Germany: 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 guidanceChef Hygiene checks fridges against 4°C as the aim and 7°C as the limit for chilled food and cold dishes. This follows BfR guidance and DIN 10508; German law sets no general fridge number for restaurants.
• Official guidanceRaw meat, poultry, mince and fresh fish: 2°C or colder when the label says nothing (BfR guidance). DIN 10508 says fresh fish at 2°C or on melting ice.
• LawA storage temperature on a product’s label always applies.
• LawMince made in your kitchen (Tier-LMHV Annex 5): use meat at 7°C or colder, poultry at 4°C, offal at 3°C. If it is not served where it was made, wrap it at once and chill it to 2°C in the core (mince) or 4°C (meat preparations), or freeze it to −18°C.
• LawFrozen food: −18°C or colder. A short rise of at most 3°C is allowed in transport and shop freezers (TLMV § 2, the law for quick-frozen food).
• Chef Hygiene defaultChef Hygiene checks hot food against 65°C, the stricter value. The BfR advises 60°C or hotter at every point (2020) and no more than 3 hours; older DIN 10508 and many local sheets say 65°C.
• Official guidanceCooling: from 65°C to 10°C within 2 hours (DIN 10508 and local food control sheets). EU law only says to cool food as quickly as possible.
• Official guidanceCooking and reheating: 72°C in the centre for at least 2 minutes (BfR guidance, 2024). No German law sets this number.
• LawDeliveries: suppliers must keep mince at 2°C or colder, poultry and meat preparations at 4°C, offal at 3°C, other meat at 7°C, and fresh fish near melting ice (Regulation 853/2004). Frozen food stays at −18°C; Chef Hygiene flags frozen deliveries above −15°C.