Highfield UK
Food Safety Level 1, 2 & 3 (and Additional Courses)
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) mandates food safety competence for every business that handles, prepares, processes, or serves food in the Kingdom.
From five-star hotel kitchens in Riyadh to hospital catering operations in the Eastern Province, from food manufacturing plants in Jubail’s industrial city to quick-service restaurant franchises across every Saudi city, every food business needs a trained, certified workforce.
Highfield Qualifications — formerly known as HABC (Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance) — is one of the world’s most respected compliance awarding bodies, with food safety qualifications regulated by Ofqual in the UK and accepted by food safety authorities internationally. EFTC delivers all three Highfield food safety levels from its Dammam centre and on-site across Saudi Arabia, with delivery in Arabic and English to meet the needs of Saudi Arabia’s diverse food sector workforce
Accredited by
Highfield Qualifications (HABC), UK — Ofqual Regulated
Sectors
Catering & hospitality | Food manufacturing | Retail | Healthcare | Schools | Airlines
Level
Level 1 (Awareness) | Level 2 (Handler/Practitioner) | Level 3 (Supervisor/Manager)
Assessment
MCQ exam: Level 1 — 60% pass | Level 2 — 60% pass | Level 3 — 70% pass
Language
Arabic | English | Bilingual
Delivery
Classroom Dammam | On-site corporate delivery across Saudi Arabia
Duration
5 Days per standard (separate programmes)
Certificate
IRQA-approved Lead Auditor certificate per standard completed
Recognised by
SFDA, hotel groups, hospital operators, food manufacturers, retail chains across KSA
SFDA Alignment
Aligned with SFDA food safety regulations and Saudi Standard SASO 21
Which Level Do You Need?
CLICK ON THE COURSE NAME TO KNOW MORE DETAILS
The essential awareness qualification for every employee who works near food — from kitchen porter to hotel reception. Half a day. Immediately applicable. SFDA-relevant.
Duration | Half day (3–4 hours) |
Level | Foundation Awareness — all food industry employees |
Assessment | 15-question MCQ — 60% pass mark |
Certificate | Highfield Level 1 Award in Food Safety (Ofqual-regulated) |
Renewal | Recommended every 3 years |
Level 1 — Course Content
- Why food safety matters — SFDA enforcement consequences, cost to business, and reputational risk
- Food hazards — biological, chemical, physical, and allergenic contamination types and how they enter food
- How bacteria grow — the temperature danger zone (5°C–63°C), time, moisture, and food type interactions
- Personal hygiene rules — handwashing technique, uniform standards, illness reporting, and exclusion requirements
- Cross-contamination — raw vs. ready-to-eat separation, colour-coded equipment, allergen awareness
- Cleaning and disinfection basics — the critical difference between cleaning and sanitising
- Safe food storage — FIFO rotation, refrigerator organisation, and dry store standards
- Pest awareness — recognising signs of infestation and reporting obligations
- Employee responsibilities under Saudi food safety regulations and SFDA standards
Detailed clause-by-clause analysis of ISO 45001:2018 — from context of the organisation (Clause 4) through leadership (5), planning (6), support (7), operation (8), performance evaluation (9), to improvement (10). Understanding how the Annex SL high-level structure creates compatibility with other ISO management standards. Saudi-specific interpretation of OH&S legal requirements and how they map to ISO 45001.
Audit types: first-party (internal), second-party (supplier), and third-party (certification) audits. Auditor competence requirements under ISO 19011. Audit programme management. Planning an OHSMS audit: scope definition, audit criteria, audit team selection, logistics. Developing audit checklists and sampling plans. Understanding audit risk and how to adjust sampling accordingly.
Opening meeting conduct and purpose. Document review and gap analysis techniques. On-site audit techniques: observation, interview, records review. Collecting and evaluating audit evidence. Identifying nonconformities, observations, and opportunities for improvement. Managing auditee relationships and handling resistance during audits.
Classifying nonconformities: major versus minor. Drafting clear, concise, and evidence-based audit findings. Writing the audit report to IRQA standard. Closing meeting conduct: presenting findings professionally and objectively. Corrective action follow-up: evaluating proposed corrections and verifying closure. Audit record retention and confidentiality.
Participants plan and conduct a simulated OHSMS audit of a case-study organisation. Written examination covering standard interpretation and audit methodology. Assessor debrief and feedback. IRQA certification documentation.
Duration | 1 Day |
Level | Practitioner — all food handlers in catering, manufacturing, and retail |
Tracks | Food Safety for Catering OR Food Safety for Manufacturing — delivered separately |
Assessment | 20-question MCQ — 60% pass mark |
Certificate | Highfield Level 2 Award (Ofqual-regulated) — Catering or Manufacturing |
Renewal | Recommended every 3 years |
Level 2 Catering — Course Content
- Food safety legislation — SFDA regulations, Saudi Standard SASO 21, and Codex Alimentarius alignment
- Microbiological hazards — bacteria, viruses, moulds, and parasites: identification, control, and risk factors
- Food poisoning — causes, symptoms, incubation periods, and outbreak investigation overview
- Personal hygiene in Saudi catering — handwashing protocol, illness exclusion, and health screening requirements
- Cross-contamination prevention — raw/cooked separation, equipment colour-coding, allergen control
- Temperature control — cooking temperatures, cooling procedures, hot-holding and cold-holding standards
- Safe food storage — refrigeration management, FIFO rotation, date labelling, and stock control
- Cleaning and disinfection — schedule design, chemical selection, contact times, and verification
- Pest control management — Saudi-specific risks (cockroaches, rodents, flies), prevention and professional control
- HACCP awareness — the seven HACCP principles and how they apply in a catering operation
Level 2 Manufacturing — Course Content
- Food safety legislation and SFDA manufacturing requirements — GMP, HACCP, and traceability obligations
- Biological, chemical, physical, and allergen hazards in food manufacturing environments
- Personal hygiene in manufacturing — uniform, PPE, jewellery restrictions, and medical screening
- GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) — site hygiene, maintenance, water supply, and waste management
- Temperature control in manufacturing — pasteurisation, chilling, freezing, and shelf-life management
- Cleaning and disinfection of production equipment — CIP principles, validation, and microbiological verification
- Food allergen management — labelling under SASO 322, cross-contact prevention, and staff training
- Traceability systems — batch coding, recall and withdrawal procedures, and documentation requirements
- HACCP in manufacturing — CCPs, critical limits, monitoring, and corrective actions
The qualification that creates food safety managers. Three days of advanced content covering HACCP plan development, supervisory responsibilities, and food safety management system implementation.
Duration | 3 Days |
Level | Supervisor/Manager — food safety managers, team leaders, HACCP coordinators |
Assessment | 40-question MCQ — 70% pass mark |
Certificate | Highfield Level 3 Award in Food Safety Management (Ofqual-regulated) |
Prerequisite | Level 2 Food Safety qualification or equivalent experience recommended |
Renewal | Recommended every 3 years |
Level 3 — Course Content
- Food safety law and enforcement — SFDA enforcement powers, penalties, and improvement notices in Saudi Arabia
- Supervisor responsibilities — legal accountability, management duties, and documentation obligations
- Food microbiology in depth — bacterial growth curves, D-values, z-values, and processing control significance
- Food hazard analysis — systematic identification of biological, chemical, physical, and allergen hazards
- HACCP methodology — the full 7 HACCP principles applied to Saudi catering and manufacturing operations
- Designing a HACCP plan — process flow diagrams, hazard analysis matrices, and CCP determination
- Monitoring and verification of critical control points — measurement, documentation, and corrective action
- Prerequisite programmes (PRPs) — GMP, pest control, allergen management, supplier control, cleaning validation
- Food allergen management systems — SFDA labelling requirements, segregation, and risk communication
- Staff training and competency management — training needs analysis, records, and verification
- Supervisory food safety culture — leading by example, responding to non-compliance, embedding values
What You Will Learn?
- Level 1 All new food handlers, kitchen support staff, food delivery drivers, and food retail assistants
- Level 2 Cooks, chefs, food preparation staff, manufacturing operatives, and all food retail employees
- Level 3 Head chefs, kitchen managers, HACCP coordinators, food safety supervisors, quality assurance staff
All levels Hotel F&B teams, hospital catering, school canteen staff, airline catering, retail food departments
Additional Highfield Courses Available Through EFTC
Highfield offers an extensive compliance qualification portfolio beyond food safety. The following additional Highfield programmes are available through EFTC on request:
- Highfield Level 2 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace
- Highfield Level 2 Award in Fire Safety Awareness
- Highfield Level 2 Award in Manual Handling
- Highfield Level 2 Award in Conflict Management
- Highfield Level 3 Award in HACCP Management
- Highfield Level 2 & 3 Awards in Employability Skills
- Highfield Level 3 Certificate in Retail Skills
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Highfield food safety certificates are accepted by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority as evidence of food handler competence. EFTC contextualises delivery to reference SFDA regulations and Saudi Standard SASO 21 specifically.
Yes. EFTC provides on-site delivery of all three levels at your facility across Saudi Arabia — ideal for hotels, hospitals, and food manufacturers training large teams.
Yes. All three levels are delivered in Arabic, English, or bilingual format, with Arabic-language materials available.
Highfield recommends renewal every 3 years. Many Saudi employers and SFDA inspectors expect to see valid, current certificates. EFTC offers renewal training for all three levels.