Part of the SafeHands Employer’s Guide Series – Food Safety & HACCP
Running a restaurant involves managing food safety risks at every stage – from deliveries and storage to preparation, cooking, serving and cleaning.
In Ireland, food businesses are required to have a food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP. For restaurant owners and managers, that means having appropriate procedures to identify food safety hazards, control the risks and demonstrate that those controls are working.
But HACCP should not simply be a folder of paperwork kept in the office. It needs to reflect what actually happens in the restaurant kitchen and be understood and followed by the people preparing, handling and serving food.
This Employer’s Guide looks at the key HACCP requirements restaurant owners and managers need to consider, including temperature control, cross-contamination, allergens, cleaning, record keeping and staff responsibilities.
What Does HACCP Mean for a Restaurant?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point.
In practical terms, it means looking at how food moves through your restaurant, identifying what could potentially make it unsafe and putting appropriate controls in place.
That journey might include:
- Receiving deliveries
- Chilled and frozen storage
- Food preparation
- Defrosting
- Cooking
- Cooling and reheating
- Hot and cold holding
- Serving food
Different hazards can arise at different stages, which is why a restaurant’s food safety procedures should reflect its own operation.
Do Restaurants in Ireland Need HACCP?
Yes. Irish food businesses must have a food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP.
How this requirement is met can vary depending on the nature and complexity of the business. Restaurants should therefore ensure their food safety management system is appropriate for the food they prepare and the processes taking place in their kitchen.
The responsibility for ensuring food is safe ultimately rests with the food business operator.
Should Every Restaurant Have the Same HACCP System?
No. An effective HACCP system should reflect the actual operation of the restaurant.
Consider the journey food takes from the moment it arrives until it reaches the customer:
Delivery → Storage → Preparation → Cooking → Holding → Serving
Other dishes may involve additional stages such as cooling and reheating.
At each stage, restaurant operators should consider what could go wrong and what measures are needed to prevent food becoming unsafe.
A HACCP system designed for another restaurant may not accurately reflect your own menu, equipment, kitchen layout or working practices.
How Should Restaurants Control Food Temperatures?
Temperature control is one of the most important aspects of restaurant food safety.
Potentially hazardous foods need to be stored, prepared, cooked, cooled and held under appropriate temperature conditions.
Restaurant procedures may therefore need to cover:
- Chilled and frozen storage
- Cooking temperatures
- Cooling cooked foods
- Reheating
- Hot holding
- Temperature checks
- Correct use and cleaning of probe thermometers
Staff responsible for these tasks should understand the procedures they are expected to follow and what action to take if something goes wrong.
For more detailed advice on a common high-risk food, see our Cooking Chicken Safely in Food Businesses guide.
How Can Restaurants Prevent Cross-Contamination?
A busy restaurant kitchen can have raw ingredients, cooked foods and ready-to-eat products being handled within a relatively small space.
Without appropriate controls, harmful bacteria can be transferred from raw food, equipment, surfaces or hands to food that will receive no further cooking.
Restaurants should consider measures such as:
- Separating raw and ready-to-eat foods
- Appropriate refrigerator and storage arrangements
- Effective hand hygiene
- Cleaning and disinfection
- Suitable utensils and equipment
- Safe food preparation practices
Kitchen workflow is particularly important. Where possible, preparation should be organised to reduce opportunities for raw ingredients to come into contact with ready-to-eat foods.
How Should Restaurants Manage Food Allergens?
Allergen management should be incorporated into restaurant food safety procedures.
Staff need to understand the importance of providing accurate allergen information and preventing unintended cross-contact.
Restaurants should consider how allergens are managed during purchasing, storage, preparation, cooking, plating and service.
Recipes and ingredients can change, so allergen information also needs to be kept up to date.
Employees taking orders or dealing with customers should understand the restaurant’s procedure for allergen enquiries rather than guessing whether a particular dish is suitable.
For further information, read our Preventing Cross-Contamination of Allergens guide.
What Cleaning Procedures Should Restaurants Have?
Cleaning is a fundamental part of food safety.
Restaurant cleaning arrangements should identify:
- What needs to be cleaned
- How it should be cleaned
- Which cleaning products should be used
- How frequently cleaning is required
- Who is responsible
Particular attention should be given to food-contact surfaces and equipment.
Cleaning procedures also need to work during busy service periods – not just before opening or after the kitchen closes.
What About Cooling and Reheating Food?
Food safety risks don't end once food has been cooked.
Restaurants that prepare food in advance need appropriate procedures for cooling, storing and reheating it.
Cooked food that is cooled too slowly can remain at temperatures that allow harmful bacteria to multiply.
Restaurants should therefore have appropriate procedures covering how food is cooled, stored and reheated, and staff responsible for these tasks should understand and follow them consistently.
What HACCP Records Should Restaurants Keep?
Records can help demonstrate that a restaurant's food safety procedures are being followed.
Depending on the operation and HACCP system, records might relate to:
- Deliveries
- Fridge and freezer temperatures
- Cooking, cooling and reheating
- Hot holding
- Cleaning
- Corrective actions
- Staff training
Records should be meaningful and reflect the controls actually used within the restaurant.
Completing paperwork simply for the sake of having paperwork misses the purpose of HACCP.
What Happens When a HACCP Control Goes Wrong?
A HACCP system should recognise that things can go wrong.
A fridge temperature may be too high. Food may fail to reach the required cooking temperature. A delivery may arrive in an unacceptable condition.
Restaurant staff need to know what action to take when an important food safety control is not met.
This is known as corrective action.
The appropriate response will depend on the problem, but employees need to understand when action is required, what they should do and who should be informed.
Do Restaurant Staff Need HACCP Training?
Food handlers need food hygiene supervision, instruction and/or training appropriate to the work they carry out.
Employees responsible for developing and maintaining HACCP-based procedures also need adequate training in HACCP principles.
Not every employee needs to design the restaurant's HACCP system, but staff should understand the food safety procedures relevant to their role.
A chef responsible for checking cooking temperatures, for example, needs to know how to carry out the check and what to do if the required control has not been achieved.
HACCP needs to work during a busy restaurant service – not just exist in a folder.
When Should a Restaurant Review Its HACCP System?
A HACCP system should evolve with the restaurant.
It may need to be reviewed following changes such as:
- New menu items or ingredients
- Different suppliers
- New equipment
- Changes to kitchen layout
- New cooking or cooling processes
- Changes to storage arrangements
- Introduction of takeaway or delivery services
A HACCP system that accurately reflected the restaurant several years ago may no longer be appropriate if the operation has changed significantly.
What Might an Environmental Health Officer Look At?
Environmental Health Officers can examine how food safety is being managed in practice rather than simply whether a restaurant has HACCP paperwork.
This can include food storage, temperature controls, hygiene, cleaning, pest control, staff practices, allergen management and implementation of the restaurant's food safety procedures.
Records can also help demonstrate that important controls are being monitored.
For a more detailed look at inspections, read What EHOs Look for During a Food Inspection.
What Are Common HACCP Mistakes in Restaurants?
Problems can arise when restaurants:
- Use generic HACCP documentation that doesn't reflect the kitchen
- Fail to keep appropriate records
- Record problems without taking corrective action
- Allow raw and ready-to-eat foods to come into contact
- Have inadequate cleaning procedures
- Fail to manage allergens properly
- Don't update HACCP procedures when the operation changes
- Treat HACCP as paperwork rather than everyday kitchen practice
For more examples, see Common HACCP Mistakes That Lead to Closure Orders | Employer’s Guide.
How SafeHands Can Help
SafeHands Health & Safety Solutions provides practical, onsite Food Safety/HACCP Level 2 Training for restaurants and other food businesses throughout Ireland.
Our face-to-face training helps employees understand food safety hazards, good hygiene practices and the role HACCP plays in keeping food safe.
Onsite training is particularly useful for restaurant teams because employees can learn together, ask questions and develop a clearer understanding of how food safety principles relate to their day-to-day work.
SafeHands training and certification can be delivered at your restaurant premises, making it a practical option for employers who need to train a number of staff together. Contact us today to discuss your Food Safety/HACCP training requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do restaurants in Ireland need HACCP?
Yes. Food businesses in Ireland are required to operate a food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP. The precise approach required depends on the nature and complexity of the food operation.
Does every restaurant need the same HACCP system?
No. HACCP procedures should reflect the hazards, processes and controls relevant to the particular food business. A restaurant's menu, kitchen layout, equipment and food preparation methods can all influence its food safety requirements.
Who is responsible for HACCP in a restaurant?
Ultimate responsibility for food safety rests with the food business operator. Employees also need to understand and follow the food safety procedures relevant to the work they carry out.
Do restaurant employees need HACCP training?
Food handlers must be supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters appropriate to their work. People responsible for developing and maintaining HACCP-based procedures must have adequate training in the application of HACCP principles.
Does a HACCP system need to be reviewed?
Yes. HACCP procedures need to be kept up to date and should be reviewed when changes to the food operation could affect food safety, such as new menu items, equipment or processes.
Are HACCP records important during an inspection?
Appropriate documentation and records can help demonstrate that food safety controls are being implemented and monitored as part of the restaurant's food safety management system.
Related SafeHands Guides