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About the course
The Professional Diploma in Food Premises Inspection is a recognised undergraduate award that has been accredited by the Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB). Local authorities have a duty to enforce and implement food safety legislation.

The performance of this duty requires authorities to undertake inspections of food business establishments to ensure that the required standards of food safety and hygiene are met and that their legal obligations are carried out.

Inspections are carried out by authorised officers of the local authorities. Such persons may be directly employed by the authority or may be employed as contractors. All must be suitably qualified in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice (England). The Code recognises the Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB) Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection as such a qualification.

To achieve the EHRB Higher Certificate candidates must:

1. successfully complete a course of study that is accredited by the EHRB, of which the Professional Diploma in Food Premises Inspection is one
2. undertake a minimum of six months of structured practical training and complete a practical training logbook
3. attend and pass a professional interview.

Special features
This course is accredited by the Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB).

Your future career
In addition to employment with local authorities, opportunities will exist within food businesses where knowledge and understanding of the principles of food safety and hygiene are of paramount importance to the supply of safe food.

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Please note the following information for applicants

Modules

Food Safety Law and Administration

• The sources of UK food law: the common law, primary and secondary legislation, EU Regulations and Directives, CAC, Codes of Practice and industry guidance.
• The nature of legislation, its interpretation and the mechanics of the legislative process as it applies to food safety.
• The European Union: The consequences of UK membership of the EU. Its impact and influence on UK food legislation, the legislative process in the EU, the principle of mutual recognition and the process of harmonisation.

Future European initiatives

• Administration: Including the role of central government departments and the functions, duties and powers of the Food Standards Agency
• Criminal Liability: Food Safety (including key offences; traceability, withdrawal, recall and notification; hygiene regulations; product specific regulations; due diligence defence; role and enforcement powers of local authorities)
• Criminal procedure (including PACE and PACE Codes of Practice)
• Civil liability: liability under common law (negligence and contract) and statute (defective product liability and sale of goods)
• Human Rights Act 1998

Food Hazards

• Range of hazards associated with food
• Consequences of food safety hazards at individual and population level
• Characteristics of foodborne pathogens and their toxins
• Epidemiological, microbiological and clinical features of current and emerging foodborne pathogens
• Transmission routes of pathogens and other micro organisms during food handling and food production
• Review of significance of design and construction of food premises, production layout, equipment design and construction, factory services, in preventing contamination
• Surveillance systems for food safety hazards and foodborne illnesses
• Chemical and physical contaminants of food
• Methods for identification and control of food contaminants and foodborne pathogens
• Food safety control systems and their application

Food Technology

• Dairy Processing: pasteurisation, UHT, sterilisation separation and cream production yogurt and cheese production
• Meat Processing: curing, sausage making, heat treatment of meat, novel sources of meat
• Fruit and vegetable processing: canning, freezing, reduction of Aw, juicing etc.
• Fish technology: freezing, novel species
• Microbiological implications of spoilage of each of these processing groups
• Cleaning and disinfection processes
• HACCP
• Monitoring and quality assurance and control systems

Food Premises Inspection

• Food authority methods of managing food safety
• Audit and inspection techniques
• Controlling food hazards in food premises (including HACCP, quality management systems, pest control, training and education, layout, design and construction of premises, equipment)
• Role of the Food Examiner and Public Analyst
• Inspection ratings
• Microbiological standards applicable to foodstuffs

Your future career
In addition to employment with local authorities, opportunities will exist within food businesses where knowledge and understanding of the principles of food safety and hygiene are of paramount importance to the supply of safe food.

Work placement
Many of the candidates already work for local authorities and so will be carrying out the logbook part of the qualification. For those students that wish to gain experience in local authority help is given to find them placements with authorities that have pledged support for this course. This work can then help towards the logbook completion and will help to increase their employment prospects.