Switzerland: 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.

• Official guidanceSwiss law sets no general fridge number: keep the cold chain unbroken (HyV Art. 24). The GVG guide says perishable food at 5°C at most, egg products at 4°C, and the maker’s own maximum comes first.
• LawFresh and thawed raw fish, and cooked chilled crustaceans and molluscs, must be at melting ice, 2°C at most (HyV Art. 44). Mince must be chilled to 2°C or frozen (HyV Art. 29 and 31).
• LawFrozen food must be at −18°C or colder. The surface must never be above −15°C (HyV Art. 25).
• Official guidanceGVG guide: cook and reheat to a core temperature of 70°C or more, held for at least 2 minutes. Pink meat is a known exception.
• Official guidanceGVG guide: keep hot food at a core temperature of 65°C or more, for 3 hours at most. Spot-check it and write it down. Law only says to use temperatures that prevent growth (HyV Art. 27).
• Official guidanceGVG guide: cool actively from 65°C to below 5°C within 90 minutes. The law says only “as fast as possible” (HyV Art. 27).
• Official guidanceGVG guide: a break in the cold chain should last 30 minutes at most. Chilled food that was offered unchilled is thrown away.
• Official guidanceGVG guide: thaw in the fridge, in a sealed bag under cold running water, or in a thawing device. Label the thaw date, use within 48 hours (delicate food 24 hours) and never refreeze.
• Official guidanceGVG guide: frying oil at 175°C at most, with polar compounds at 27 % at most.