Belgium: food temperature rules

“Law” is a binding rule. “Official guidance” is not law, but inspectors expect it. “Chef Hygiene default” is a value the app checks against where no rule gives a number.

• LawChilled red meat, meat products, potato, vegetable, rice and pasta dishes, dairy and cream desserts: 7°C or colder (royal decree of 13 July 2014, Annex IV).
• LawChilled raw poultry, offal, minced meat, meat preparations and processed fish: 4°C or colder. A mixed dish follows its strictest ingredient. Chef Hygiene aims for 4°C.
• LawFresh fish: near melting ice, at most 4°C. A short rise of up to 3°C while handling is allowed for other food, never for fresh fish.
• LawFrozen food: −18°C or colder, with a short rise to −15°C allowed (art. 22/1).
• LawHot food kept hot: 60°C or hotter (art. 23 §1). Guide G-044: food at 55 to 60°C must be reheated at once, and food below 55°C is thrown away.
• LawCooling: from 60°C to 10°C within 2 hours at most (art. 23 §2).
• LawReheating: as quickly as possible to 60°C or hotter (art. 23 §1). Guide G-023: from 10°C to 60°C in under 1 hour, and eat it the same day.
• Official guidanceBelgian law sets no core cooking temperature. Guide G-023 says “well heated” means at least 2 minutes at 70°C in the centre.
• Official guidanceCooled dishes are kept 3 to 4 days at most, labelled with the dish, the cooling date and the use-by date (G-023).