Food Safety Matters
Online Food Safety Training That Meets SA's R638 Legal Requirements
Food Safety Courses, Food Hygiene Training, Regulation 638 Training, Food Safety Posters, Food Safety Documents, and more
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Why This Training Matters
If you handle food in South Africa, training isn’t optional.
To get your Certificate of Acceptability (COA), you must comply with Regulation R638 — which requires that your Person in Charge and staff are trained.
Food Safety Matters makes that simple:
R638 Person-in-Charge Course – SAATCA accredited
Basic Food Handler Training – ideal for all staff who work in a food handling environment
Fast, Affordable and 100% Online – learn anytime, on any device
Accepted by Municipalities Nationwide
Trusted by Industry: Used by restaurants, fast food franchises, commercial kitchens, supermarkets, and food manufacturers across South Africa
Download a copy of Regulation 638 here.
Read more about the COA application process here.
Our eLearning Courses
Regulation 638 section 10(1) requires two types of food safety training for staff in food businesses:
- The person(s) in charge of the food premises must do ACCREDITED training in food safety & hygiene (unless he/she is suitably qualified in food safety).
- All other people working on the food premises (i.e. food handlers) must be trained in food safety & hygiene and this training must be checked and updated regularly.
- Accreditation: Accredited with the Southern African Auditor and Training Certification Authority (SAATCA) – TCP No. 045; Accepted by municipalities nationwide.
- Content: Covers basic food safety principles, as well as the clause-by-clause requirements of Regulation 638. Jampacked with examples and case studies.
- Duration: 7-8 hours in total, always available, can be completed from anywhere in the country at the learner’s own pace.
- Downloads: Learner Manual, Copy of Regulation 638, Editable Document Templates.
- Suitable for: Owners; Managers; Supervisors
- Certification: Certificate of Successful Completion (emailed) upon passing of the online examination.
- Cost: R1750 per person.
- Content: Teach your food handlers how to become food safety heroes! Covers basic food safety principles applicable to food
handlers, based on the requirements of R638. - Delivery: FUN and interactive. Presented in simple English. May be done individually or in a group training setup
- Duration: 2-3 hours in total, always available, can be completed from anywhere in the country at the learner’s own pace.
- Suitable for: Kitchen staff; Cashiers; Bartenders; Waiters; Factory floor workers; etc.
- Certification: Certificate of Successful Completion (emailed) upon passing of the online knowledge test.
- Cost: R450 per person. Please enquire about group specials if you plan to enrol multiple people from your company
Ready to start your training?
Who This is For
If you’re in charge of any food operation — you’re legally responsible for food safety.
We work with:
Restaurant owners and fast food chains
Supermarket and franchise managers
School tuck shops and hospital kitchens
Food manufacturers and QA teams
B&B owners and hotels
Need to get your team compliant fast? Start today.
Why Choose Us
- At Food Safety Matters, you’re learning from the best. Founded by Juliette le Roux, a food safety expert with a Master’s degree in Food Science (Cum Laude), we bring decades of real-world experience to your training. Juliette has developed training for leading companies like Coca-Cola, Spar, Nandos, Entecom and Nelson Mandela University, and she’s a registered SAATCA auditor.
Our courses are:
Accredited and municipality-approved
Tailored to South African legislation (R638)
Practical, up-to-date, and easy to follow
Designed by experts, trusted by professionals
Supporting Products
BEAUTIFUL FOOD SAFETY POSTERS
- Encourage your food handlers to be food safety heroes every day!
- Seven different posters on everyday food safety and hygiene topics
- Based on the requirements of Regulation 638
- Available in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans
- Supplied in pdf format, suitable for printing in As/A3/A2 size
- Cost: R250 for the full set
R638 REQUIRED DOCUMENT TEMPLATES
- Editable templates
- Complies with R638 requirements
- Complimentary with our Accredited R638 for the Person-in-Charge course
- Cost: R250 for the full set
View Our Latest Blog Posts
We discuss subjects such as: What you need to know as a Food Business owner; How to get your COA; and Understanding SA Food Legislation.
What Our Clients Say
"Food Safety Matters provided us with HACCP training. The service was excellent before, during and after the training. All our delegates enjoyed the training. The training was done very professionally, and all delegates complimented on the outstanding material and slide shows that they were given during the training. Thank you so much Food Safety Matters for the excellent training and all the effort that were put into the training. I was very impressed that you incorporated our facility into the training to make it more understandable for our delegates. We will definitely recommend you to others and will make use of you in the future again"
– Magda, Lentaba Meats
"The course manual (for the Accredited R638 Food Safety for the Person-in-Charge course) uses colour, page breaks, text boxes, and content keys highly effectively. The case studies were memorable. The coursework is well written - I can see that someone paid attention to all the details when putting the material together to make the course material as user-friendly as possible. The order in which the course book is written in complements the video well, and the visuals (slides/videos) are well-composed, and the timing is cut perfectly. Everything just goes together so well, and this really helps with engagement. I will recommend Food Safety Matters to anyone who needs this training."
– Bruce, Liquid Tannin Manufacturing
"Thank you, Food Safety Matters, for the successful food safety workshops conducted at our skills centre for our Hospitality students as part of our youth empowerment program. The information provided is always very relevant and informative to the students as rigorous hygiene practices play an important role in the Hospitality industry. With these workshops our students are empowered with knowledge and resources, enabling them to find employment in the formal sector."
- Lynn, Ray Mhlaba Skills Training Centre
"I recently completed the Person-in-Charge food safety course, and I'm beyond impressed with the entire experience. The curriculum was meticulously crafted, offering a deep dive into everything from fundamental hygiene practices to advanced food safety protocols. The inclusion of case studies provided real-world context, making the lessons even more applicable and engaging.”
– Leanie, Food truck owner
"I must applaud Juliette for her professionalism and transparency. I believe the Food Safety Matters Person-in-Charge food safety course is the best eLearning course I have come across. The lessons were so audible and concise. Simple English to accommodate everyone. I have passed my course and received my certificate... I am super excited on this new journey of mine.”
– Mathilda, Restaurant Owner