Food Safety and Hygiene Standards in the Industrial Catering Industry

Food safety and hygiene standards in industrial catering services are mandatory regulations that ensure food is prepared, stored and served under safe conditions, minimising the risk of food poisoning or foodborne illness. Below are the key standards that must be complied with:

Standards for industrial catering facilities

To ensure food safety and hygiene, an industrial catering facility must fully meet the following conditions:

• A preparation area that meets the standard: The kitchen area must be located away from sources of contamination and must not be prone to flooding. It must be clearly divided into zones: a pre-preparation area, a cooking area, a storage area and a portioning area. It must be well ventilated, easy to clean, adequately lit, and have a water supply and drainage system that meets the applicable technical regulations.
• Adequate equipment: Equipment and utensils that come into direct contact with food must be made of safe, easy-to-clean, rust-free materials. Kitchen equipment must be cleaned periodically and maintained regularly. There must be sufficient equipment for retaining food samples and for storage (refrigerators, freezers).
• Good pest control: The kitchen must be equipped with measures to control insects and rodents. This prevents incidents that compromise food safety and hygiene and affect meal quality.
• A water supply of the required quality: The water used must be clean water meeting QCVN 01-1:2018/BYT (water for eating, drinking and domestic use). Water tanks must be inspected and cleaned periodically to prevent sediment build-up and algae growth around them.

Industrial catering facilities must always meet the standard 

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Standards for ingredients and food

Controlling ingredients and food is the core element in ensuring safe meals. The following conditions must be strictly implemented:

• Clear origin: The food used must have a clear origin, with invoices, supporting documents and quarantine certificates where required. All suppliers must be thoroughly vetted and hold all the necessary documents before being selected.
• Fresh, clean food: Fresh vegetables, tubers and fruit must be ordered from suppliers with full food safety and hygiene documentation, grown to the proper standards and stored correctly to prevent bruising and rot that would affect their quality. Meat, fish and seafood must have a quarantine certificate from the quarantine authority (where applicable). All products must have complete inspection documents before entering the kitchen.
• Proper storage: There must be a storage procedure that follows the recommended temperatures and times. Spoiled, mouldy, expired food or food of unknown origin must never be used.

Standards for proper food storage

Correctly applying safety and hygiene standards in food storage not only extends shelf life and preserves nutritional value, but also prevents the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, protecting consumers' health.

• Sorting and storing food separately: Fresh food (meat, fish, vegetables, tubers), dry food (rice, noodles, seasonings), cooked food and frozen food. These types of food must be stored in separate areas to avoid cross-contamination and the transfer of microorganisms from raw food to cooked or dry food.
• Storing at the prescribed temperature: Fresh food such as meat and fish must be kept in the refrigerator's chilled compartment at 0–5°C. Frozen food must be stored at -18°C or lower. Cooked food should be kept hot above 60°C if not used immediately. Dry food must be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, insects and high humidity.
• Recording refrigerator temperatures: Industrial catering facilities must be fully equipped with dedicated storage units fitted with temperature gauges, which must be checked periodically to ensure stable operation. Keeping a daily refrigerator temperature log is a mandatory requirement of the food quality management process.
• Packaging and storage area hygiene: Stored food must be sealed in packaging that meets the standard, contains no harmful substances and isolates the food from the outside air. Packaging must be labelled with the product name, date received and expiry date to allow quick traceability when needed. The storage area must be cleaned and disinfected periodically and kept free of insects, rodents and mould. Food storage shelving must be raised at least 15cm off the floor and at least 30cm from the walls to allow air circulation and easy inspection.
• The first in, first out (FIFO) principle: When storing food, especially perishable items, the FIFO principle (First In, First Out) must be applied, meaning that food received first must be used first.

Staff must wear the correct uniform during food preparation

Standards for food handlers

To protect consumers' health and comply with the law, food handlers must fully meet the requirements on health, professional knowledge and personal hygiene.

• Medically fit: Anyone directly involved in food preparation in an industrial kitchen must hold a health certificate and undergo a medical check-up at least once a year at a reputable medical facility. They must also receive monthly food safety training and hold a certificate of completion in accordance with Circular 29/2012/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health.
• Personal hygiene: While working, food handlers must strictly follow personal hygiene rules. Wearing dedicated protective clothing and the uniform assigned to each stage of the kitchen's work is mandatory.
• No jewellery: In addition, kitchen staff must not wear jewellery or watches or have long fingernails, as these can easily cause cross-contamination during cooking.

Fully complying with the above conditions not only ensures food safety during preparation, but is also an important criterion for obtaining food safety and hygiene certification and enhancing a company's reputation in the industrial catering sector.

Standards for the transport and serving process

To ensure quality and food safety and hygiene, the transport and serving process for industrial meals must be organised scientifically, as a closed system, in strict compliance with Ministry of Health standards. This is a key factor in enhancing reputation and efficiency in supplying meals to businesses, schools, industrial parks and so on.

• Portioning and storage stage: After cooking, food is divided into individual portions according to the predetermined serving size, using dedicated, sanitised portioning utensils. If not served immediately, meals are kept below 5°C (chilled) or above 60°C (hot-held) to prevent bacterial growth. A representative sample of each meal is retained and kept refrigerated for at least 24 hours for traceability if needed.
• Industrial meal transport stage: For kitchens that deliver meals, portioned meals are transported in dedicated vehicles with insulated cold boxes to maintain a temperature of 18–22 degrees. The time from cooking to consumption must not exceed 4 hours to preserve nutritional value and food safety. Delivery vehicles must be cleaned daily, have a logbook, and must not carry other goods.
• Serving stage at the customer's premises: At the serving location, industrial meals are distributed in the correct portions, to the correct people and in a hygienic order. The dining area must be clean, with sensibly arranged tables and chairs, lidded waste bins, and handwashing sinks fully stocked with soap or sanitiser. Serving staff must wear uniforms and masks and limit direct contact with food and diners. After service, all eating utensils are collected, washed and sterilised according to procedure.

The temperature of meal delivery vehicles must always be maintained correctly

Staff training and awareness

No matter how modern an operating process is, it cannot guarantee safety if the staff lack knowledge and do not properly understand their role in the food supply chain. Periodic training and building a culture of personal responsibility among staff are therefore mandatory for any professional catering provider.

Before starting work, all staff directly involved in preparing and serving food must attend a food safety and hygiene training course and be certified in accordance with Ministry of Health regulations. The training covers: the risks of food contamination, ingredient handling procedures, personal hygiene skills, preventing cross-contamination and handling food safety incidents. At least every 6 months or once a year, the facility should organise refresher training and re-test staff awareness, along with updates on new food hygiene regulations.

Alongside knowledge training, building a culture in which "food safety is everyone's responsibility" plays a key role. Measures such as posting house rules, displaying the 6-step handwashing procedure and placing slogans in preparation and washing areas serve as constant reminders. In addition, kitchen managers should carry out spot checks and issue gentle reminders or handle violations to maintain discipline and correct habits among staff.

Furthermore, rewarding individuals who perform well and organising themed sessions or food safety and hygiene quizzes are also effective ways to motivate staff and raise their sense of responsibility. A properly trained, self-disciplined workforce is a solid foundation that helps a company improve the quality of its industrial catering service while minimising food safety risks.

Staff receive periodic training in food safety and hygiene

Full compliance with food safety and hygiene standards is the key factor that enables an industrial catering service to guarantee quality, protect diners' health and build the company's reputation. It is also the foundation for sustainable growth in the industrial food sector. Only by fully meeting food safety and hygiene standards can a company satisfy the demanding requirements of its customers, while helping to protect public health and develop the catering industry sustainably. At STAVI industrial catering, we understand that ensuring food safety and hygiene is extremely important and must be followed rigorously. That is why STAVI is proud that, throughout 10 years of operation, STAVI's kitchens have never experienced a single food safety and hygiene incident.