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Course overview
Gain practical skills for identifying various foods, their associated hazards and judgement of fitness. With our Food Inspection Module you'll be suitably qualified to inspect, seize and detain food.
Complete this module and you'll have evidence you're suitably qualified to inspect, seize and detain food. It can contribute to the award of the Higher Certificate in Food Control and registration with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) is the membership and awarding body for the environmental health sector.
Course Structure
Aimed at food safety officers having obtained the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection (HCFPI), completion of the Food Inspection module represents half of the conditions required to convert to a Higher Certificate in Food Control (HCFC), as outlined by the Food Law Code of Practice.
The Food Inspection module is a six-day course arming working professionals and industry personnel with valuable skills related to food inspection and control.
The course provides practical skills for identifying various foods, the hazards associated with them and judgement of fitness. It also covers the legal framework for removing unfit foods from the market.
The course is usually run in July, although you are advised to contact us to find the next available date.
Course highlights
Birmingham is ranked 80th in the QS World University Rankings 2025, maintaining our position in the top 100 universities globally and placing us 12th amongst UK universities.
Build valuable skills in food inspection and control on this six-day Food Inspection module.
If you hold the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection, you can take this module and learn how to identifying various foods, the hazards associated with them and how to judge fitness.
You'll also cover the legal framework for removing unfit foods from the market.
Course delivery
The module covers the identification and examination of common foods and food sources and judgement of their fitness for human consumption.
Module information
The Food Inspection module is a ten-credit module accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
The module will include:
Entry requirements
To gain a place at Birmingham you will need to meet our general entry requirements, as well as those specific to your course. Your application will be reviewed by the course’s Admissions Tutor, who will decide whether your application should receive an offer.
The Food Inspection module is available to holders of the Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection.
Candidates who are unsure whether their experience will be appropriate should contact the course coordinator to discuss the matter.
Fees and scholarships
- TBC for 2025
2024 fee - £650
Application process
To register an interest in attending the next course please contact:
Iain Ferris,
School of Chemical Engineering,
The University of Birmingham,
Edgbaston,
Birmingham,
B15 2TT.
Tel: (+44) (0) 121 414 5336
Email: i.ferris@bham.ac.uk
We operate a waiting list system and will contact those that have registered an interest as soon as booking becomes available.
Career opportunities
If you are a food safety officer with a Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection (HCFPI) and want to convert to a Higher Certificate in Food Control (HCFC), then this is the course for you. This is also suitable if you've studied an Environmental Health qualification that did not include this practical element. Officers with the Higher Certificate in Food Control may be authorised to use section 9 of the Food Safety Act 1990.