Belgium: food inspections

In Belgium, Chef Hygiene follows the royal decree of 13 July 2014 on food hygiene, the FAVV guides G-023 and G-044 and EU rules, and the FAVV inspects restaurants and publishes a Food Hygiene Rating.

Inspection body

Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Federaal Agentschap voor de Veiligheid van de Voedselketen, FAVV; Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire, AFSCA)

One federal agency, the FAVV (AFSCA in French), inspects food businesses in the whole country through its provincial control units. It works in Dutch, French, German and English.

Inspections follow risk, and the FAVV sets a frequency for each activity. An unfavourable result can bring a warning or an official report (proces-verbaal), then a re-inspection. If public health is at serious risk, the FAVV can order temporary closure. Non-compliant food is seized.

Hygiene rating

Yes. The Food Hygiene Rating (fhr.favv-afsca.be, website and app, since 4 November 2025) has six classes from Excellent to To be improved, plus No recent inspection. It uses a Smiley and blue forks. You do not have to display your result, but you must display the FAVV authorisation poster, visible from outside.