NVWA food safety: what do you need to comply with as a delivery or take-away restaurant?

Customers must be confident that the food they order and consume at a delivery or take-away restaurant is safe. Therefore, there are several rules to protect people’s health. The NVWA oversees the rules governing this. As a delivery or take-away restaurant, what do you need to comply with NVWA food safety?

What do we mean by food safety?

Food safety is a term used to indicate the safety or unsafety of food (Nutrition Center, 2022). Safe food means that we can eat the product without getting sick from it in the short or long term. Food can be contaminated with pathogens, harmful substances and/or the wrong materials. Well-known examples of pathogenic bacteria are salmonella, E. coli (EHEC), listeria and campylobacter. Examples of harmful substances include heavy metals, pesticide residues or residual antibiotics. Sometimes foreign materials also occur unintentionally in our food. Examples include pieces of glass or pieces of metal.

Hygiene code for the hospitality industry

To ensure food safety, hospitality operators must follow strict rules. Hospitality entrepreneurs who prepare food and beverages for consumption on site are required to work according to the latest Hygiene Code for the hospitality industry. This code complies with the most current food safety legislation. Order the latest version of the Hygiene Code for the hospitality industry quickly and easily via the website of the trade association Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN).

What does the NVWA do?

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) sees to it that food for people and animals is safe. Strict laws and regulations are laid down for this purpose in the Commodities Act or in European legislation. The NVWA checks whether catering entrepreneurs comply with these rules and food safety legislation. They do this by carrying out (unannounced) inspections. The results of these inspections are public. So everyone can see how the food safety in the relevant catering establishment is doing.

What does the NVWA look for when inspecting a catering establishment?

The NVWA inspection hospitality industry is always unannounced. The inspector asks for the latest version of the Hygiene Code during the visit. So make sure you always have this. Furthermore, the inspector pays attention to these three things:

1. Proper handling of food

The NWA checks whether the catering entrepreneur stores food safely and keeps it at the right temperature. All this according to the rules in the Hygiene Code. For example, all products you store must be labeled with a best before date (THT). It is also very important to check the products delivered for packaging, best-before date, freshness, color and smell. Does the product not meet your requirements? Send the product right back to the supplier.

Temperatures
Temperature control in the hospitality industry is very important for ensuring product safety. For example, raw, previously unheated products should be heated to 75°C or warmer at the core. To prevent microbiological growth, it is important that hot dishes be cooled to a maximum of 7 degrees within 5 hours of preparation. For frozen products, store them at -18°C or colder. Measure and record refrigeration and freezer temperatures at least once a week. That way you can be sure you’re on the right track.

Transport and packaging
It is very important that food be transported safely and hygienically. Products must be transported at the right temperature. In the case of hot meals, this is 60 degrees, while chilled products must be transported at 7°C or colder. This is why it is so important to think carefully about the delivery area of your delivery restaurant. The longer the delivery time, the greater the chance that the food will no longer be at the right temperature. The means of transportation and packaging material in which the meals are transported must also meet safety requirements. For example, the packaging materials must be suitable for storing food and must not pose a threat to food safety (CoC, 2022).

2. hygiene

The NVWA also checks for hygienic work in the restaurant. They check whether all areas, kitchen equipment and materials are clean. All staff must also be aware of the rules around working hygienically. Make sure staff always wear clean work clothes. Furthermore, jewelry is prohibited for kitchen staff while preparing food. It is also very important to separate raw and prepared products. This prevents cross-contamination.

3. pest control

Pests can be a risk to (public) health. Therefore, the NVWA checks what the entrepreneur does against mice, rats, cockroaches and other pests. For example, pests are not allowed to roam in places where food and beverages are prepared, handled or stored (NVWA, 2022). This is because customers must be able to trust that the food they consume is safe. Fortunately, hospitality entrepreneurs can do a lot to prevent pest problems. It is very important to keep the establishment clean and make sure that pests cannot simply enter the catering establishment. Pests should always be controlled in a professional manner. Only someone who has a recognized professional qualification and is certified to do the pest control.

Ensuring food safety with HACCP system

All hygiene codes in the Netherlands are based on the HACCP system. In this you describe the possible risks of processing food. HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (NVWA, 2022). Hospitality entrepreneurs can comply with HACCP rules in two ways: use an approved, recent Hygiene Code for the Hospitality Industry or create your own HACCP plan.

Creating your own HACCP plan

As a catering entrepreneur, you may also draw up your own HACCP plan. Of course, this plan must meet a number of conditions. For example, you must take into account the 7 basic principles of the HACCP system:
1. Make an inventory of all potential hazards. Which hazards are real?
2. What measures are needed to control the hazard? Identify the critical control points (CCPs).
3. Identify critical limits for each CCP.
4. Develop a control system.
5. Record the corrective actions for each violation. The corrective actions may be necessary to restore safety.
6. Apply verification. Verification shows whether the operating procedure leads to sufficient safety.
7. Finally, keep documentation and records. This is very important!

Getting food safety certification

The plan is reviewed and audited by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). Would you like to get a food safety certificate? Then you can buy and follow a HACCP training course. By the way, it is not mandatory to get this certificate. Nevertheless, it can be useful to have your staff follow this training. This way you can be sure that they are aware of the regulations concerning hygiene and food safety.

Difference between Hygiene Code and Social Hygiene Horeca

Good to know: the Hygiene Code is not the same as the Diploma in Social Hygiene. They deal with different issues and different regulations. The Diploma in Social Hygiene deals with the responsible serving and selling of alcohol. There must always be at least one person present in the establishment during the opening hours of the catering establishment who holds this diploma. This requirement can be found in the Alcohol Act. The Hygiene Code shows how the food safety of products for consumers can be guaranteed. An important code when we talk about NVWA food safety. So this is something different from the Social Hygiene diploma.

Smart solutions for your delivery or take-away restaurant

Now that you are completely ready and prepared as a delivery restaurant, we at Cashdesk like to think along with you about smart solutions for your delivery restaurant or take-away. For example, your own ordering website so you’re not dependent on platforms like Take-Awy.nl and Deliveroo. You save a commission of 14% per order. An average delivery restaurant quickly saves €10,000 per year. Want to know what we can do for you? Please contact us to discuss the possibilities.

Resources:
1. https://www.nvwa.nl/onderwerpen/inspectieresultaten-horecagelegenheden#:~:text=Waar%20let%20de%20NVWA%20op%20bij%20inspectie%20van%20een%20horecabedrijf%3F&text=We%20controleren%20onder%20meer%20of,de%20hygi%C3%ABnecode%20voor%20de%20horeca.&text=We%20controleren%20bijvoorbeeld%20of%20alle%20ruimtes%20en%20materialen%20goed%20schoon%20zijn.
2. https://www.kvk.nl/advies-en-informatie/wetten-en-regels/voedselveiligheid-in-de-horeca-alles-over-haccp/
3. https://sensz.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Voedselveiligheid-bij-afhaalmaaltijden-en-bezorging.pdf
4. https://www.nvwa.nl/onderwerpen/muizen-en-andere-plaagdieren-bestrijden
5. https://www.voedingscentrum.nl/encyclopedie/voedselveiligheid.aspx#:~:text=Voedselveiligheid%20is%20een%20term%20om,schadelijke%20stoffen%20of%20productvreemde%20materialen
6. https://blog.proformula.com/nl/10-tips-om-te-slagen-voor-de-nvwa-inspectie?utm_term=nvwa%20controle%20horeca&utm_campaign=NVWA-inspectie+-+10+tips&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=9507376496&hsa_cam=14718424997&hsa_grp=124322315261&hsa_ad=547041730938&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-1475620671249&hsa_kw=nvwa%20controle%20horeca&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyracBhDoARIsACGFcS5FymYrYu-Eg-7ETrHSy7fKyI7jS2F38_6znq717QU9FrmveNdCMRgaAl2YEALw_wcB