Italy: 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. Local health authorities use a cold chain of 4°C (AUSL Bologna) and 0–4°C (ATS Brianza). Older national rules, whose status is disputed since 2021, allow cooked food eaten cold and filled fresh pasta up to 10°C.
• LawQuick-frozen food: −18°C or colder in every part of the product, with short rises of up to 3°C in transport and display (D.Lgs. 110/1992, art. 4).
• Official guidanceHot food: 60–65°C, and below 60°C it may not be served (Regione Veneto, 2021; older decree DPR 327/1980).
• Official guidanceCooling: Italian and EU law only say to cool food as quickly as possible. Without a blast chiller (ATS Brianza, 2023) go from 65°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then to 5°C within 6 hours in all.
• Official guidanceCooling with a blast chiller (Regione Veneto, 2021): 10°C in the centre within 2 hours of cooking, then 4°C within 2 more hours.
• Official guidanceReheating: no law sets a number. The centre reaches 75°C (ATS Brianza); Regione Veneto says at least 70°C. Chef Hygiene warns on a reading below 75°C.
• Official guidanceCooking: no law sets a core temperature. Regione Veneto gives 75°C in the centre as an example.
• LawDeliveries: suppliers must keep meat at 7°C or colder, offal 3°C, poultry 4°C, mince 2°C, meat preparations 4°C, and fish near melting ice (Regulation 853/2004). Chef Hygiene checks chilled deliveries against 4°C and flags frozen ones above −15°C.
• LawFish eaten raw or almost raw: freeze at −20°C or colder for at least 24 hours, or −35°C or colder for at least 15 hours (Regulation 853/2004).