The official hygiene inspection is the unannounced check of your business by the German food-safety authority — risk-based every few months to years, immediately after complaints. Inspected are structural hygiene, processes (HACCP), temperatures, training and labelling. Results can become public via consumer requests (the "Topf Secret" platform) — good preparation is therefore reputation protection.
Answer five points honestly — the readiness traffic light appears instantly.
Documents are half the inspection success: the inspector checks not only today's condition but whether your system works EVERY day — and only records prove that.
| Area | Typical check points |
|---|---|
| Structural hygiene | Condition of floors/walls/work surfaces, hand-wash basins (soap, disposable towels!), clean/unclean separation |
| Processes | HACCP lived rather than filed, cold chains, heating/hot-holding temperatures, dating of opened goods |
| Staff | Instructions per § 43 IfSG, hygiene training, work clothing |
| Documentation | Temperature logs, cleaning plans, pest monitoring, goods-receipt checks, allergen labelling |
Risk-based: depending on business type, history and rating, from several times a year to every two or three years. Complaints, incidents or operator changes trigger additional inspections.
Consumers can request inspection reports via the Consumer Information Act (known through "Topf Secret"); serious violations above certain fine levels must be actively published for a period. Some federal states have piloted transparency schemes — the safest approach: results you are happy to show.
Yes — the food-safety authority may enter business premises during operating hours without notice, take samples and inspect records. Refusing entry is an administrative offence and practically always the worst option.
From fee-based re-inspections to fines (three to five figures depending on the violation) up to partial closure. Almost always more expensive: the public loss of trust — prevention is the cheapest variant.