Course and certificate
Food Hygiene and Safety for Food Handlers (Portugal)
For anyone who works with food in restaurants, cafés, pastry shops, canteens, supermarkets or catering in Portugal. Eight plain lessons on the law, foodborne hazards and illnesses, personal hygiene, cross-contamination, temperatures, cleaning and pests, HACCP and allergens, followed by a 25-question test.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- Languages
- Português, English, Español, Română, Українська
- Lessons
- 8
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- No set period
- Content updated
- 27 October 2026
- Certificate fee
- €15.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- People starting work in restaurants, cafés, bars, pastry shops and bakeries
- Workers in canteens, schools, care homes, hospitals and catering companies
- Staff in supermarkets, grocers and food shops
- Owners of small businesses who want to give their team basic training
- Job seekers in catering and hospitality who want to show they have done the course
02Syllabus
- 01The law and responsibilities
- 02Hazards and foodborne illnesses
- 03Personal hygiene and the food handler's health
- 04Cross-contamination, receiving and storage
- 05Temperatures, cooking and defrosting
- 06Cleaning, disinfection and pest control
- 07HACCP, self-checking and traceability
- 08Allergens and consumer information
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.
- Código de Boas Práticas para a Restauração (AIHSA)
- Regulamento (CE) n.º 852/2004, anexo II, capítulo IX
- Regulamento (CE) n.º 852/2004, artigo 5.º
- Regulamento (UE) n.º 1169/2011
- Regulamento (CE) n.º 852/2004, anexo II, capítulo VIII
- Regulamento (UE) n.º 1169/2011, anexo II
06Questions
Do I need a DGERT-certified course to work with food?
Generally, no. Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (Annex II, Chapter XII) requires staff who handle food to be supervised and to have instruction and/or training in hygiene suited to their duties. It does not set a number of hours or require the course to be given by a body certified by DGERT (the Portuguese directorate-general for employment and labour relations). DGERT certifies training bodies, but the general food hygiene law does not require that step. Some sectors have their own rules: in the sale of meat and meat products, Decreto-Lei n.º 147/2006 requires training given by a body accepted under vocational training law, and provides for a meat handler card. This course does not meet that requirement. Anyone working in that sector, or in doubt about their case, should check with their employer or with DGAV (the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Affairs).
So what is this certificate?
It is a certificate of completion: it shows that you completed the course and passed the test. It is not a DGERT-certified course, nor a regulated qualification, nor a handler card, and it is not accredited by any public body. It is your employer who decides whether this training meets the needs of the job.
What does the employer have to do besides the course?
The course gives the general principles. The employer still has to supervise staff, give instructions on the rules and procedures of the establishment, including the HACCP plan, its limits and its records, train whoever is responsible for the HACCP system and, as the Code of Good Practice recommends, keep training records to show to ASAE (the Food and Economic Safety Authority) or DGAV.
Is the course enough to be the person responsible for HACCP?
Not on its own. Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 requires those who develop and maintain the HACCP system to be adequately trained in applying it. This course presents the principles for people who handle food. If you have that role, your employer should assess whether you need more specific training.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the 25-question test in about two hours. You can stop and carry on later on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
You are not charged anything. You will see which lessons are worth going over again, and you can retake the test as many times as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: €15 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How can my employer or ASAE check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. When it is scanned, or when the number is typed into our verification page, your name, the course and the date you passed appear.
How long is the certificate valid?
The law sets no validity period for general food handler training, so the certificate has no expiry date. The employer may ask for refresher sessions at whatever interval it sees fit. In sectors with their own rules, such as meat sales, where the handler card has a time limit, those rules apply.
Is this course valid anywhere in Portugal?
The course is based on European regulations and national legislation, which apply throughout the country. The hygiene rules are the same in mainland Portugal and in the autonomous regions, but the employer may require its own training. In case of doubt, the employer can consult DGAV or ASAE.
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.