Luxembourg: 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 Luxembourg law sets chilled, hot-holding, cooling or reheating temperatures for restaurants. The values below come from ALVA’s inspection sheet F-011 and the HORESCA guide (2022, validated by the minister).
• Official guidanceHORESCA guide: fridges at 4°C at most. ALVA sheet F-011 limits for faults: 7°C for prepared food, 6°C for poultry, meat, egg products and cream, 5°C for offal, 4°C for minced meat and fresh fish. Chef Hygiene aims for 4°C and warns above 6°C.
• LawFrozen food must be at −18°C or colder. Short rises of up to 3°C are allowed (RGD of 4 July 1988 on the food trade, Art. 4). ALVA’s sheet counts −15°C as a fault.
• Official guidanceHORESCA guide: keep hot food at 65°C or more, for 3 hours at most. ALVA’s sheet counts a fault below 63°C.
• Official guidanceHORESCA guide: cool cooked food to below 10°C in the core within 2 hours, then to 4°C.
• Official guidanceHORESCA guide: reheat food to 65°C in the core within 1 hour. Avoid reheating in a bain-marie and do not keep leftovers.
• Chef Hygiene defaultThe HORESCA guide gives no cooking number. Chef Hygiene checks cooking against 75°C at once, or 70°C for 2 minutes.
• Official guidanceHORESCA guide for deliveries: refuse food at the wrong temperature. For display, a cold display case should be at 6°C and a cold buffet at 7°C (4°C for minced meat and raw fish).
• Official guidanceALVA’s sheet: frying oil below 175°C. Above 180°C is a fault.