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Food Safety

Guidance platform

About the platform

In order to assist Member States and food business operators to better understand the food hygiene rules and how to implement them in specific sectors, a selection of representative full guides at EU and national level for different aspect are made available through the links below.

For detailed information about national guidelines in different sectors users should check the EU Register of National Guides to Good Hygiene Practice which provides an overview of all guides.

EC guidance

Guidance provided by the European Commission

Guidance document on hygiene of food of animal origin

Guidance document on the implementation of certain provisions of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 on the hygiene of food of animal origin

FAQ on flexibility for food business operators

(All language versions in zip format)

FAQs on flexibility for competent authorities

(All language versions in zip format)

Commission Notice on the implementation of food safety management systems covering Good Hygiene Practices and procedures based on the HACCP principles, including the facilitation/flexibility of the implementation in certain food businesses

View Commission Notice

Please note: The link referred to in footnote 9 contains an error and should read: https://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FoodDrinkEuropes-Guidance-on-Food-Allergen-Management-for-Food-Manufacturers-2022.pdf

Guidance document on the hygiene of all food

Guidance document on the implementation of certain provisions of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs

Guide to the Principles of Good Practice for the microbiological classification and monitoring of bivalve Mollusc production and relaying areas with regard to Implementing Regulation 2019/627

Guide to the Principles of Good Practice for the microbiological classification and monitoring of bivalve Mollusc production and relaying areas with regard to Implementing Regulation 2019/627

Commission Notice providing guidance on food safety management systems for food retail activities, including food donations

Commission Notice providing guidance on food safety management systems for food retail activities, including food donations, available in all EU languages

Attention: Due to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2021/1374, the guidance on freezing at retail in Section 5.4 is outdated. For the purpose of food donation, freezing of meat is allowed at any retail establishment under the conditions laid down in that Regulation
Import conditions for raw materials and treated raw materials for the production of gelatine and collagen
Guidelines on minimum recommendations for official laboratory appointed for the detection of Trichinella in meat
Monitoring of Toxin-producing Phytoplankton in Bivalve Mollusc Harvesting Areas Guide to Good Practice: Technical Application

View the Guide to Good Practice: Technical Application

Commission notice on addressing microbiological risks in fresh fruits and vegetables at primary production through good hygiene

Commission notice on guidance document on addressing microbiological risks in fresh fruits and vegetables at primary production through good hygiene – Final version of 23rd May 2017

Commission Notice on the implementation of requirements for composite products

Please see the Commission Notice on the implementation of requirements for composite products

Guidance Document on Listeria monocytogenes shelf-life studies for ready-to-eat foods, under Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs

Guidance Document on Listeria monocytogenes shelf-life studies for ready-to-eat foods, under Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs

Guidance Document on the minimum requirements for Salmonella control programmes to be recognised equivalent to those approved for Sweden and Finland in respect of meat and eggs of Gallus gallus

Guidance Document on the minimum requirements for Salmonella control programmes to be recognised equivalent to those approved for Sweden and Finland in respect of meat and eggs of Gallus gallus

Stakeholder guidance

Guidance provided by EU Stakeholders organisations

Guidance document on sharing good practices in slaughter hygiene

 

Guidelines for control of Listeria in quick-frozen vegetables

Guidelines for control of Listeria in quick-frozen vegetables

 

Guidance document on good practice for smoked and/or salted and/or marinated fish

 

Guidance on cheese as raw material in the manufacture of food products
European Guide for the hygienic manufacture of Processed Cheese
ESSA hygiene guideline: Sprouts and seeds for sprouting

ESSA hygiene guideline for the production of sprouts and seeds for sprouting issued by the European Sprouted Seeds Association” – Final version of 17th January 2017

Good Hygiene Practices in the production of artisanal cheese and dairy products

 

Good hygiene practices specific to wholesale market management in the EU

Draft translations

Food Donation Guidelines "Every Meal Matters"

EU Guidelines for Food Donation

Guide to good hygienic practice for Hygiene and the application of the HACCP principles in the production of natural sausage casings

 

Guide to good hygiene practices for packaged water
Guide to good manufacturing practice for "liquid, concentrated, frozen and dried egg products" used as food ingredients
biosafety_fh_guidance_guide_good-practice-haccp-eepa_en.pdf

EEPA – European Egg Processors Association
Guide To Good Manufacturing Practice For "Liquid, Concentrated, Frozen And Dried Egg Products" Used As Food Ingredients (Non-Ready To Eat Egg Products)

  • Guidance note
  • 15 March 2021
Guidelines for developing EU Guides to Good Practice
Guidelines for Distributors and Operators of Plumbed-in POU issued by Water Coolers Europe
biosafety_fh_guidance_guidelines_water_coolers_en.pdf

EU Guidelines for Good Hygienic Practice for Distributors and Operators of Plumbed-in POU (Point of Use) issued by Water Coolers Europe (WCE) .

Final version of 5th September 2016

  • Guidance note
  • 2 July 2024
IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices for European Union (EU) producers of insects as food and feed.
biosafety_fh_guidance_guidelines_ipiff-gghp.pdf

IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices for European Union (EU) producers of insects as food and feed.

(Disclaimer: This document has been presented to the "Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed" in the "Biological Safety of the Food Chain" and the "Animal Nutrition" sections. Only the legislative references related to these parts have been endorsed.)

  • General publications
  • 17 December 2024

National Guidance

For detailed information about national guidelines in different sectors users should check the EU Register of National Guides to Good Hygiene Practice which provides an overview of all guides.