To produce food safely, it is essential to ensure good production hygiene. Information on this topic is provided here.
To ensure that you receive raw materials in perfect condition, it is necessary to inspect the goods on delivery or purchase. In the case of delivered goods, the inspection should also be documented.
The following points should generally be observed:
When storing food, observe the following points and specified temperatures (see table below):
| Food | Temperature (no more than / max.) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh meat from ungulates | +7°C | ||
| Minced meat (loose or packaged yourself) | For immediate supply | Ambient temperature | +7°C |
| Supply on the day of production or subject to special documentation supply within 24 hrs | Ambient temperature | +4°C | |
| Product temperature | +7°C | ||
| Meat preparations | +7°C | ||
| Meat products, perishable | +7°C | ||
| Fresh poultry | +4°C | ||
| Minced poultry / minced poultry products | +4°C | ||
| Poultry preparations | +4°C | ||
| Offal, fresh | +4°C | ||
| Small game | +4°C | ||
| Large game | +7°C | ||
| Farmed game | +7°C | ||
| Fresh fish, whole or filleted | Approximately melting ice temperature | ||
| Cooked or chilled crab and mollusc products | Approximately melting ice temperature | ||
| Smoked fish | +7°C | ||
| Delicatessen products | +7°C | ||
| Other perishable foods | +7°C | ||
| Cream cheese | +7°C | ||
Source: HDE guideline for good practices
Frozen / chilled goods, such as dairy products, meat or frozen goods must be stored at the prescribed temperatures until they are supplied to the customer. Make sure that the cold chain is not interrupted. It is therefore necessary to regularly check and document the temperatures of your self-service refrigerated cabinets and freezers.
Regularly check your goods in the retail area. You are allowed to still sell food that has passed its best-before date, but the manufacturer does not accept any responsibility for the safety of the products. The decision and responsibility to sell the products lies with you. In addition, you must clearly mark up goods that have passed their best-before dates as such, and offer them separately.
When handling perishable foods, additional training is required in accordance with section 4 of the German Food Hygiene Regulations (LMHV). You are required to take this training if you produce or process any of the food listed in this section, or place it on the market. Click here to find a training course near you.
When eggs are delivered to you, make sure that they are not damaged. Make sure that the best-before date (28 days after the date on which the eggs are laid) and the date after which the eggs are to be refrigerated (18 days after the date on which the eggs are laid) are specified. Eggs requiring refrigeration should be stored at a temperature of 5°C to max. 8°C.
You should avoid them coming into contact with other raw materials.
The processing of raw eggs, e.g. breaking them into a container, should be carried out separately from other food processes. Clean and disinfect the work surfaces used when processing the raw eggs. Discard the egg shells directly into the waste. Break fresh eggs just before they are to be used, and consume without delay, but no later than within two hours, if they are intended for hot food (section 20a of the German Food Hygiene Regulations governing Foodstuffs of Animal Origin (Tier-LMVO)).
Mayonnaise for further processing or direct supply should be freshly produced. Refrigerate the mayonnaise and preparations made from it at max. 7°C. Consume preparations within 24 hours, otherwise you must dispose of them.
Invisible germs, such as salmonella, can accumulate on the shell or inside of the eggs. These germs can then be transferred to the kitchen, and therefore to other food and meals, via hands and equipment, such as dishes, whisks or mixers. It is therefore important to make sure that you wash and disinfect your hands before and after handling eggs. Clean and disinfect (including by heat) all utensils and equipment that have come into contact with eggs. Carry out all work steps, such as washing, chopping or preparing, separately or at different times from the processing of other raw materials.
Specifications on handling foodstuffs of animal origin are set out in the German Food Hygiene Regulations and in the German Food Hygiene Regulations governing Foodstuffs of Animal Origin.
Make sure that fresh fish has a temperature of 2°C or that it is packed in ice when delivered. Clear, bulging eyes with black pupils, red gills, scales tightly attached to the body, shiny surface, firm consistency and an intact layer of slime are all indicators of fresh fish.
Immediately after delivery, store fish and fish products in cold-storage rooms / refrigerators, to maintain the cold chain.
Store different types of fish separately from each other. Make sure that fresh fish is stored in clean containers with a lid on, to product against any contamination. Maintain the permissible storage temperature of max. 2°C. If the fish is stored in melting ice, make sure that the melted ice water can drain away.
There are many different microorganisms present on the surface of fish. To prevent these microorganisms from spreading to other foodstuffs and multiplying there, wash and disinfect your hands before and after touching fish. Handle and process fish separately from other foodstuffs, and afterwards wash and disinfect any utensils and equipment used, as well as any work surfaces.
Colour-code your equipment by product group. For example, only use blue boards and knives for fish.
Defrost frozen fish in a cold-storage room at a temperature of max. 7°C. Make sure that the defrosting water can drain away and does not come in contact with other food (?Pictogram)
Specifications on handling foodstuffs of animal origin are set out in the German Food Hygiene Regulations and in the German Food Hygiene Regulations governing Foodstuffs of Animal Origin.
On delivery, the temperature of fresh meat may not exceed 7°C. Bear in mind that minced meat is a particularly sensitive product, and must not exceed a temperature of 2°C. For meat preparations, a maximum temperature of 4°C must be adhered to.
Immediately after delivery, store meat and meat products in cold-storage rooms / refrigerators, to maintain the cold chain.
The storage temperature for fresh meat is max. 7°C, and for minced meat is max. 4°C. Only keep meat and meat products in clean containers, open goods should be covered with film or a lid. Make sure meat and poultry are stored separately.
If frequent deliveries are received, make sure that the goods are adequately marked, so that the origin and best-before date can be ascertained at any time.
Only touch meat after washing your hands. Carry out all work steps, such as washing, chopping or preparing, separately or at different times from the processing of other raw materials. After touching fresh or defrosted meat, clean your hands thoroughly. Thoroughly wash and, if need be, disinfect all equipment used, such as knives, boards and machines after use, using hot water and detergent.
There are many different microorganisms present on the surface of meat, which can be spread via the hands or via contact with equipment. Colour-code your equipment by product group. For example, only use red boards and knives for cutting and handling meat and meat products.
Specifications on handling foodstuffs of animal origin are set out in the German Food Hygiene Regulations and in the German Food Hygiene Regulations governing Foodstuffs of Animal Origin.
Defrost frozen meat in a cold-storage room at a temperature of max. 7°C. Make sure that the defrosting water can drain away and does not come in contact with other food.
Minced meat and minced meat products are a particularly sensitive product group. When meat is minced or ground, its surface area is increased. This means that germs are given a larger area to attack. As a result, particularly stringent hygiene measures should be taken when handling minced meat and minced meat products. In addition to the points listed above relating to hygiene while working and product temperature, you should also take note of the following points:
As the specifications regarding the storage temperature of minced meat are based on business-specific production and processing procedures, please contact the relevant authority. They will be able to clarify which temperatures are applicable for your business.
As game and game products have a high level of contamination with germs, it is important to strictly comply with the points listed above on hygiene while working.
Specifications on handling foodstuffs of animal origin are set out in the German Food Hygiene Regulations and in the German Food Hygiene Regulations governing Foodstuffs of Animal Origin.
On delivery, the temperature of fresh poultry and poultry products may not exceed 4°C. Immediately after delivery, store poultry and poultry products in cold-storage rooms / refrigerators, to maintain the cold chain.
The storage temperature for poultry and poultry products is max. 4°C. Only keep poultry in clean containers, open goods should be covered with film or a lid Make sure poultry and meat are stored separately.
Bacteria such as salmonella may accumulate on the surface of fresh or defrosted poultry. To prevent this bacteria from spreading to other foodstuffs and multiplying there, wash and disinfect your hands before and after touching poultry. Handle and process poultry separately from other foodstuffs, and afterwards wash and disinfect any equipment and work surfaces used.
Colour-code your equipment by product group. For example, only use yellow boards and knives for cutting and handling poultry and poultry products.
Specifications on handling foodstuffs of animal origin are set out in the German Food Hygiene Regulations and in the German Food Hygiene Regulations governing Foodstuffs of Animal Origin.
Bear in mind that fresh, liquid cream must not exceed a temperature of 7°C on delivery. For other milk and dairy products, an upper limit of 10°C is applicable. Milk and dairy products must be stored in cold-storage rooms / refrigerators immediately after delivery. Immediately after delivery, store cream, milk and other dairy products in your refrigeration facilities, to maintain the cold chain.
The delivery temperatures must not be exceeded for the rest of the time for which the products are stored. Products that contain freshly whipped cream or cream mixture, such as cakes or cream-containing fillings, must be consumed as soon as possible, and no later than 24 hours after they have been prepared.
Milk and dairy products contain many different microorganisms. To prevent these microorganisms from spreading to other foodstuffs and multiplying there, wash and disinfect your hands before and after touching milk and dairy products. Handle and process milk and dairy products separately from other foodstuffs, and afterwards wash and disinfect any equipment and work surfaces used.
Do not whip cream until just before you use it.
It is recommended that you colour-code your equipment by product group. For example, use white boards and knives for cutting and handling firm dairy products, such as cheese or ricotta.
Specifications on handling foodstuffs of animal origin are set out in the German Food Hygiene Regulations and in the German Food Hygiene Regulations governing Foodstuffs of Animal Origin.
In keeping with good production hygiene practices, it is important not to promote the spread of germs from one product to another. This also involves washing and disinfecting your hands between individual work steps, as well as equipment and machines. Bear in mind that food that has not been kept at its prescribed temperature for a length of time must no longer be processed. If a refrigeration system stops working for a longer period of time, the food stored in it must be disposed of.
It is important that you observe good hygiene practices. This includes:
Service counters equipped with a chiller cabinet must also have checks carried out to ensure that refrigeration temperatures are observed, and this must be documented.
