Hygieniapassi for Catering Workers

Catering is legally the same as kitchen work for the passport: you handle unpackaged, easily perishable food. In practice, food is prepared in one place, moved, and served in another, often for many people at once.

Transport

Temperatures during transport are food temperatures, and they have limits:

• Chilled perishable food travels at a maximum of +6 °C.
• Heated perishable food that is not chilled travels at at least +60 °C.
• A mixed load of chilled foods with different requirements travels at a maximum of +6 °C.
• Warm portions must not cool to room temperature during transport.

A transport vehicle is not meant to cool or heat food. The food must be at the right temperature before loading.

Large batches and long service

Clostridium perfringens outbreaks are typical of large batches of food cooled too slowly, for example at mass catering events. Hot-cooked food that is held hot must stay at at least +60 °C throughout. Otherwise it should be chilled within four hours to below +6 °C.

Cold perishable food may be on offer at up to +12 °C for a maximum of four hours. If cold food was at +6…+12 °C during service, it may be sold or given away only within four hours of the start of service.

Buffets and leftovers

Leftover salad or macaroni casserole from a buffet may not be sold to customers the next day. After service ends, food that was kept at a maximum of +6 °C (cold) or at least +60 °C (hot) may be sold as takeaway or given to staff or food-aid recipients.

Short contracts add up

Catering work is often a series of short contracts with different companies. Separate short periods are added together toward the three-month limit, so a run of event gigs can bring you over it. See part-time and seasonal work.

What to expect from the employer

The employer must make sure that everyone who needs a passport has one, and keep a record of staff hygiene competence. Employers may also ask applicants for the passport before hiring.

Prepare

Read the lesson on handling and storing food correctly, which covers storage and transport temperatures, and then try the free quiz.