HACCP in food service: a practical guide to hygiene and food safety

Updated on 2026-07-06

What HACCP is, the 7 principles, the self-monitoring manual, kitchen cleaning and sanitisation and staff training: the operational guide for restaurants, bars, hotels and food service businesses that want to work safely and compliantly.

What HACCP is and who it applies to

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is the mandatory food-safety self-monitoring system for all food business operators, established by Regulation (EC) 852/2004. It applies to restaurants, bars, canteens, hotels with a kitchen, patisseries and any business that produces, processes, serves or distributes food.

The 7 principles of HACCP

The system is based on 7 principles: 1) hazard analysis (biological, chemical, physical); 2) identification of critical control points (CCPs); 3) definition of critical limits for each CCP; 4) monitoring of CCPs; 5) corrective actions when a limit is not met; 6) verification of the system's effectiveness; 7) documentation and recording of procedures.

The self-monitoring manual

The self-monitoring manual is the document describing the specific hazards of the business, the CCPs, cleaning and sanitisation procedures, temperature management, traceability and training. It must be tailored to the individual business (not a generic template) and kept up to date: in case of a health-authority inspection it must be available and consistent with what is actually done.

Kitchen cleaning and sanitisation

Cleaning is an integral part of HACCP. Professional products suitable for contact with food surfaces are needed: degreasers for kitchens, ovens and hoods; detergents and disinfectants for food-contact surfaces; dishwashing products; descalers. Correct dosing, disinfectant contact times and the availability of the products' safety data sheets (SDS) are essential.

Allergen management

Alongside HACCP, Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 requires informing customers about the allergens present in dishes. Proper allergen management (mapping, documentation, avoiding cross-contamination, staff training) is part of food safety and must be integrated into procedures.

Training of food-handling staff

Those who handle food must be trained on hygiene and self-monitoring procedures, with periodic updates (methods vary by region). Trained staff correctly apply dosages, times and procedures: it is the condition for the HACCP system to really work.

How Dipres supports food service

With the RistoHelp programme we support restaurants, bars and hotels with integrated help: supplying the right products (food-contact compliant, with SDS), consultancy on hygiene protocols, allergen management, staff training and specialist services (chemical and microbiological analyses, Legionella monitoring, food-law consultancy). A single point of contact for products and compliance.

Frequently asked questions

Is HACCP mandatory for a restaurant?

Yes: Regulation (EC) 852/2004 requires all food business operators to have a self-monitoring system based on HACCP principles.

Which products are needed for HACCP compliance in the kitchen?

Professional detergents and disinfectants suitable for food-contact surfaces, degreasers, dishwashing products and descalers, with the relevant technical and safety data sheets (SDS).

How often should the self-monitoring manual be updated?

It must be updated at every significant change in the business (menu, equipment, procedures) and in any case reviewed periodically to remain consistent with what is actually done.