HACCP lists for hospitality: which record sheets do you need?
The HACCP lists for hospitality are the forms on which you record that you carry out your food safety measures. HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, and a CCP is a critical control point, such as the core temperature when baking. You need a list for each CCP and for each prerequisite programme in your HACCP plan or hygiene code. The NVWA (Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) says: “Check regularly whether your HACCP approach is effective” (translated from the Dutch). Without completed lists, you cannot show that.
A list is only useful if every line contains a date, a time, a value, initials and, in case of a deviation, an action. Empty boxes and lists where the same value appears on consecutive days stand out during an inspection. The hospitality hygiene code from KHN requires at least one record per week for most records. The frequency in the table below is a common way of working and follows from your own plan.
Which lists do you need at minimum?
Start with the lists that come from your own HACCP plan or from the hygiene code. For most hospitality businesses, this comes down to the following set.
| List | Purpose | Frequency | Linked to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving check | Temperature and condition of delivered goods | With every delivery | Prerequisite: receiving |
| Cold storage temperatures | Cold rooms, fridges and display cases | Daily, or more often with a busy cold room | CCP or control measure |
| Hot-holding temperatures | Bain-marie, hot-holding unit | At serving, at least per shift | CCP or control measure |
| Cooking to core temperature | Cooked or baked dishes | Per cooking or per batch | CCP |
| Cooling | Time and temperature when cooling | Per batch | CCP |
| Cleaning schedule | Ticking off cleaning tasks | Daily, weekly, monthly | Prerequisite: cleaning |
| Allergen matrix | Which allergens are in which dish | With every menu change | Allergens |
| Staff instruction | Who has been instructed and when | On joining and annually | Staff |
| Pest control | Findings and actions of the pest controller | According to contract, and with every finding | Prerequisite: pests |
Not every restaurant needs all of these lists. A restaurant without a hot-holding unit simply does not need that list. Match the set to what you actually do.
Example of a completed list: cold storage temperatures
A fictional restaurant records the cold storage temperatures twice a day, at 9:30 in the morning and at 6:00 in the evening. This is what one entry looks like.
| Date | Time | Unit | Measured (°C) | Critical limit from plan | In order? | Initials | Action on deviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Oct | 09:30 | Cold room 1 | 4 | max. 7 | yes | JV | n/a |
| 14 Oct | 18:00 | Cold room 1 | 5 | max. 7 | yes | MK | n/a |
| 15 Oct | 09:30 | Cold room 2 | 9 | max. 7 | no | JV | door checked, re-measured, product assessed and rejected |
7 °C is the legal upper limit for chilled storage of goods without a special storage temperature set by the producer (Article 15 of the Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (Dutch Commodities Decree on the preparation and handling of food) ). If the producer’s label gives a lower storage temperature, that applies. Your plan may also be stricter. Set the limit in your plan and have the list refer to it. That stops someone on the floor from making up a limit of their own.
The temperature form itself, with more example columns, is worked out on temperature logs in hospitality.
What the auditor or inspector wants to see
During an inspection, the inspector usually picks out one list and compares it with reality. They check three things: whether the list is complete, whether the values are logical, and whether a deviation has an action recorded.
Check for yourself whether:
- the list has a version number and a date of adoption
- the critical limits can be found in your plan or code
- deviations are not only noted but also resolved
- the lists have not been filled in all at once afterwards
The last point is the biggest risk. A list with the same temperature for ten days in a row looks suspicious. A list with one deviation and a good action is a sign that the system works.
Common mistakes with HACCP lists
- A list that does not belong to your plan, for example a standard form from the internet with no changes
- Too many lists, so staff do not fill them in. Start with the lists that really matter
- No initials or no time, so it is not visible who measured when
- Deviations noted without an action
Where to keep the lists
Keep the completed lists in a fixed place, in a way that the inspector can view. A digital system works well, provided the data cannot be changed afterwards without a trace. For how long to keep them, read how long to keep HACCP records.
Continue with your records
- You will find the overview of prerequisite programmes and checks in the HACCP checklist.
- Cleaning records are worked out on the cleaning schedule for hospitality.
- You record allergens in the allergen matrix for HACCP.
- The HACCP plan that these lists follow is on the HACCP plan example.
Frequently asked questions about HACCP lists
Do I have to keep every list on paper?
No. A digital system is allowed, as long as it records changes and the lists can be found. See also how long to keep HACCP records.
What do I do if I forget to fill in a list?
Note it honestly, with the date and time, and explain what you checked. A missed measurement that you report carries more weight than a neatly completed list that is not correct.
Can I use a standard form from the internet?
You can use it as a starting point. Adapt it to your plan, your equipment and your critical limits. Otherwise it is not evidence of your own system.
Sources
- NVWA - Working with a HACCP system
- Hygiene code and HACCP, for the codes per sector
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen , Article 15