Highfield Level 3 International Award in Food Safety Management
Highfield Level 3 International Award in Food Safety Management – Kerala
If you supervise food handlers, manage a production line, or are responsible for quality and compliance in a food manufacturing business, this qualification builds the deeper, supervisory-level knowledge that Level 2 doesn’t cover. It is designed for people who already understand basic food hygiene and are ready to take on responsibility for food safety management systems, hazard control, and compliance within a manufacturing environment.
At Al Salama School of Safety Studies, we deliver this Highfield International course to learners across Kerala who want to move into supervisory, quality assurance, or compliance roles within food production. This page explains what the course covers, who it suits, how it is assessed, and what you need to know before enrolling.
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What Is the Level 3 International Award in Food Safety Management?
Quick answer: It is a Level 3 qualification from Highfield International that teaches food handlers and supervisors how to apply food safety management procedures, control contamination and hygiene risks, and manage temperature control within a food manufacturing operation. It is designed specifically for learners outside the UK, with a total qualification time of 20 hours, covering guided learning, practical demonstrations, and assessment.
The course is built around a single mandatory unit – Understanding the Importance of Food Safety (International) – and is structured around two core areas: understanding your responsibilities under food safety management procedures, and applying good practice around hygiene, cleaning, contamination, and temperature control on the factory floor.
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Why Take This Course?
Food safety enforcement is not static – inspection standards, audit expectations, and customer due-diligence requirements in food manufacturing keep rising. This qualification helps you:
- Understand your responsibilities as a food handler or supervisor under food safety management procedures
- Apply and monitor a food safety management system based on HACCP principles
- Reduce the risk of contamination incidents, product recalls, and customer complaints
- Support your business confidently during internal and external food safety audits
- Build the practical knowledge needed to move into a supervisory or quality-focused role
- Strengthen your CV with a recognised qualification in food manufacturing safety
Because the course is assessed by a single multiple-choice exam via Highfield’s e-assessment platform, it is also a relatively fast way to formalise supervisory-level knowledge without a long block of time away from work.
Who Should Attend This Course?
This qualification is designed for anyone working toward a supervisory or higher-level role in a food manufacturing business. It is particularly relevant for:
- Food manufacturing supervisors and shift leaders
- Quality assurance and quality control staff
- Production and department managers in food factories
- Hygiene, compliance, and audit-support staff
- Food handlers progressing toward a management track
- Business owners who want a working understanding of food safety management systems
Note on prior knowledge: Highfield recommends a minimum age of 18 for this qualification. Centres are responsible for ensuring learners can meet the necessary level of language in which the course is delivered, and it helps to already have a working understanding of basic food hygiene before starting Level 3, since the course builds on foundational concepts rather than introducing them from scratch.
Course Modules Covered
The course is delivered through one mandatory unit, Understanding the Importance of Food Safety (International), structured across two learning outcomes and tailored to the manufacturing sector.
1. Understanding Food Safety Management Procedures
- Key terms: food hygiene, food poisoning, food safety hazard, food safety management system, HACCP
- Responsibilities of food handlers and supervisors in a manufacturing environment
- How to apply a food safety management system into a real food business
- Identifying hazards, control measures, monitoring, corrective actions, and verification at critical steps of production
- Responsibilities during internal and external food safety inspections and audits
- Handling food complaints, food poisoning allegations, and investigations
- Managing hazards from delivery and storage through to labelling, stock rotation, and date coding
2. Application and Monitoring of Good Practice
- Maintaining high standards of personal hygiene, protective clothing, and fitness to work
- Induction and ongoing staff training to ensure competency
- Cleaning, disinfection, sanitisation, and safe waste disposal procedures
- Identifying and controlling pest activity
- Controlling microbiological, chemical, physical, and allergenic contamination
- Good workplace design and layout to prevent cross-contamination
- Temperature control across thawing, cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding food
Correct use and validation of thermometers
What You Will Learn
By the end of the course, learners will be able to:
- Explain why food safety management procedures matter in a manufacturing setting
- Identify their responsibilities relating to hygiene, contamination, and temperature control
- Apply hazard controls at each stage of the food production process, from purchase to service
- Recognise the early signs of poor hygiene, pest activity, or contamination risk
- Support their organisation confidently during internal and external food safety audits and inspections
Training Modes
Training modes: We deliver this course through classroom, online, and blended formats across Kerala, so working professionals in food manufacturing can choose whichever mode fits their shift pattern and schedule.
How Is the Course Assessed?
The qualification is assessed through a single multiple-choice examination, completed via Highfield’s e-assessment platform, with results available instantly. Learners answer 45 questions within 90 minutes, covering the full unit syllabus. A score of 30 out of 45 (66%) is required to pass, and 36 out of 45 (80%) earns a distinction. The qualification is graded pass, distinction, or fail – there is no formal “merit” grade.
Before sitting the exam, learners must provide valid photographic identification. Highfield accepts a national identity card (e.g. an Emirates ID card), a valid passport of any nationality, a signed photocard driving licence, or another photographic ID card such as a current employee ID card or student ID card.
Course Duration, Eligibility, and Assessment
Qualification level | Level 3 (International) |
Awarding body | Highfield International |
Total Qualification Time (TQT) | 20 hours (includes guided learning, practical demonstration, and assessment) |
Geographical coverage | Designed for learners outside of the UK |
Minimum age | 18 years and above (recommended) |
Recommended prior knowledge | Sufficient command of the language of delivery, and a basic understanding of food hygiene |
Delivery/assessment ratio | 1 qualified tutor/assessor to a maximum of 20 learners |
Assessment method | Multiple-choice examination via Highfield’s e-assessment platform (highfieldworks.com) |
Number of questions | 45 |
Exam duration | 90 minutes |
Pass mark | 66% (30/45) |
Distinction mark | 80% (36/45) |
Grading | Pass / Distinction / Fail |
Why Choose Al Salama School of Safety Studies?
Experienced trainers
Experienced trainers who bring real manufacturing and food industry background into the classroom, not just theory
Flexible delivery
classroom, online, or blended, so you can train around shift work
Kerala-based support
Kerala-based support for learners across the state, with guidance suited to the local food manufacturing sector
Real-World Learning
Practical, applied teaching, connecting each topic to real workplace scenarios rather than abstract rules
Clear Progression Pathway
A clear progression path toward Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications once you complete this course
Benefits of Completing This Course
- A stronger, more confident grasp of your workplace responsibilities as a food safety supervisor
- Improved ability to lead hygiene, cleaning, and contamination-control procedures on the factory floor
- Better preparedness for internal and third-party food safety audits and inspections
- Increased confidence handling pest control, allergen management, and temperature control
- A recognised qualification that supports promotion and career progression in food manufacturing
- Reduced risk of costly compliance failures for your employer or your own business
Progression Opportunities
Once you complete this qualification, Highfield’s recommended next steps include:
- Highfield Level 4 Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering (RQF)
- Highfield Level 4 International Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering
- Highfield Level 5 International Award in Advanced Food Safety Management
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Highfield Level 3 International Award in Food Safety Management?
It is a Level 3 international qualification from Highfield that teaches supervisors and food handlers how to apply food safety management procedures, control contamination, and manage hygiene and temperature standards within a food manufacturing business. It is designed for learners outside the UK.
Who should take this course?
It suits supervisors, shift leaders, quality assurance staff, production managers, and food handlers progressing toward a supervisory role in a food manufacturing business.
Do I need any prior qualifications to join?
There is no strict formal barrier, but you should be able to follow the course in the language it is delivered in, and it helps to have a basic understanding of food hygiene before starting Level 3.
What is the minimum age to register?
Highfield recommends that learners are a minimum of 18 years of age.
How long does the course take?
The qualification carries a total qualification time of 20 hours, which includes guided learning, practical demonstration, and the time spent on assessment.
How is the course assessed?
Through a 45-question multiple-choice examination, completed in 90 minutes via Highfield’s e-assessment platform, highfieldworks.com.
What is the pass mark?
Learners need 30 out of 45 (66%) to pass. A score of 36 out of 45 (80%) or above earns a distinction.
Is the course available online in Kerala?
Yes. Al Salama School of Safety Studies delivers this course in classroom, online, and blended formats to learners across Kerala.
What topics does the course cover?
Food safety management systems, personal hygiene, staff training, cleaning and disinfection, pest control, microbiological/chemical/physical/allergenic contamination, and temperature control.
Is this the same as a HACCP course?
Not exactly. This qualification covers food safety management principles that include HACCP-based concepts, but it is broader than a standalone HACCP course – it also covers hygiene, cleaning, pest control, and temperature control in depth.
What ID do I need for the exam?
A national identity card (e.g. an Emirates ID card), a valid passport of any nationality, a signed photocard driving licence, or another photographic ID card, such as a current employee ID card or student ID card.
What can I do after completing this course?
Graduates typically progress to the Highfield Level 4 International Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering or the Level 5 International Award in Advanced Food Safety Management, depending on their career direction.
Is this qualification recognised internationally?
This is an international award, designed specifically for learners outside the UK. Highfield recommends that centres check with the relevant government department in the country where the course is delivered to confirm local requirements, and recognition for a specific role always depends on the requirements of the employer or country involved.
What is the difference between this and the Level 2 course?
Level 2 focuses on basic food hygiene awareness for general food handlers. Level 3 goes further, covering the responsibilities of a supervisor: implementing and monitoring a food safety management system, verifying controls, and leading compliance activity, not just following it.
Why choose Al Salama for this course?
We combine experienced trainers with practical manufacturing background, flexible classroom/online/blended delivery, and Kerala-based support, so learners get a qualification that is both internationally recognised by Highfield and genuinely applicable to their workplace.
