Croatia: 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 guidanceNo Croatian law sets restaurant fridge, hot-holding, cooling or reheating numbers. The values below come from the national catering guide (HOK, 2nd edition 2025).
• Official guidanceFridge: cooked dishes and poultry 4°C, minced meat 2°C, offal 3°C, other meat 7°C, vegetables 8°C. Fresh fish is kept at melting-ice temperature. Any fridge must stay at +8°C or colder.
• Official guidanceFreezer: −18°C or colder.
• Official guidanceCooking: 73°C for 30 seconds in the thickest part of the food.
• Official guidanceHot holding: 65°C or hotter, checked every 2 hours. If it fell below 65°C for under 2 hours, reheat once to 73°C and use it. After 2 to 4 hours, use it at once. After more than 4 hours, throw it away.
• Official guidanceCooling: at most 30 minutes at room temperature, then down to 4°C within 6 hours in all. Use the food within 24 hours.
• Official guidanceReheating: 73°C for 30 seconds, and only once.
• Official guidanceCold display: 8°C at most, aim for 4°C. After 2 hours over the limit, use the food within the next 2 hours. After 4 hours, throw it away.
• Official guidanceAt goods-in, chilled food should be 8°C at most and frozen food −18°C or colder. Catering vans carry food at 4°C at most.