Food Safety Records in Finland: Laws, Inspections and Oiva

Finland food safety records explained: Food Act, municipal inspections, Oiva A-D reports, own-check records, hygiene passport, allergens and digital records.

2026-10-31 · Chef Hygiene

Do food businesses in Finland need food safety records? Yes. Every food business must run an own-check system (omavalvonta) that finds and controls hazards, and you must record the results. The municipal food control inspects restaurants and the result is published in the national Oiva scheme, with grades A to D. The latest Oiva report must be shown at your entrance and on your website. This page explains the Finnish rules, what inspectors look for, where businesses lose marks, and how digital records help.

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Every fact below comes from an official source, linked in the text and at the end. Where the law sets no number and a number comes from Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) guidance, we say so.

## Contents

The law: what every Finnish food business must do
Who inspects you, and how often
Oiva: grades A to D, shown in public
The records inspectors ask for
Where businesses lose marks
By type of business
Why digital records help in Finland
How Chef Hygiene helps
A fair price, on purpose
Less paper
FAQ
Official sources

## 1. The law: what every Finnish food business must do

The main laws. The Food Act 297/2021 (elintarvikelaki), the hygiene decree 318/2021, and EU Regulation 852/2004 on food hygiene (Food Act, Finlex, decree 318/2021, Finlex). The Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) leads food control nationally.
Notify the municipality first. A restaurant is a "registered food activity". You notify the municipality's food control, using the national e-service Ilppa, at least 4 weeks before you start or make a major change. Tell them at once when you pause, end or change owner (Food Act, section 10; Ruokavirasto: setting up a food business). The notice includes a description of your own-check (decree 318/2021, section 4).
Own-check (omavalvonta). You need a system that finds and controls hazards and proves you comply, and you must record the results accurately (Food Act, section 15; Regulation 852/2004, Article 5).
Report serious problems. Tell the municipality at once about serious hazards and suspected food poisoning, and keep the suspect food (Food Act, section 17).
Temperatures: law. For registered premises, decree 318/2021, section 23 sets:
Perishable food, including raw meat and cooked dishes: 6°C or colder.
Minced meat and minced liver: 4°C.
Fresh packed fish, cold-smoked and fresh-salted fish, thawed raw fish and cooked shellfish: 0 to 3°C.
Hot food sold or served: 60°C or hotter, put out once only.
Cooling: start at once and reach the storage temperature within 4 hours.
Cold display: up to 12°C for at most 4 hours, once only.
Food sent to customers: chilled 6°C or colder, hot 60°C or more.
Freezers. Food sold frozen must be at -18°C, with short rises to -15°C allowed (decree 818/2012, section 9). Ruokavirasto's inspector guide says this decree does not cover frozen raw materials in a kitchen, but you must be able to show your frozen food is at -18°C or colder.
Temperatures: guidance only. The law gives no cooking or reheating number. Ruokavirasto advises cooking to over 70°C in the centre, over 75°C for poultry, and reheating to over 70°C throughout (Ruokavirasto: cooking).
Raw fish. Fish eaten raw must be frozen at -20°C for 24 hours or -35°C for 15 hours, unless exempt (Regulation 853/2004).
Staff who are ill. Anyone with an infection food can carry, infected wounds, skin infections or diarrhoea must not handle food and must tell the employer at once (Regulation 852/2004, Annex II). We found no fixed number of days off for ordinary stomach illness.
Salmonella statement. Before starting, staff who handle unpackaged food that is served unheated, or handled after heating, need a reliable statement that they do not carry salmonella (Communicable Diseases Act 1227/2016, section 56). It is a free interview with occupational or health-centre staff (THL guidance).
Allergens. The 14 EU allergens must be given at the point of sale (decree 834/2014, sections 6 and 8). See section 4.
Language. Finland's national languages are Finnish and Swedish. There is no national language rule for loose food, but Ruokavirasto recommends Finnish and Swedish in bilingual municipalities, and the local language elsewhere (Ruokavirasto: unpackaged food). Your own-check must be in a language your staff understand, and an inspector must be able to read it, normally in Finnish, Swedish or English.

## 2. Who inspects you, and how often

The municipal food control. It inspects restaurants and other food premises (Food Act, section 27). The Regional State Administrative Agency guides and checks the municipalities. Ruokavirasto leads the work nationally.
Mostly unannounced. Ruokavirasto's inspector handbook says so.
How often (guidance, not law). It depends on risk and size. For a restaurant cooking from raw animal food, the risk guide gives 0.5, 1 or 2 inspections a year (up to 1,500, 1,501 to 15,000, or over 15,000 portions a month). Pizza, grill and fast-food places and soup-lunch cafés get 0.35, 0.5 or 1. Follow-up visits come on top.
Fees. A yearly base fee of EUR 150 (Food Act, section 72), plus the municipality's hourly fee for planned and follow-up visits.
What can happen. The inspector can order you to correct faults, ban food or an activity, close a registered activity if an order is ignored, or set a conditional fine. A sanction fee of EUR 300 to 5,000 applies, for example, for no registration, no own-check or no traceability (Food Act, sections 55 to 69).
Åland. Åland is autonomous and has its own authority for municipal food tasks. We could not confirm whether it uses Oiva reports. Ask your authority.

## 3. Oiva: grades A to D, shown in public

Four grades. A Oivallinen (excellent), B Hyvä (good), C Korjattavaa (to be corrected), D Huono (poor). In Swedish: Utmärkt, Bra, Bör korrigeras, Dålig. The weakest single item sets your result, not an average (Ruokavirasto regulation 11/2026).
What the report shows. The grade for each item, the inspector's comments and your two earlier results. It is sent to you within 10 working days and published on oivahymy.fi.
You must show it (the law). Put the latest report up at once at the entrance, in a place guests can see at a readable height. Also show it on the start page of your website (or link to oivahymy.fi) and wherever you sell food online or in apps (Food Act, section 16; regulation 11/2026, section 5).
How to print it. Print it yourself, at least A4, colour or black and white, visible all the time. A rotating screen is not enough (Oiva general guide).
The display is graded too. Not shown, or not the latest report, is C. Shown in only one place, smaller than A4 or hard to read is B.
After C or D. For C, a follow-up comes within 10 working days after your deadline. For D, enforcement starts at once. We could not confirm whether follow-ups are unannounced.

## 4. The records inspectors ask for

Ruokavirasto's own-check guide says records must show the own-check done, measurements, tests, corrective actions and notices to the authority. Usual items:

Temperature records. Fridges, freezers, deliveries, cooking, hot holding, cooling and cold display, with what you did when a reading was wrong. Thermometers should be checked.
Cleaning, pest control and premises upkeep. Small low-risk places need no written training, upkeep or pest plan, but the inspector may still ask.
Staff records. Hygiene passport records and salmonella statements. The employer must see the original passport and keep a record, shown to inspectors on request (Food Act, section 19).
Traceability. Where food came from and where it went.
A named person in charge of the own-check, who is trained.
Allergen information. Information is given in writing, or orally if a visible notice says staff will tell you. If you give it orally, you must also keep it in writing or electronically for staff and inspectors. No notice is needed if the guest's allergies were recorded in advance. At a serving place the dish name and the country of origin of beef, pork, sheep, goat and poultry meat used must always be in writing (Ruokavirasto: allergens).
No later changes. Ruokavirasto says HACCP records should be made so they cannot be changed afterwards.

How long to keep them. At least 1 year after the use-by or best-before date, or 1 year after handling if the food has no date. Keep the latest test results. Keep traceability data at least 1 year from sending or receiving the food (decree 318/2021, section 22). Approved premises keep records for 2 years.

Are digital records accepted? We could not find an official Finnish page that says so in those words. The law requires accurate records, not paper. Ask your inspector if unsure.

## 5. Where businesses lose marks

No hygiene passport check. Passports not checked, or no record kept, can be graded C. Some missing is B (Oiva guide 4.6).
Oiva report not shown or not the latest one: C.
Gaps in temperature records and no note of what was done about a bad reading.
Hot food below 60°C. In the Oiva scale, 57°C or more is still fine, 50 to 57°C is C, and 49°C or less is D.
Cold chain. Cold display above 12°C or over 4 hours. Inspectors accept up to 3°C over a limit if you show it lasted at most 24 hours.
Allergens only by word of mouth, with no notice and nothing in writing.
Meat origin missing on the dish information.
No named person in charge of the own-check.
Not registering or not telling the municipality about changes.

## 6. By type of business

The rules are the same for every food business, but the records you keep depend on what you do. We could not confirm separate official rules for each type, so ask your municipality about unusual setups.

Restaurant: daily temperature checks, cooking, hot holding, cooling, cleaning, passport records and dish allergen and meat origin information.
Takeaway: the same, plus delivery temperatures (chilled 6°C or colder, hot 60°C or more) and allergen information before ordering.
Café: fridges and displays, cleaning, and allergen information for sandwiches and cakes. Ruokavirasto's risk guide gives a plain café or kiosk about 0.35 inspections a year.
Bakery: allergen records for every product, cream cake display temperatures, and labels for goods you pack.
Dessert shop: fridge and freezer records, ice cream and cream products, and allergens for toppings and sauces.
Pub / bar / club: the same records as a restaurant for the food you serve.
Community hall / venue: contact the municipality's food control before serving food, to learn if you count as a food business.
Corner shop: fridge and freezer checks, delivery checks and allergen information for food you pack yourself.
School / nursery kitchen: temperature, cleaning and passport records, and careful allergen records for every child.
Caterer / food van: contact the municipality before you start. We could not confirm the rules for mobile units on the official page.
Home kitchen business: contact your local food control before starting. We could not confirm special home-kitchen rules.

## 7. Why digital records help in Finland

Accurate and unchangeable. Ruokavirasto wants HACCP records that cannot be changed afterwards. Saved digital records can do that.
No gaps go unnoticed. A missed check shows up the same day.
Fixes recorded. The record can ask what you did when a reading is out of range.

## 8. How Chef Hygiene helps

Chef Hygiene follows the Finnish rules and Ruokavirasto guidance. What it does:

Daily checks for fridges, freezers, cooking, hot holding, cooling, cleaning and deliveries, with the time, the staff member's name and photos. Saved records cannot be changed; corrections are added as new records.
Your country's rules built in, such as the 6°C, 4°C, 60°C and 4-hour figures from the decree.
Food safety plan. About 20 minutes: answer questions, check each method, sign it, set a review date and print it.
Ready for inspection? Checks your last 4 weeks of records the way an inspector would.
Inspector's visits log. Write down each visit: date, type and officer.
Practice inspection. A free walk round of about 10 minutes, showing the likely result in the Oiva A to D scheme and a "Put it right" list.
Allergen chart, staff tablet view and labels. Every dish against the 14 allergens, and labels for prepacked food with allergens in bold.
Staff training records, including hygiene passports.
Inspector pack. Print all your records as one pack, or share them by secure link.
40 languages. The app works in Finnish and Swedish, and your staff can use it in their own language too.

## 9. A fair price, on purpose

Chef Hygiene costs €2.99 a month per site (€1.99 for bakeries, dessert shops and corner shops); the exact price is shown in your app store; unlimited staff, no contract, 14-day free trial.

We keep the price low on purpose. We want as many food businesses as possible, from a single food van to a busy restaurant, to keep good records and pass inspections.

## 10. Less paper

A paper diary means printed sheets every day. One daily sheet per kitchen is 365 sheets a year, before you count delivery forms, cleaning rotas and training records. Digital records mean no record books to buy and fewer printed forms to throw away. That is less paper, and nothing to store in a back office.

## 11. FAQ

### Do I legally need food safety records in Finland?

Yes. You need an own-check (omavalvonta) and must record the results (Food Act, section 15). No own-check can bring a sanction fee.

### Who inspects restaurants in Finland?

The municipal food control. Ruokavirasto leads nationally.

### Do I have to tell the municipality before I open?

Yes. Notify at least 4 weeks before starting, through the Ilppa e-service (Food Act, section 10).

### Are inspections announced?

Mostly not.

### What is Oiva?

The national scheme that publishes inspection results. Grades are A Oivallinen, B Hyvä, C Korjattavaa and D Huono, and results are on oivahymy.fi.

### Do I have to show my Oiva report?

Yes. At the entrance, on your website and where you sell food online. Print it at least A4.

### What decides my Oiva grade?

The weakest single item, not an average.

### How much is the inspection fee?

A yearly base fee of EUR 150 plus the municipality's hourly fee.

### How long must I keep my records?

At least 1 year after the use-by or best-before date, or 1 year after handling if there is no date. Traceability data: at least 1 year.

### Are digital records accepted?

We could not confirm an official page that says so directly. The law requires accurate records. Ask your inspector if unsure.

### What temperature must my fridge be?

6°C or colder for perishable food. Minced meat 4°C. Fresh packed and thawed raw fish 0 to 3°C.

### What temperature must hot food be kept at?

60°C or hotter, put out once only. This is law.

### What temperature should I cook food to?

The law gives no number. Ruokavirasto advises over 70°C in the centre and over 75°C for poultry.

### Do my staff need a hygiene passport?

Yes, if they handle unpackaged perishable food, within 3 months of starting. Owners, trainees and volunteers too. The test has 40 statements and the pass mark is 34. It does not expire.

### What allergen information do I need?

The 14 EU allergens, in writing, or orally with a visible notice and a written copy kept on site. Dish names and meat origin must be in writing.

### Does the allergen information need to be in Finnish and Swedish?

There is no national language rule for loose food. Ruokavirasto recommends Finnish and Swedish in bilingual municipalities.

### Can staff work when they are ill?

Not with diarrhoea, infected wounds or an infection food can carry. They must tell the employer at once.

### Do I need a salmonella statement?

Staff handling unpackaged food served unheated need a reliable statement before work. It is a free interview.

### What are the fines?

A sanction fee of EUR 300 to 5,000 for offences such as no own-check, no registration or no traceability.

### How much does Chef Hygiene cost in Finland?

€2.99 a month per site, or €1.99 for bakeries, dessert shops and corner shops, with unlimited staff, no contract and a 14-day free trial. The exact price is shown in your app store.

## 12. Official sources

Chef Hygiene keeps your Finnish food safety records ready for every inspection:

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