Food Inspection Module, CPD course

Program Overview

It contributes towards the Higher Certificate in Food Control and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health registration, opening up career opportunities in food safety and environmental health. The module includes practical examinations where participants demonstrate their proficiency in food inspection and decision-making.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Food Inspection module is a six-day postgraduate Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course designed for food safety officers who have obtained the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection (HCFPI). It aims to equip professionals with valuable skills related to food inspection and control, including practical skills for identifying various foods, the hazards associated with them, and judgment of fitness. The course also covers the legal framework for removing unfit foods from the market. Successful completion of the module provides evidence that the candidate is suitably qualified to inspect, seize, and detain food, and can contribute to the award of the Higher Certificate in Food Control and registration with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

Outline:

The Food Inspection module is a ten-credit module accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. It is held over five days with a separate date for the examination. Lectures take place on the University of Birmingham Edgbaston Campus. The module covers the identification and examination of common foods and food sources and judgment of their fitness for human consumption. This includes:

• Judgment of fitness
• Gross post-mortem evidence of pathological conditions of common food animals including fish, shellfish, and products of animal origin
• Spoilage
• Product recall and traceability, import and export of foodstuffs, health marking
• Appropriate legal responses to fit, unfit, and unsaleable food

Assessment:

Assessment is in an oral, practical examination during which the candidate must demonstrate their ability to correctly identify common foodstuffs and make accurate decisions about their fitness for human consumption.

Careers:

Successful completion of the Food Inspection module provides evidence that the candidate is suitably qualified to inspect, seize, and detain food, and can contribute to the award of the Higher Certificate in Food Control and registration with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. This qualification can lead to career opportunities as a food safety officer, environmental health officer, or other roles in the food industry.

Other:

The Food Inspection module is an ideal update for experienced officers taking on new responsibilities (e.g., TSO’s moving into food hygiene) or as part of a conversion from the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection to the Higher Certificate in Food Control.