Food personnel; registration for instruction in accordance with the Infection Protection Act

If you are working or being employed in the food sector for the first time, you will need a certificate from the public health department confirming that you have been instructed in infection protection.

Anyone whose job involves direct contact with certain foodstuffs as defined in Section 42 (2) of the Infection Protection Act (IfSG) must comply with special infection hygiene measures and precautions to ensure the safe handling of foodstuffs. Instruction in accordance with Section 43 (1) IfSG will teach you the most important measures to minimize the risk of infection when working with food in a professional or commercial capacity.

If you want to start certain professional or commercial activities in which you produce, handle or place food on the market or come into contact with it, for example, or if you are employed in the kitchens of restaurants and other establishments that cater for communal catering, then you need a current certificate of instruction in accordance with Section 43 (1) IfSG from the health authority responsible for you or from doctors appointed by them, which is not older than three months, before starting the activity.

After starting work and every two years, you must be instructed accordingly by your employer in accordance with Section 43 (4) IfSG. The certificate of instruction and the documentation of the last instruction by the employer must be kept by the employer and presented to the competent authority on request (Section 43 (5) IfSG).

Further information can be obtained from the responsible local health authority.

In many cities and districts, it is also possible to take part in the instruction online. Following the online instruction, you will receive a certificate of successful participation after passing a short online test.

• Valid official identification documents with photo (from the age of 16) or ID card with online ID function

  Identification must be made by means of an ID document or by means of an appropriate equivalent (e.g. a BayernID registration or Smart-eID).

If you would like to take part in an online course, you will generally need a

• PC, notebook, tablet or smartphone
• a stable internet connection
• Valid official identification documents with photo (from the age of 16)
• activated camera or ID card with online ID function (or in future Smart-eID or BayernID/BundID registration)
• Current account, credit card or online payment method

You must register for the instruction in accordance with the Infection Protection Act with the responsible health authority or with doctors appointed by them.

If you take part in an online course: After a short online test following the online instruction, you can download the certificate for instruction in accordance with Section 43 (1) of the Infection Protection Act if you pass the test, or the certificate will be sent to you electronically.

You must attend the instruction before starting work/employment.

You can find information on the fees on the website of your local health authority.