Netherlands: 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.

• LawChilled food: 7°C or colder, measured in the food, in storage and in transport (Warenwetbesluit, art. 15(1)). A colder temperature on the label wins.
• Official guidanceChef Hygiene aims for a fridge setting of 4°C, as KHN and the Voedingscentrum advise. This is advice, not a legal limit.
• Official guidanceFrozen food: −18°C or colder (NVWA and the hygiene code).
• LawHot food kept for direct sale: 60°C or hotter (art. 15(2)).
• Official guidanceCooking: 75°C or hotter in the centre (NVWA and the hygiene code).
• Official guidanceCooling: the law says only “as fast as possible” (Regulation 852/2004). The hygiene code starts at 75°C or hotter. It gives 20°C or colder after 2 hours as a guide value, and 7°C or colder within 5 hours as the norm.
• Official guidanceReheating: 60°C or hotter in the centre (NVWA), within 60 minutes (hygiene code).
• LawIn restaurants, chilled food may stand out of the fridge once, for at most 2 hours, and is then thrown away. You need a written procedure and a log, kept for 1 year.
• Official guidanceThaw food in the fridge or under cold running water (NVWA).