What hygiene legislation applies to restaurants?
The following outlines the main hygiene principles to which you must adhere in your restaurant. They concern your premises, equipment, staff, food storage and food consumption.
Food storage and preservation
One of the key requirements of food safety is respecting the cold chain.
This means continuously maintaining the storage temperatures of perishable foodstuffs as indicated on the food label. This applies in particular to fish, shellfish, fresh produce, ready meals, raw meat, fresh dairy products, eggs, desserts, ice cream, and fruit and vegetables.
Respecting the cold chain is essential for preserving the nutritional and organoleptic properties of food and for preventing the development of micro-organisms and germs that can cause food poisoning.
The temperature of refrigerators, freezers and cold rooms must be checked regularly to limit any risk of breaking the cold chain.
The rules for freezing food should be meticulously followed:
- Never refreeze a product that has been defrosted
- Defrost products in a refrigerator, not at room temperature
- Do not freeze any item that should be conserved above 0 degrees.
It is also important to respect the hot chain by cooking food to a minimum of 63°C.
Concerning food packaging, storage and handling, you should also:
- Disinfect the packaging materials used
- Store raw goods in airtight containers
- Store raw goods and processed foods in two different refrigerators
- Clean worktops and utensils at the end of the day
- Handle loose food with tongs when serving in the dining room
- Not place personal items, such as telephones, on work surfaces
- Not place items containing food on the floor
- Prevent and control pests (rats, flying insects, crawling insects, etc.).
Premises and equipment
Other standards covering the layout of the premises and kitchen fittings and equipment should be taken into account:
- Clean working zones (storage areas, worktops, etc.) must be separated from dirty working zones (bins, dishwashing area, etc.).
- The premises must offer sanitary facilities for both staff and customers (with washbasin and hand soap).
- Toilets must not overlook the kitchen or the food storage areas.
- The premises should be laid out in such a way as to facilitate regular maintenance and cleaning and prevent soiling, mould growth and pest contamination.
- The premises must be regularly cleaned and maintained.
- Cleaning and maintenance products must be stored separately, in a cupboard or in an allocated room.
- The restaurant should be equipped with the following:
- Grease trap
- Enamel or stainless steel utensils (unfinished wooden utensils are not recommended)
- Good lighting in the kitchen
- Cold room with a thermometer and a temperature control system
- Separate ventilation system for clean and dirty zones
- In the kitchen, separate sinks for hand washing and vegetable washing (preferably without manual operation)
- Hand dryers or disposable paper towels
- Floor drains for evacuating water used to wash floors
- Staff changing rooms near workstations if a uniform is required
- Equipment complying with the LERPAC or NF food hygiene notice (preferably).
