Root Cause Analysis . Food Labelling . Shelf-Life

Online Specialist & Short Food Safety Courses for Focused Technical Skills

Sharpen the specific, practical skills your food safety and quality team uses every week. These focused online short courses cover root cause analysis for investigating non-conformances, food labelling claims for manufacturing, and conducting shelf-life studies. Each is self-paced and ends with a downloadable Certificate of Completion.

FoodBev SETA Accredited 3 Focused Short Courses 100% Online & Self-Paced Certificate of Completion
25+
Accredited courses
3,393+
Learners trained
4.8★
Average learner rating
Instant
Certificate on completion
Accredited FoodBev SETA 587/00337/1900 HPCSA Accredited SAATCA TC 065
The courses

The three specialist short courses

Choose the specific skill you need. Each course links straight through to enrolment.

Overview

Focused technical skills for food safety and quality teams

Not every capability needs a full standard or a lengthy programme. Some of the most valuable skills in a food business are narrow and practical: knowing how to investigate a problem properly so it never returns, getting a product label and its claims legally right, and proving how long a product stays safe to eat. These specialist short courses target exactly those skills.

This page brings together three of ASC’s focused technical short courses: An Overview of Root Cause Analysis, Essentials of Food Labelling Claims for Food Manufacturing, and Overview of Conducting a Shelf-Life Study. Each course stands on its own, so you can take just the one you need or work through all three to broaden your technical toolkit.

Every course is delivered online and self-paced, so learners can fit training around production schedules, and each ends with a downloadable Certificate of Completion that demonstrates the skill to managers, customers and auditors.

Who it is for

Who are these short courses for?

These focused courses suit anyone who needs a specific technical skill quickly, without committing to a full standards programme.

QA & QC teams

Investigate non-conformances properly and verify that products and labels meet requirements.

Food safety team members

Strengthen the corrective-action, labelling and validation skills your FSMS depends on.

Internal auditors

Get to the true root cause of findings and judge whether corrective actions really work.

Product development & NPD

Build correct labelling and realistic shelf-life into new products from the start.

Technical & regulatory staff

Keep manufacturing labels and claims accurate, compliant and defensible.

Production & technical managers

Lead structured problem-solving and reduce repeat failures on the line.

Small & growing manufacturers

Pick up essential technical skills affordably, one focused course at a time.

What you will learn

What you will learn

Across the three short courses you will build practical, immediately usable skills. Depending on the course you choose, you will learn to:

Apply structured root cause analysis techniques to investigate non-conformances, complaints and incidents

Move beyond quick fixes to identify and correct the true, underlying cause of a problem

Link root cause analysis to effective corrective and preventive action within your food safety system

Understand the requirements and responsibilities behind food labelling for manufacturing

Evaluate food labelling claims so they are accurate, substantiated and not misleading to consumers

Plan and conduct a shelf-life study to establish how long a product remains safe and of acceptable quality

Understand the principles behind use-by and best-before dating and the evidence that supports them

Document your investigations, labelling decisions and shelf-life outcomes so they stand up to audit

How it fits

How these skills fit into your food safety system

Each of these short courses supports a core part of a working food safety management system. Root cause analysis is the engine behind corrective action and continual improvement, which are explicit requirements of HACCP-based systems and the GFSI-benchmarked standards such as FSSC 22000, BRCGS and ISO 22000. Without it, the same non-conformances keep recurring and audit findings pile up.

Accurate food labelling protects consumers and keeps products legally compliant, while a sound shelf-life study provides the evidence that a product is safe for its stated life. Together these specialist skills close common gaps that lead to complaints, recalls and audit non-conformances, making them a practical, high-value complement to any team’s core food safety training.

Answers, fast

Frequently asked questions

What is root cause analysis in a food safety context?
Root cause analysis is a structured way of investigating a problem, such as a non-conformance, customer complaint or food safety incident, to find the real underlying cause rather than just the symptom. Correcting the true root cause stops the problem recurring, which is why it is central to effective corrective action and continual improvement in a food safety management system.
Why do food labelling claims matter for manufacturers?
Food labels carry legal information and claims that consumers rely on to make safe and informed choices, including for allergens and specific product claims. Inaccurate or misleading labelling can breach regulations, mislead consumers and trigger complaints or recalls, so getting labelling and claims right is a core manufacturing responsibility.
What is a shelf-life study and why is it needed?
A shelf-life study is a planned assessment that establishes how long a food product remains safe and of acceptable quality under expected storage conditions. It provides the evidence behind use-by or best-before dates, which is why a sound, documented study is important for both product safety and regulatory compliance.
Can I take just one of these short courses?
Yes. Each course, Root Cause Analysis, Food Labelling Claims, and Conducting a Shelf-Life Study, is a separate, standalone course. You can enrol in only the one you need, or take all three to broaden your technical skills.
Are the courses online and self-paced?
Yes. All three specialist short courses are delivered fully online and are self-paced, so you can study around your production schedule and complete each course in your own time.
Do I receive a certificate?
Yes. Each course ends with a downloadable Certificate of Completion that you can use to demonstrate the skill to your management, customers and auditors.
Full course range

Browse all ASC food safety courses

Every accredited online course we offer, including food handler, R638, HACCP, GMP, FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, BRCGS, GLOBALG.A.P., microbiology, allergen, auditing and more.

Build the specific skill you need

Focused food safety skills, one short course at a time

Choose from root cause analysis, food labelling claims and shelf-life studies. Each course is online, self-paced, accredited and practical, so your team gains a real, usable skill without a lengthy programme.