Course and certificate
Food Allergen Awareness
For anyone in the UK who prepares, serves or sells food and needs to handle allergens safely: restaurant, cafe, takeaway, canteen, pub, bakery, deli and market staff. Eight short lessons in plain English explain the 14 allergens, the information rules for loose and prepacked food, Natasha's Law, allergen records, cross-contact, how to serve customers with allergies and what to do in an anaphylaxis emergency, followed by a 25-question test.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Languages
- English, Български, Español, Italiano, Polski, Português, Română, Українська
- Lessons
- 8
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 3 years
- Content updated
- 27 October 2026
- Certificate fee
- £10.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Restaurant, cafe, pub and takeaway staff
- Kitchen assistants, cooks and chefs
- Canteen, school and care catering staff
- Bakery, deli, butcher and market stall staff
- Front-of-house staff and delivery drivers who pass on allergy orders
- Anyone starting a food job in the UK
02Syllabus
03Assessment
25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- FSA allergen guidance for food businesses
- FSA best practice
- FSA allergen labelling technical guidance
- Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 (FIC)
- NHS
- Food Information Regulations 2014
06Questions
Is allergen training a legal requirement?
Food businesses must give accurate allergen information (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and the Food Information Regulations 2014). Food hygiene law (Regulation (EC) No 852/2004) requires food handlers to be supervised and instructed or trained to suit their work, and the FSA says businesses must make sure staff receive allergen training. The law does not name a particular course or certificate, and the employer decides what training is enough.
Is this certificate accredited?
No. It is a certificate of completion: it shows you finished this general food allergen awareness course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification, and your employer decides whether this training meets their needs.
Does this course replace the training my employer must give me?
No. It teaches the general rules that apply in any UK food business. Your employer must still give you their allergen matrix and recipe records, their written site procedures, instruction on their own dishes, suppliers and equipment, practical training, and supervision.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the 25-question test in about an hour. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: £10 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How long is the certificate valid?
The law sets no expiry date. Refresher training about every three years is common practice, so the certificate shows a renewal date three years after you pass.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.