Hygiene controls: Be better prepared

More than half a million food establishments were inspected by the federal state monitoring authorities in 2019. Since then, the number of checks has continued to rise. Food monitoring in Germany is risk-oriented. This means that companies with a higher risk are checked more frequently. Hygiene controls therefore primarily affect food producing and processing companies such as slaughterhouses and butcher shops, bakeries, commercial kitchens and restaurants. More than one in ten companies have complaints. The inspectors usually point to deficiencies in general operational hygiene and hygiene management, according to the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL).

In other words: For food businesses and restaurateurs, it’s about a hygiene strategy and preventative hygiene measures. That is why a HACCP concept has been mandatory in the EU since 2004. So if you want to face the hygiene controls calmly, you should take precautions and introduce preventative measures. Probably the most important measure is protecting the production facility from sources of infection such as germs and bacteria.

Clean/unclean separation: Everyday clothing and work clothing are strictly separated, e.g. through special lockers, shoe and boot storage systems, collecting containers for dirty laundry, etc.

Shadow walls: A simple form of separation of work equipment according to the GFSI standard is shadow walls. They ensure hygienic separation of the work equipment through color coding.

Access controls: Employees only enter the production facility and the kitchen after cleaning has been carried out. This is ensured by turnstiles with an upstream hygiene station or sink.

Hand and sole disinfection: There are sinks and disinfectant dispensers or even a complete hygiene station with sole cleaning in front of all access points into production.

Floor cleanliness: Another method of reducing the introduction of dirt are so-called hygienic floor systems, which are trays with brush modules embedded in the floor. It is equally important to avoid or quickly remove standing water. Scrapers, for example, can help with this.

Hygiene controls concern and apply to every food establishment. In order to avoid complaints, the following applies: prevention is better than cure. With a clever concept and the necessary technical aids, you can face hygiene controls with confidence.