MX · Expiry & renewal tracking
Never let the annual food hygiene training go unscheduled
Anyone processing food, beverages or dietary supplements in Mexico trains all production or preparation staff in good hygiene practices at least once a year (NOM-251-SSA1-2009, point 5.14.1). Factories keep the programme and records of each course for the health authority (point 6.6.1).
NOM-251-SSA1-2009, Hygiene practices for the processing of food, beverages or dietary supplements (DOF 01/03/2010), sets the minimum good hygiene practice requirements to be observed in the processing of food, beverages or dietary supplements and their raw materials (point 1.1). It is mandatory for individuals and companies engaged in processing food, beverages or dietary supplements for consumers in Mexico (point 1.2), and it cancelled NOM-120-SSA1-1994 and NOM-093-SSA1-1994 (point 12).
The general provisions of Chapter 5 apply to every establishment engaged in processing food, beverages or dietary supplements, according to the activities it carries out (point 5). Among them, all staff working in production or preparation areas must be trained in good hygiene practices at least once a year (point 5.14.1).
The training must cover personal hygiene, correct use of work clothing and hand washing; the nature of the products and their potential for growth of pathogenic or spoilage microorganisms; how the products are processed, considering the likelihood of contamination; the degree and type of further production or preparation before final consumption; the conditions for receiving and storing raw materials and products; the expected time before consumption; the impact of a contaminated product on consumer health; and knowledge of the standard itself, as applicable (point 5.14.2).
Food, beverage or dietary supplement factories must also hold the documents and records in Table 2, including, for staff training, a programme with a schedule and the topics in point 5.14.2, and records or certificates showing the date, participants, trainer and each participant's training certificate (point 6.6.1 and Table 2). These records are written in Spanish, kept for at least one and a half times the product's shelf life and made available to the health authority (point 6.6.1(a), (b) and (d)).
At a glance
| Who it applies to | Individuals and companies processing food, beverages or dietary supplements (NOM-251-SSA1-2009, point 1.2) |
|---|---|
| Staff to be trained | Everyone working in production or preparation areas (point 5.14.1) |
| Frequency | At least once a year (point 5.14.1) |
| Minimum content | Eight topics, from personal hygiene to knowledge of the standard (point 5.14.2) |
| Factories: programme | Programme with a schedule and the topics in point 5.14.2 (point 6.6.1, Table 2) |
| Factories: records | Date, participants, trainer and each participant's training certificate (point 6.6.1, Table 2) |
| Record keeping in factories | At least one and a half times the product's shelf life, in Spanish (point 6.6.1(a) and (b)) |
| Authority | Ministry of Health and state governments (point 11) |
The duty to train at least once a year sits in the general provisions and covers factories, food service establishments and retail outlets, according to their activities (points 5 and 5.14.1). The express requirement for a programme and training records or certificates under Table 2 belongs to the factories chapter (point 6.6.1); for other establishments the standard does not prescribe a record format, although a training certificate is the natural evidence of compliance.
Who is responsible?
The standard binds the individuals and companies engaged in processing food, beverages or dietary supplements (point 1.2): the establishment trains production or preparation staff at least once a year (point 5.14.1) and, if it is a factory, keeps the programme and the records or certificates in Table 2 (point 6.6.1). Electronic records must have backups and controls against unauthorised access and corrections (point 6.6.1(c)). In addition, anyone showing signs of illness that could contaminate the product must be excluded from such operations (point 5.12.1).
If the deadline passes
Enforcement of NOM-251-SSA1-2009 is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and the state governments within their respective remits (point 11). Factory documents and records must be available to the health authority on request (point 6.6.1(d)). The standard itself sets no sanctions; a missed annual training is identified in a health inspection as non-compliance with point 5.14.1.
Twelve months from each person's last session
The duty is per person: all production or preparation staff must be trained at least once a year (point 5.14.1). If you train the whole team on the same date, one record per establishment with that date plus twelve months is enough; with staggered hires, open one record per worker so that nobody exceeds twelve months. The mandatory topics in point 5.14.2 must appear in the factory's programme (Table 2).
Tracking it with ExpirySuite
- Add a record for each establishment or production worker and enter the date of the last good hygiene practice training plus twelve months as the expiry date.
- Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before the expiry date and on the day, giving time to schedule the session covering the eight topics in point 5.14.2.
- The internal or external trainer can upload the attendance list and certificates through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account.
- Assign a responsible person, such as the quality or food safety lead; if the date passes without training, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Frequently asked questions
- How often must food handlers be trained?
- At least once a year, for everyone working in production or preparation areas (NOM-251-SSA1-2009, point 5.14.1).
- Which topics must the training cover?
- Personal hygiene, work clothing and hand washing; the nature of the products and microbial growth; how products are processed and the likelihood of contamination; the degree and type of further production or preparation; receiving and storage conditions; the expected time before consumption; the impact of a contaminated product on consumer health; and knowledge of the standard, as applicable (point 5.14.2).
- Does it apply to restaurants or only to factories?
- The standard is mandatory for anyone processing food, beverages or dietary supplements (point 1.2), and the general provisions of Chapter 5, including annual training, apply to every establishment according to its activities (point 5). Chapters 6, 7 and 8 add specific requirements for factories, food and beverage service establishments and retail outlets.
- What training records must a factory keep?
- A programme with a schedule and the topics in point 5.14.2, and records or certificates showing the date, participants, trainer and each participant's training certificate (point 6.6.1 and Table 2), written in Spanish and kept for at least one and a half times the product's shelf life (point 6.6.1(a) and (b)).
- Who enforces the standard?
- The Ministry of Health and the state governments within their remits (point 11). Records must be available to the health authority on request (point 6.6.1(d)).
Sources
Last checked: Oct 11, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.
Made for food hygiene good-practice training (NOM-251) (Mexico)
A ready template for food hygiene good-practice training (NOM-251) (Mexico) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.
Reminders on time
Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each food hygiene good-practice training (NOM-251) (Mexico) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.
Assign an owner
Give each food hygiene good-practice training (NOM-251) (Mexico) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.