Food Safety & Hygiene Checklist

This extensive inspection checklist helps evaluate the hygiene & safety standards in food manufacturing environments. It covers auditing of policies, food supply and storage, cleanliness, food preparation procedures, personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitation, pest control, waste management etc. Adapt this Food Safety Auditing checklist to your needs and ensure end-to-end compliance with Safety and Hygiene policies.​

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Food Safety & Hygiene Checklist



POLICY ARRANGEMENTS

1. Food premises registration document available & signed


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2. Food policy statements in place


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3. Policy documentation available, signed & dated


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4. Documentation brought to the attention of staff


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5. Organisations policy arrangement in place


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6. Organisational structure in place


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Delivery

1. No unauthorised suppliers used


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2. Banned food list available & adhered to? (if applicable)


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3. Chilled food delivered @ +8 deg C or colder


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4. Frozen food delivered @ -12 deg C or colder


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5. Food delivery temperatures recorded


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6. Condition of delivery vehicles & driver checked & recorded


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7. Deliveries not left unattended, uncovered, etc


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8. Date coding & food quality checked


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9. Abused or damaged goods rejected


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10. Unwrapping/ decanting carried out in separate areas


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Storage

1. Chilled/ frozen food stored without delay


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2. Store room in clean & tidy condition


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3. Food stored on suitable racking off the floor (6")


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4. Fabric & condition of store rooms acceptable


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5. Environmental factors satisfactory (temperature, etc)


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6. Refrigerated / Freezer Storage


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7. High risk chilled food stored @ or below +8 deg C


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8. Frozen food storage @ -18 deg C or colder


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9. Defrosted food never refrozen


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10. Use by date codes transferred to containers


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11. Food not stored in open containers


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12. Cardboard/wooden containers not used in refrigerators


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13. Glassware not used to store food in refrigerators


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14. In multi-use refrigerators are raw & cooked products separated to avoid the risk of cross contamination


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15. Are egg's stored under refrigerated conditions & date marked


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16. Refrigerators not stocked/overloaded


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17. Strict stock rotation being observed


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18. Food containers sanitised before use


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19. All "open foods" kept wrapped, inc cheese, etc


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Ambient Storage

1. Storage temperature is appropriate


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2. Is storage area well lit


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3. Protective light shields (diffusers) cover all light sources


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4. No open dried goods


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5. Food not stored near chemicals


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6. Date codes transferred to decanted food


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7. Strict stock rotation being observed


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8. No out of date dried goods identified


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Sanitisation

1. Adequate supplies of sanitiser available & used


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2. Correct application of sanitiser & staff appropriately trained


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3. Chopping boards, knives, slicers, etc, sanitised / washed after use


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4. Salad wash available & used


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5. Detergent sanitiser used in dishwasher or correct manual washing methods used


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Initial Food Preparation

1. Raw food not prepared near cooked food & utensils/surfaces sanitised between each use


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2. Disposable towels used to wipe down food surfaces


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3. Frozen food defrosted under refrigerated conditions


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4. Cold food refrigerated between preparation & service


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5. High risk foods kept out of refrigerated conditions as short as possible during preparation


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6. All high risk foods not left unattended e.g. During breaks


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7. All food prepared with minimum delay


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Cooking & Reheating

1. If hot food has to be pre-cooked are suitable control measures in place & strictly followed


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2. If cold food has to be pre-cooked are suitable control measures in place & strictly followed


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3. Blast chiller available if pre cooking regularly & short cook chill code of practice applied


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4. Blast chiller temperatures / time records available & completed


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5. If no blast chiller are hot foods chilled quickly


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Cold Storage

1. Display units not overloaded


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2. Food on display kept below +8 deg C or 4 hour rule applied


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3. Leftover food from display above +8 deg C disposed of


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4. Buffets out for a Maximum time of 4 hours


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Hot Food

1. All high risk food cooked to a core temperature of @ least 75 deg C


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2. Hot food display temperature kept above 63 deg C


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3. Hot food from display never reheated


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Temperature Monitoring Procedures

1. Probe wipes available


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2. Temperature test medium available in all refrigerators & used


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3. Probe used to check fridge & freezer temperatures


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4. Frequency check in line with company procedures (or at least twice a day)


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5. Probe calibrated monthly & checks recorded


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6. Annual formal calibration & certification available


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7. Probe breakdown procedures in place


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8. Action taken for unsatisfactory product temperatures


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Food Service

1. Delays between preparation & service kept to a minimum


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2. Cold food refrigerated between preparation & service


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3. Adequate protection for display avoiding contamination


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4. Food covered where possible


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5. Display units cleaned & sanitised after use


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6. Display units cleaned & sanitised after use


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7. If no blast chiller available, is action taken to chill food as quickly as possible & used within 24 hours


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8. Left over meat / fish is not re-used in other made up dishes


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9. 4 hour rule taken into account


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10. Glass / crockery containers or other items avoided


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11. Glass breakage procedures understood & operated


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Loose Fittings

1. Any loose fittings, nuts,bolts, screws, drawing pins, etc seen above food preparation areas


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2. Notice boards not positioned above or in close proximity to food preparation areas


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3. No drawing pins on notice boards


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Wood, Packing Materials, Cloths, WireWool Etc.,

1. Wooden handled equipment not in use


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2. Crude outer packaging not on food preparation surfaces


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3. No worn / frayed cloths, tea towels, etc


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4. Wire-wool, brillo pads, metal scourer, etc not in use


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Complaints Procedure

1. Procedure understood & followed


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2. Customer comments book available


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3. Suitable replies to customers comments entered


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Personal Hygiene Standards

1. All food handlers issued and trained in good hygiene guidance


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2. Finger nails are short, unpolished & clean


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3. Good personal hygiene practices being followed (seen @ time of inspection)


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Bad Habits

1. Staff not eating or drinking in food rooms


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2. Staff not coughing / sneezing over food, etc


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3. Staff not fondling hair, picking nose, scratching, etc


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Clothing

1. Clean protective over-clothing worn


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2. Over-clothing not worn outside work


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3. Personal clothing stored appropriately


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Hair

1. uitable head covering provided & worn for all working within the food preparation area & food rooms


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2. Long hair properly tied back, including waiting staff


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Hand Washing

1. Did staff wash their hands between tasks (handling raw meat, seafood,, mops, garbage, etc).


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2. Do staff wash their hands properly (hands are washed or gloves are changed at critical points)


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3. Wash you hands now notices displayed in WC areas


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4. Bacterial soap provided at all wash hand basins


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5. Disposable paper towels provided & used to dry hands


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6. Only approved jewellery worn


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Maintenance

1. Defect reporting system in place


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2. System for auctioning urgent defects in place


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Pest Control

1. Pest control contract in operation


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2. Suitable preventive measures in place for controlling pests & vermin, including clean areas externally, adequate proofing, sound structures, etc


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3. Un-screened windows / doors kept closed


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4. No active infestation noted


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Food Sampling & Retention

1. Samples taken for each meal


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2. Correct foods being sampled


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3. Correct amounts being sampled (min 3oz (75gms))


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4. Correctly labelled


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5. Kept for 14 days


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6. Stored frozen & segregated


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Food Hygiene Training

1. Managers & all food handling staff fully trained in appropriate safety & hygiene requirements


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2. Details recorded on personal training files


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3. Photocopies of certificates, etc available & held on file


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Food Safety Policy Training

1. Managers and all food handling staff fully trained & details recorded on training forms, etc


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2. Photocopies of certificates, etc available & held on file


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3. Available for each member of staff


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4. Completed, dated, signed & up to date


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5. Food hygiene training given during induction


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Cleaning Schedule, Etc

1. Cleaning schedule on display & implemented


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2. Schedule monitored daily & checks recorded


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3. Deep clean contract in place & included within cleaning schedule


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4. Deep cleaning records retained


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5. Deep cleaning contractors risk assessments available & held on file


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6. Deep cleaning contractors Safe Systems of Work available & held on file


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7. All cleaning staff fully trained &competent to carry out specialist works


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8. Photographic evidence available following extract duct deep cleaning


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Cleaning Standards

1. Utensils store age appropriate


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2. Cleaning equipment colour coded


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3. Floors & walls / floor / equipment junctions


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4. Wall surfaces to hand height (low level)


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5. High level areas (who's responsibility)


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6. Cooking equipment, including ovens, grills, fryers, etc


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7. Internal surfaces of refrigerators &freezers


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8. Refrigerator & freezer doors seals


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9. Food preparation equipment, e.g. Food slicers, mixers, etc


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10. Food preparation surfaces, including chopping boards


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11. Cooking utensils


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12. Crockery


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13. Drink dispensers, ice machines & post mix machines


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14. Wash hand basins & sink units


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15. Overall effectivity


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Vending Machines

1. All drinks / food vending machines cleaned daily


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2. Hygiene record card inside (as appropriate)


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3. Sanitiser used to clean dispense areas


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4. All staff fully trained


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5. Acceptable standards of cleanliness


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Refrigeration & Maintenance Records

1. Microwave emission checks carried out @least annually


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2. Microwave emission test records available


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3. Refrigeration maintenance contract in place


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4. Records of call outs / actions retained


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5. Dishwasher maintenance


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6. EHO inspection reports available & action points if any rectified


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7. Cooking oil stored in bundled area


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8. Waste oil disposed of through recognised contractor


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9. Out of date or unfit food appropriately disposed


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10. Glass breakage procedure in place & operated


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Waste Management

1. Have all waste products been identified & assessed


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2. Disposed of through authorised waste disposal company


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3. Are duty of care waste transfer notes available & held on file


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Sanitary Provision

1. Provision of adequate facilities for staff


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2. Provision of adequate facilities for others


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3. Clean


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4. Provision of suitable washing / drying facilities


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5. Hot & cold running water


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Checklist by GoAudits.com – Please note that this checklist is intended as an example. We do not guarantee compliance with the laws applicable to your territory or industry. You should seek professional advice to determine how this checklist should be adapted to your workplace or jurisdiction.

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