Chandler-Winters
20:07 08 Oct 21
Its been a long time since i have had to do any form of training, let alone an online one. I was quite nervous about how it would all go but Keith made it so easy and comfortable.The way he structured the coarse was great. Very informative!Thanks so much Keith!!
Rachel “Noobwheels” Beard
01:39 08 Oct 21
Had a great experience taking Keith's class today! really informative and great interaction. Time went quick as he kept us all engaged. Cheers
Krystal Stevens
01:46 04 Oct 21
I attended the Food safety training course online via Skype with Keith. He was extremely professional and personable. I feel confident from the training he has given me. All the course content was relevant and well delivered. You will not regret completing your training with Keith! Thanks again!
Katie Hoppe
02:27 13 Sep 21
Amazing one day online course. Very helpful and informative even if you have been in the industry for a while. Instructor was very clear and thorough with the information. Highly recommended for whoever wants to do it!
Aishwarya Kamble
02:21 31 Jul 21
Keith was very easy to understand and allowed for us to ask questions if we were unsure about anything. It was great presentation. With background and knowledge of the hospitality industry he is a great teacher. Thank you so much Keith.
Bhavika Patel
03:46 26 Jul 21
Keith was absolutely amazing!! was clear, respectful and patient. I was able to adapt quickly and absorb as much as i could. With previous background experience in hospitality, this training gave me the tools and knowledge I needed to know and to continue to grow in the industry.. Appreciate your time Keith and the amazing team.
Waituhi Missy Munro
02:21 22 Jul 21
This Course was very informative and I learn so much within the Time Frame. Instructor was very easy to understand and up beat to keep you from falling asleep. I recommend this to anyone wanting to take the Basic Food Safety Course
David Danielson III
23:04 14 Jun 21
An excellent presentation and explanation. Keith was very easy to understand and allowed for us to ask questions it we were unsure about anything. He has an amazing knowledge of the industry and therefore, an amazing teacher. I also loved doing the training via Skype which was very easy & clear. Thank you so much Keith.
Mavis Taratu
02:21 11 Jun 21
Have just completed this training for our Childcare service. Great information, knowable trainer, really easy and convenient to complete online. Highly recommend.
Sue Kilkenny
02:12 11 Jun 21
This was a great course, I liked the online option. The content was thorough and related to our specific work contexts. The tutor was engaging and responsive.
Emma Parangi
01:01 17 May 21
Great information and tailor makes the course to the group, includes points specific to your job. Keep up the great work. Thank you.
Amy Smith
01:18 07 May 21
Very helpful even if you have been in the industry awhile, it is good to have the regulations refreshed. Instructor spoke in a clear easy to understand manner and offered many helpful hints to those in the class. Happy to recommend.
Elizabeth Camille
01:14 23 Apr 21
Great experience today with Keith. He made everything really easy to follow and engaging. It also made the experience very personalised for each individual taking part and allowed lots of time for questions and feedback. Thank you for a great morning Keith and the Food Safe team
Steph Burbidge
01:16 17 Apr 21
Had a wonderful experience with my 1-day online course at Food Safe NZ. This course exceeded my expectations. Would recommend to anyone who is considering in working in the food industry in any area! Found this course super helpful and well planned. Keith was a pleasure to train with. Great course! 🙂
Lou Anne Roman
00:17 26 Mar 21
This was my second time taking the certification on food safety (the first was several years ago) and still appreciate the way the topics were delivered. Keith has a great depth of knowledge and experience on the subject which makes it all come out naturally. He is also open to questions and freely gives great tips on the processes. Thank you.
Maria Medel
00:12 15 Mar 21
I expected basic training but Keith Michael provided more than that. He clearly articulated the course content and was able to answer all questions in a way that gave me confidence in his knowledge base and added value that I hadn't anticipated getting from this course.Expectations Exceeded!!Many thanks
Scott Pryor
01:13 12 Mar 21
Excellent service from Keith, would highly recommend taking this class for Food Safety training. Very helpful resources given, clear communication and understandable. Made sure that we were all on the same page, at the same time. This has definitely helped me with my new position at a learning center, preparing me to succeed in what i will be doing. Opened up my mind to general life and food safety for my own home and family which i will now take into more serious.Thanks again Keith,Much appreciated
Kasian Liuvaie
23:44 21 Jan 21
This online curse is a must for any body /small or large business working with food and serving to others for profit or non profit. I became so aware of a lot of things I wasn't previously aware of and it helped me so much in my food handling practice. The presenter was very friendly and welcoming and certainly knew his stuff! Also made the content easy to learn. Thanks Keith.
Barbara Tutty
23:39 21 Jan 21
The training was great! Keith has so much knowledge and experience in the food industry so he was able to give us lots of information and personal experiences. He linked all the training to our own food goals and made it relevant. Thanks so much!
Renee Pennington
23:32 21 Jan 21
Keith was our instructor today. We all felt very comfortable. Even though Keith had 7 of us on board, he still managed to involve each and everyone and individually explained what we'll need and what to look out for.Highly highly recommended!
Queen Peary
04:44 11 Jan 21
Keith and his services are highly recommended. Today our class was very enjoyable. He explains information very clearly and his class today, I found was very useful for my up and coming business. My team and I give thanks to Keith for helping us. In the end we received our food safety certificate. 5/5 highly recommended to those that are seeking a food safety certificate. Thanks Keith
Daniel Davis
01:12 19 Dec 20
Incredibly informative, thoughtful, and well-executed course. The instructor Keith was fantastic with connecting with each attendee and shared a lot of practical tips and ideas pertained to each of the prospective/existing business. It was packed with information and useful resources, but ran at a good pace so it didn't feel overwhelming. Highly recommended!
Mana Toyoda
01:05 11 Dec 20
Great experience being trained by Keith! He was professional, has great communication skills and has a wealth of knowledge on food safety. A brilliant educator! Many thanks.
Erin Wilks
23:47 03 Dec 20
Very professional. I’m very satisfied with this service. The trainer was brilliant and not only offered great advise but also tailored parts of the training for my business directly. Overall I highly recommend Keith at Food Safe. Very very good service! A+++++++++
Jollymilkman Jolly
09:09 22 Nov 20
I highly recommend Food Safe. I had training with Keith today and he made me feel like i did online training before, even though i never did. It was a great experience and very helpful.Thanks again Keith.
Mariska Du Plessis
01:06 16 Nov 20
I highly recommend this training. Keith was very professional and knowledgable. He gave examples specific to my business and I have come out of the training feeling a lot more confident. Thank you so much Keith and Food Safe Ltd.
Arihia Nordstrom
23:31 06 Nov 20
Deanna and I thought the presentation was outstanding. We both not only enjoyed the course but learnt a lot. We now have loads of confidence that our kitchen will be top notch
Rose Duffy
23:20 18 Oct 20
They offer more dates/classes than other organizations I could find on the internet. One thing I liked the most about the class was that our lecturer always gave us examples/case studies related to students' real job/industry. It was very easy to understand, nice and thorough.
あんこパン
00:22 09 Oct 20
