PassEveryTest
English

Food Safety Practice Test (Ireland) 2026

Food handlers in Ireland must be supervised and trained in food hygiene to suit their work. Courses and any certificates come from training providers; there is no single national exam. This practice covers food law, HACCP, temperatures, allergens, hygiene, cleaning and pests.

  • Food safety
  • Ireland
  • 60 questions
  • Checked October 10, 2026

Quick answer

Pass mark: Set by your training provider. The law requires supervision and training, not one specific certificate. It is run by Training providers; food law enforced by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the HSE Environmental Health Service. Practise here for free with 60 questions, each with the answer and an explanation. Checked against official sources on October 10, 2026.

Read before you practiseStart with the Food Safety Study Guide (Ireland): plain-language notes, diagrams and the numbers to remember.

  1. Question 1 of 25

    Which organisation has overall responsibility for enforcing food safety law in Ireland?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)

    The FSAI oversees the enforcement of food law in Ireland, working with official agencies such as the HSE.

  2. Question 2 of 25

    Who usually inspects restaurants, cafés and takeaways in Ireland?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Environmental health officers from the HSE

    The HSE Environmental Health Service carries out inspections of most food service businesses.

  3. Question 3 of 25

    Under food law, who is ultimately responsible for making sure the food a business produces is safe to eat?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. The food business operator

    The FSAI states that, under food law, the food business is responsible for ensuring the food it produces is safe to eat.

  4. Question 4 of 25

    Which EU regulation sets the general hygiene rules for food businesses in Ireland?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Regulation (EC) No 852/2004

    Regulation 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs sets the general hygiene rules, including HACCP and training.

  5. Question 5 of 25

    What does food law say about training for food handlers?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. They must be supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene to suit their work

    Regulation 852/2004 requires food handlers to be supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene in line with their work activity.

  6. Question 6 of 25

    Who must receive adequate training in applying HACCP principles?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The people responsible for developing and maintaining the business's HACCP-based procedures

    Regulation 852/2004 requires those responsible for the HACCP-based procedures to be trained in HACCP principles.

  7. Question 7 of 25

    Where can food businesses find the FSAI's free online food safety training resources?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The FSAI Learning Portal

    The FSAI runs a Learning Portal with online training resources for food businesses.

  8. Question 8 of 25

    Before opening, a new food business must notify which body so it can be registered?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. The competent authority that will supervise it, such as the HSE Environmental Health Service

    Regulation 852/2004 requires food business operators to notify the competent authority so each establishment can be registered.

  9. Question 9 of 25

    Which of these is a type of enforcement order that can be served on a food business in Ireland?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. A Closure Order

    Enforcement orders include Closure Orders, Improvement Orders and Prohibition Orders. The FSAI publishes orders that are served.

  10. Question 10 of 25

    What must a food business be able to do with the food it buys and sells under food law?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Trace it: know who supplied it and who it was supplied to

    Food businesses must have a traceability system, so food can be traced one step back and one step forward.

  11. Question 11 of 25

    What does "food safety culture" mean in a food business?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Shared values and behaviour that put food safety first at every level

    A good food safety culture means managers and staff all take food safety seriously. The FSAI Safe Catering Pack now has a section on it.

  12. Question 12 of 25

    In food safety, what does the abbreviation HACCP stand for?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point

    HACCP is a system for finding the hazards in a food business and controlling them.

  13. Question 13 of 25

    What must food businesses in Ireland maintain under food law?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. A food safety management system based on HACCP

    The FSAI states that you must maintain your food safety management system based on HACCP.

  14. Question 14 of 25

    Which HACCP principle comes first?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Identify the hazards

    The first step is to identify hazards that must be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels.

  15. Question 15 of 25

    In HACCP, what is a critical control point (CCP)?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. A step where control is essential to prevent or reduce a hazard

    Cooking, cooling and chilled storage are common critical control points in catering.

  16. Question 16 of 25

    In HACCP, what is meant by a critical limit?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. The value that separates acceptable from unacceptable at a critical control point

    For example, a minimum core cooking temperature is a critical limit at the cooking step.

  17. Question 17 of 25

    Checking the temperature of every batch of cooked chicken with a probe is an example of which HACCP principle?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Monitoring

    Monitoring means planned checks at each critical control point to make sure the critical limit is met.

  18. Question 18 of 25

    Cooked chicken probes below the safe core temperature. What is this a sign that you need?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. A corrective action, such as cooking it for longer

    When monitoring shows a critical limit is not met, a corrective action must be taken.

  19. Question 19 of 25

    Which HACCP principle checks that the whole system is working as planned?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Verification

    Verification procedures check regularly that the HACCP-based system works, and it is reviewed when anything changes.

  20. Question 20 of 25

    Why do HACCP-based systems need documents and records?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. To show that checks are being done and the system is working

    Documents and records are one of the HACCP principles and help show the business is in control.

  21. Question 21 of 25

    What is the FSAI's Safe Catering Pack?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. A user-friendly approach to HACCP for caterers

    The FSAI describes the Safe Catering Pack as a user-friendly approach to HACCP.

  22. Question 22 of 25

    What does the Safe Catering Pack include to help businesses record their checks?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Recording forms and checklists, plus a Declaration of Completion and Review that must be signed

    The pack includes forms for recording checks, training and allergen management, and a signed declaration.

  23. Question 23 of 25

    How many allergens must food businesses in Ireland give information about?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. 14

    EU food information law lists 14 allergens that must be declared when used in food.

  24. Question 24 of 25

    Which legume, sometimes used in flour, is one of the 14 allergens?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Lupin

    Lupin is one of the 14. Others include celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphites and tree nuts.

  25. Question 25 of 25

    Mussels and oysters belong to which allergen group?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Molluscs

    Molluscs include mussels, oysters and squid. Crustaceans include prawns, crab and lobster.

What to know before the test

  • Under food law, the food business is responsible for making sure the food it produces is safe to eat.
  • Food businesses must maintain a food safety management system based on HACCP and have a traceability system.
  • Food handlers must be supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene to suit their work.
  • The FSAI Safe Catering Pack is a user-friendly approach to HACCP, with recording forms and a signed Declaration of Completion and Review.
  • Allergen information for non-prepacked food is covered by S.I. No. 489 of 2014.
  • The FSAI publishes the enforcement orders served on food businesses.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a food safety certificate to work with food in Ireland?

The law requires food handlers to be supervised and trained in food hygiene to suit their work. It does not name one compulsory certificate, but many employers use courses from training providers.

Who inspects food businesses in Ireland?

For most restaurants, cafés and shops, environmental health officers from the HSE. The FSAI oversees enforcement.

What temperatures should I know?

Chilled food at 5°C or below, frozen food at −18°C or colder, cooking to a core temperature of 75°C, and hot holding at 63°C or above.

How many allergens must be declared?

Fourteen, including celery, lupin, molluscs, mustard and sesame.

Sources

Related tests