About the Food Safety Level 2 Award
The Level 2 Award in Food Safety and Hygiene (also known as the Food Hygiene Certificate) is the standard qualification for food handlers working in catering, hospitality, retail, and manufacturing in the UK. It is assessed by awarding bodies including Highfield, RSPH (Royal Society for Public Health), and CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health). While not legally mandated by name, the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 place a legal duty on food businesses to ensure staff are appropriately trained, the Level 2 Award is the industry-standard way of meeting this obligation.
The assessment covers four core areas:
- Food Safety Hazards: biological hazards (bacteria, viruses, moulds), chemical hazards (cleaning products, pesticides), physical hazards (foreign bodies), and allergenic hazards, the legal obligations under Natasha's Law (2021)
- Temperature Control: the danger zone (8°C–63°C), hot holding above 63°C, cold storage below 8°C (or 5°C in practice), reheating, cooling, and temperature monitoring
- Personal Hygiene: handwashing procedures, illness reporting, protective clothing, jewellery rules, and hygiene behaviour in a food environment
- Food Safety Management: HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) principles, cleaning and disinfection, pest control, safe storage (FIFO), and supplier checks
The exam typically consists of 30 multiple-choice questions. Pass mark is approximately 20 out of 30 (67%). Delivered online or in person through accredited training providers.
Important: Under Natasha's Law (the Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2021), food businesses must label all pre-packaged food with a full ingredients list and clear allergen declarations. Allergen knowledge is now a tested area. Failing to comply with food safety legislation can result in enforcement action, fines, and business closure.
Key Food Hygiene Facts to Know
- Temperature danger zone: 8°C to 63°C, food must not be kept in this range for extended periods
- Hot holding: Food must be kept above 63°C
- Chilled storage: Below 5°C in practice (legal maximum 8°C for most foods)
- 2-hour rule: Food that has been in the danger zone for more than 2 hours is at risk; 4 hours is the maximum before disposal
- HACCP: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, the seven principles must be applied in all food businesses. Know each principle in order
- 14 major allergens: Celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, tree nuts
- Handwashing: Minimum 20 seconds with liquid soap and hot water, required before food handling, after handling raw meat, after using the toilet, after handling waste
- FIFO: First In First Out, older stock used before newer stock
- Legislation: Food Safety Act 1990, Food Hygiene Regulations 2006, Natasha's Law 2021, General Food Law Regulation (EC) 178/2002
Awarding body resources provide limited revision materials and no full practice tests. Practice Tests UK fills that gap with 100+ realistic questions across all four topic areas with step-by-step explanations for every answer.
| Feature | Official Awarding Body Resources | Practice Tests UK |
|---|
| Practice questions | Limited | 100+ questions |
| Answer explanations | None | Every question |
| Instant feedback | No | Yes |
| Progress tracking | No | Yes |
| Drill by topic area | No | Yes |
Free sample: Try 10 free questions below. Use Drill Mode to target the areas you find hardest.
