What is the Dubai PIC food safety exam?
Every food establishment in Dubai must employ at least one full-time, on-site Person in Charge (PIC) certified in food safety. The PIC supervises daily food safety, trains staff and acts as the link with Dubai Municipality. To be certified, you complete training with an approved trainer and pass a written examination acceptable to the Food Control Department.
The exam format
| Who needs it | Chefs, kitchen managers and supervisors named as PIC |
|---|---|
| Levels | 3 training levels, matched to the establishment's activities and risk (high, medium, low) |
| Route | Training with a Dubai Municipality approved trainer, then the exam |
| Certificate | Valid 5 years from issue (Food Code, section 3.1.1(c)) |
| Questions and pass mark | Not published by Dubai Municipality |
Dubai Municipality's foodsafe.ae PIC pages describe a refresher before the end of year three and full retraining after a second failed attempt. Your trainer will confirm the current rules for your level.
What the exam covers
- Active managerial control: the PIC's legal duties, training records, food safety programme reviews
- Cross-contamination and allergens, including the nine allergen groups and non-halal separation
- Time and temperature control: 75°C cooking, 60°C hot holding, two-stage cooling, reheating, thawing and time as a control
- Cleaning and disinfection: 82°C dishwashers, chemicals, MSDS and written cleaning programmes
- Hygiene and health of staff: reporting, exclusion and the 48-hour rule
- Emergency control: power cuts, suspected outbreaks, recalls and complaints
- Safe sources and receiving: approved suppliers, delivery temperatures and traceability
- The seven HACCP principles and the Codex steps
- Food Code records and Dubai Municipality inspections
Free official resources, and what we add
The Dubai Food Code is free on the Dubai Municipality website, and the PIC programme is described on foodsafe.ae. There is no official practice question bank. Our 108 questions are original, grouped into 9 topics, and many are manager-level scenarios. Every explanation cites the Food Code section or Codex principle it is based on.
How to prepare
- Learn the Food Code numbers: 5°C, 60°C, 75°C, minus 18°C, the 2-hour and 4-hour cooling stages, and the time-control limits.
- Know the seven HACCP principles in order and be able to spot each one in a kitchen example.
- Learn the PIC's own legal duties in Food Code section 3.1.
- Practise by topic, then sit timed mock exams.
- Review every explanation, especially for scenario questions.
Practice questions with answers
Tap a question to see the correct answer and explanation.
Which food establishments in Dubai must have at least one certified PIC present during every shift?
- Only manufacturers that export food
- Only those open 12 hours a day
- Only hotels with more than 100 rooms
- Those preparing high-risk, ready-to-eat or raw foods
Answer: D, Those preparing high-risk, ready-to-eat or raw foods. Food service establishments where high-risk, ready-to-eat or raw foods are prepared must have at least one certified PIC present during all shifts. Source: Dubai Municipality Food Code, section 3.1.1(b).
For which of these must a separate, marked or colour-coded cutting board be used?
- Bread rolls and sliced bread from the bakery
- Whole lemons and whole limes
- Raw fish to be served as sushi
- Plates of finished desserts
Answer: C, Raw fish to be served as sushi. Separately marked or colour-coded boards are required for ready-to-eat foods, raw ready-to-eat animal and sea food such as fish for sushi, raw vegetables for cooking, and raw animal foods for cooking. Source: Dubai Municipality Food Code, section 3.4.1(l).
What minimum core temperature does the Dubai Food Code set for cooking raw foods of animal origin?
- 63°C
- 75°C
- 74°C, held for 15 seconds
- 70°C
Answer: B, 75°C. Raw foods of animal origin must be cooked to a core temperature of at least 75°C, or an equivalent time and temperature. Source: Dubai Municipality Food Code, section 3.2.8(b).