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HPCSA Accredited Food Safety Training for Persons in Charge of Food Premises (FS01)

This Food Safety Training for Persons in Charge Course supports supervisors, managers, business owners and food premises leaders who need practical understanding of food hygiene, GMP, HACCP fundamentals and the legal expectations linked to Regulations R638 in South Africa.

FS01 Course code
17h Online self-paced duration
2 days Virtual or classroom duration
70% Pass rate for certificate
Food Safety Training for Persons in Charge of Food Premises course image
Course focus Practical food safety training for the person in charge of food premises, with strong emphasis on hygiene controls, legal duties, GMP, HACCP awareness and implementation confidence.
Our classroom options

Choose the delivery format that fits your schedule, team size and learning needs

This training page supports three delivery routes: online self-paced training, virtual instructor-led classroom sessions and physical classroom or onsite delivery.

Option 1

Online Self-paced Training

A flexible option for learners who want to start immediately and progress at their own pace.

  • HPCSA Accredited
  • Approximate duration: 17 hours
  • Budget-friendly and convenient
  • Certificate available after successful completion
Option 2

Virtual Classroom Training

Instructor-led sessions delivered online for businesses or individuals who prefer guided learning and live interaction.

  • HPCSA Accredited
  • Duration: 2 days
  • Presented via Zoom
  • Good for structured class participation
Option 3

Physical Classroom Training

Best suited to companies wanting onsite or in-house classroom delivery for teams and operational groups.

  • HPCSA Accredited
  • Duration: 2 days
  • Ideal for onsite company training
  • Minimum classroom size may apply
Course overview

Built for legal relevance, practical implementation and operational confidence

The course is designed for businesses and individuals who need a practical understanding of food safety expectations for food premises and supervisory responsibility.

Regulatory alignment

This course is aligned to the requirements of Regulations R638 under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972, including the training expectation for a person in charge of food premises.

Operational usability

Learners are introduced to real food hygiene practices, temperature control, GMP expectations, documentation awareness, foodborne illness basics and operational controls that matter on site.

Accredited learning

The programme is HPCSA accredited and suitable for learners needing recognised training support that can be used as evidence of food safety training where relevant.

Course Introduction

This Food Safety Training for Persons in Charge Course introduces the fundamentals of food safety practices, GMP and HACCP principles to the person in charge of food handling premises. It is especially useful for those new to the food industry or new to the legal and practical requirements relating to food safety in South Africa.

  • Useful for Certificate of Acceptability preparation contexts
  • Supports food premises leadership responsibilities
  • Introduces compliance expectations in a practical way

Who Should Attend?

This course is highly relevant for people responsible for oversight, food handling supervision, operational controls and hygiene management within food businesses.

  • Persons in charge of food premises
  • Supervisors and managers in food operations
  • QA and QC managers
  • HACCP and food safety teams
  • Internal and supplier auditors
  • Business owners and top management

Minimum prerequisite: None

Course content

Key topics covered in the training programme

The outline below reflects the core themes introduced across the course and the practical competency areas learners are expected to understand.

Core learning topics

  • Introduction to food safety, food quality and food safety hazards
  • Detailed explanation of Regulations R638 requirements
  • Temperature control and management
  • Introduction to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
  • Introduction to foodborne illness and causes
  • Pest control and waste control basics
  • Personal hygiene, grooming, health, behaviour and clothing requirements
  • Cleaning and sanitising fundamentals

Additional practical coverage

  • Food storage containers and packaging material requirements
  • Essential documentation awareness
  • Brief overview of HACCP
  • Brief overview of food defence
  • Brief overview of food fraud
  • Brief overview of traceability and recall
  • Regular assessments to support competency
Benefits

What learners and businesses gain from this course

The goal is not just course completion. The goal is better operational understanding, stronger compliance awareness and practical confidence.

Practical understanding

Learners should leave with a clearer understanding of the basic food safety requirements applicable to food premises.

Certificate of achievement

A certificate of achievement is issued after successful completion, subject to the required pass mark of 70%.

Evidence of training

The certificate may be used as supporting evidence of food safety training for the person in charge where relevant.

Helpful note: if your organisation is preparing for local authority engagement, operational upgrades or stronger hygiene management, this course can support those efforts as part of a broader training and implementation plan.
Upcoming dates

Upcoming virtual classroom training events

Bookings two weeks in advance are recommended. These dates relate to virtual instructor-led sessions. On-demand team bookings for virtual or physical classroom delivery can also be discussed.

Venue: Virtual via Zoom  •  Time: 09:00 am to 04:30 pm (UTC/GMT +2)
4 to 5 May 2026
24 to 25 June 2026
3 to 4 August 2026
Course enquiry

Need FS01 training pricing, registration support or onsite training details?

If you need support with FS01 course registration, virtual classroom dates, onsite team training, pricing or help choosing the best delivery format, complete the form and ASC will review your enquiry.

Course code FS01 – Food Safety Training for Persons in Charge of Food Premises
Training formats Online self-paced, virtual instructor-led classroom and physical classroom / onsite company training
Useful for Pricing enquiries, team bookings, virtual classroom registration, onsite training requests and course selection support
Virtual support Book a virtual consultation
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Frequently asked questions

Common questions about the Food Safety Training for Persons in Charge Course

Yes. This training page is for the HPCSA accredited Food Safety Training for Persons in Charge of Food Premises course.
It is intended for persons in charge of food premises, supervisors, managers, QA/QC staff, HACCP teams, auditors and business owners who need a practical understanding of food safety responsibilities.
Yes. The course content is based on the requirements of Regulations R638 and is relevant to the food hygiene and food premises management responsibilities described there.
You can choose between online self-paced learning, virtual instructor-led classroom training or physical classroom / onsite training depending on your needs.
Yes. A certificate of achievement is issued after successful completion, subject to the course pass requirement.
Discussion

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