R638:2018 is Government Notice R638 of 2018, issued under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972. Titled “Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of Food and Related Matters”, R638 sets the legal hygiene, structural, training, transport, equipment and personnel standards every food premises in South Africa must meet to operate lawfully and to be issued or retain a Certificate of Acceptability. Download the official R638 PDF →

Under R638, the Person in Charge is the natural person nominated and appointed by the proprietor or owner of the food premises as being responsible, on a continuous basis, for compliance with all the requirements of R638. The Person in Charge must be present during operation, must be adequately trained in food safety and hygiene principles, and is legally accountable for the conduct of food handlers, premises condition, food safety, and corrective action.

A Certificate of Acceptability is the legal document issued by your local municipality’s Environmental Health Practitioner (EHP) under R638. It confirms the food premises complies with R638’s general hygiene, structural and operational requirements. Operating any food premises without a valid CoA is illegal. Trained food handlers and a trained Person in Charge are mandatory prerequisites.

R638 Reg. 10(1)(a) requires the appointed Person in Charge to be adequately trained. R638 Reg. 10(1)(b) requires every food handler on the premises to be adequately trained. Both are prerequisites for Certificate of Acceptability approval and renewal.

Yes. ASC Food Safety Training holds FoodBev SETA (No. 587/00337/1900), HPCSA and SAATCA accreditation simultaneously — accepted by EHPs across all SA municipalities. We also offer virtual training via Zoom and classroom training at our three branches.

R638 Reg. 10 requires food handlers and the Person in Charge to be ‘adequately trained’ — most municipal EHPs interpret this as accredited training. ASC’s FoodBev SETA, HPCSA and SAATCA accreditation satisfies the highest interpretation of this requirement.

ASC is the only South African R638 training provider that simultaneously holds FoodBev SETA + HPCSA + SAATCA accreditation, is led by one of only three SAATCA R638:2018 Lead Implementers in SA (Mthokozisi Nkosi), is verified by SABC, eNCA, Newzroom Afrika, Cape Talk and Daily Maverick, is the named PIC training partner for KFC South Africa and Spur Group, holds 250+ Google reviews · 600+ five-star reviews, has BEE Level 1 status, and operates three SA branches.

Yes. ASC was among the very first South African providers to launch a dedicated, online R638 Persons-in-Charge course built specifically around Reg. 10(1)(a). 432+ PICs trained at 4.77★ on the public course, plus 1,978+ KFC PICs and 190+ Spur PICs under client deployments.

Yes. ASC trains across the entire spectrum: KFC, Spur Group, AB-InBev, Cerebos, Clicks, John Dory’s, Woodlands Dairy, Lancewood, Hussar Grill, Panarottis, Chateau Gateaux — and we publish a dedicated R999 Spaza Shop & Informal Trader course built specifically for Reg. 10(1)(b).

Yes — three modes: self-paced online (instant certificate, lifetime access), virtual via Zoom (live, instructor-led for teams), and in-classroom at our Gqeberha (Head Office), Johannesburg or Cape Town branches — or on-site at your premises.

No. The CoA is issued for the food premises, not the individual. However, every food handler and the Person in Charge must hold valid R638-aligned training certificates — these are personal and follow the worker even if they change employer.

Most South African municipalities expect refresher training every 12–24 months and immediately after any change in role, process, product, supplier, or any foodborne illness incident.

Step 1: Train your Person in Charge (R638 Reg. 10(1)(a)) and food handlers (Reg. 10(1)(b)). Step 2: Ensure your premises meets R638 structural and hygiene requirements. Step 3: Apply at your local municipality’s Environmental Health Department for a Certificate of Acceptability — the EHP inspects and issues the CoA on compliance. Read the 7-step guide →

Differences between food safety and food quality; biological, chemical, physical and allergenic hazards; full overview of R638 including hygiene requirements, legal obligations and PIC responsibilities; temperature control; cleaning and sanitisation; receiving, storage and FIFO; introduction to HACCP, Food Defence, Food Fraud, Traceability and Recall; and Good Manufacturing Practices. R1,699 — 17 hours self-paced, with instant certificate. Includes a copy of Regulations R638 and the ASC Learner Guide.

Yes — ASC Food Safety Consultants is a BEE Level 1 contributor with 135% procurement recognition — making us one of the best-scoring food safety training partners for procurement-conscious clients.

Basic Food Hygiene Awareness — 4 hours (R420). Basic Food Safety Practices for Food Handlers — 8 hours (R879). Persons in Charge of Food Premises (R638) — 17 hours (R1,699). Implementation of GMP — 16 hours (R1,950). HACCP for Supervisors — 16 hours (R2,730). Advanced HACCP — 24 hours (R3,950).

Yes. Every ASC certificate is downloadable on completion and includes a QR-code verification link, so EHPs and auditors can verify authenticity instantly.