Takeaway - Common Compliance Issues and Controls

Takeaways - common compliance issues

Below you’ll find advice on the most frequent compliance issues in takeaways in Ireland, and how to control them. These issues can make food unsafe and damage your business.

• 1. Cross contamination

  Cross contamination happens when harmful bacteria are transferred from raw food to ready to eat or cooked food. Cross-contamination can occur at many stages of food handling—from delivery and storage to preparation, cooking, and service. Preventing it is essential to protect consumers from food poisoning and allergic reactions.

  Controls on how to prevent cross contamination

  • Store raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge away from ready to eat or cooked foods.
  • Use separate chopping boards and utensils for raw and ready to eat foods. Identify the raw and ready to eat chopping boards and utensils by using a colour code system. 

  Allergen Cross-Contamination

  Allergen cross contamination happens when a food containing an allergen comes into contact with a food that doesn’t contain it and traces of the allergen are transferred.

  Allergen contamination can happen at any point: delivery, storage, preparation, cooking, cooling, reheating, display, and service.

  Controls on how to prevent allergen cross contamination

  • Keep allergenic ingredients separate from non-allergenic foods
  • Use clean equipment, utensils, and surfaces for allergen-free foods.
  • Label and store allergen containing foods clearly
  • During storage, ensure allergens do not transfer between foods.
  • Check all allergens are declared on food deliveries.
  • Ingredients match the Menu Items Allergen Checklist.
  • Packaging is intact and free from contamination.

  Deliveries should be handled to prevent cross-contact between allergen-containing and allergen-free foods.

  Learn about the 14 Food Allergens. You may also be interested in Allergen Information for Non-prepacked Food. Many businesses find our Recording Allergen Information for your Dishes useful.

  Utensils and Equipment

  Use dedicated utensils for different food types (e.g., raw vs cooked, allergen-containing vs allergen-free).

  • Store utensils in clearly labelled, separate containers to avoid accidental contamination.

  Pest and Physical Contamination

  Ensure food is protected from pests at all times.

  • Keep food covered to prevent physical contaminants (e.g., dust, debris) from falling into it.

  Transporting Food Safely

  To minimise the risk of cross-contamination during home delivery:

  • Separate raw and ready-to-eat foods.

  • Use clean, food-grade containers.

  • Ensure all items are fully wrapped.

  • Delivery staff should follow strict hygiene practices, including regular handwashing

• 2. Food safety culture

  Food safety culture is how everyone in a food business—managers and staff—consistently thinks and acts to ensure food is safe.

  It’s “how we do things around here,” even when no one is watching. It reflects shared values, attitudes, and behaviours that support safe food practices.

  Why It Matters

  Food safety culture is a legal requirement. A strong culture helps to:

  • Prevent issues that lead to unsafe food

  • Maintain hygiene standards and regulatory compliance

  • Protect consumers from foodborne illness

  • Improve communication and transparency

  How to Build It

  1. Leadership Commitment – Managers must lead by example and prioritise food safety.

  2. Clear Communication – Everyone should understand food safety risks and responsibilities.

  3. Employee Engagement – Staff should feel empowered to speak up and take action.

  4. Monitoring & Feedback – Regular checks, audits, and feedback help maintain standards.

  5. Continuous Improvement – Learn from incidents and keep improving practices.

  We have published a Food Safety Culture Guidance Note and an eLearning module on the FSAI Learning Portal to help you better understand your obligations to develop, maintain and demonstrate appropriate food safety culture in your food business.

• 3. FSMS and HACCP

  Serious issues can occur when there is no proper food safety management sytems in place.

  A food safety management system allows you: identify what can go wrong, plan to prevent it and make sure you are doing it.

  Under food hygiene legislation, all food businesses—including caterers—must implement food safety management procedures based on the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). HACCP is a structured approach that helps identify and control potential food safety risks.If you change your business activities, you should notify your inspector before you start the new activity and update your HACCP plan.

  The Safe Catering Pack, developed by the FSAI, is a practical tool designed to help caterers apply HACCP principles in their daily operations. It supports businesses in producing safe food, complying with legal requirements, training staff, and protecting their reputation.

  What is HACCP?

  HACCP involves seven key steps:

  1. Identify hazards – What could go wrong?
  2. Determine critical control points (CCPs) – Where are the key risk areas?
  3. Set critical limits – e.g. cooking temperatures and times.
  4. Monitor CCPs – Regular checks to prevent issues.
  5. Take corrective action – What to do if something goes wrong.
  6. Verify the system – Prove it’s working effectively.
  7. Keep records – Document everything.

  Your food safety system must be kept up to date, reviewed annually, and updated whenever your operations change. You must be able to present it to an Environmental Health Officer upon request.

  The Safe Catering Pack includes record books to help you record your food safety controls, these are also available to download for free from our website:

  • SC1 – Food Delivery Record
  • SC2 – Fridge/Freezer/Chill Display Temperature Record
  • SC3 – Cooking/Cooling/Reheating Record
  • SC4 – Hot Holding/Display Temperature Record
  • SC5 – Hygiene Inspection Checklist
  • SC6 – Hygiene Training Record
  • SC7 – Fitness to Work Assessment Form
  • SC8 – All-in-One Daily Record (alternative to SC1–SC4)
  • SC9 – Transport and Delivery Record

  Additional copies can be purchased or downloaded free of charge.
  
  Learn more about HACCP and food safety management systems.

• 3a. Basic hygiene rules for staff

  Before starting work, all food handlers should know how to:

  • Stay clean and wash hands properly.
  • Report any illness or infections to their supervisor.
  • Keep raw and cooked food separate.
  • Cook and reheat food thoroughly.
  • Keep cold food cold and hot food hot.
  • Follow food safety instructions.
  • Speak up if they see something wrong

  Learn more about food safety and hygiene.

  Our 'Safe Food To Go' booklet explains the skills that food handlers must be able to demonstrate before they start handling food in the workplace.

• 3b. Cleaning

  Keep your premises clean and tidy at all times.

  Clean as you go to avoid build-up of dirt and bacteria. This helps prevent food poisoning and keeps your kitchen safe.

  Clean surfaces, equipment, and utensils regularly to:

  • Kill harmful bacteria.

  • Remove dirt and physical contaminants.

  Use proper cleaning products and follow instructions.
  
  Learn more about food safety and hygiene.

• 3c. Good inwards

   Temperature checks:

  • Check food is delivered at the correct temperature (chilled or frozen).
  • Reject deliveries that are too warm or show signs of spoilage.

  Inspect packaging:

  • Look for signs of damage, pests, or contamination.
  • Remove outer packaging before bringing food into prep areas.

  Storage after delivery:

  • Put chilled and frozen items away immediately.
  • Label and date-code all items on arrival.

• 3d. Home delivery

  Food safety must be maintained at every stage of your service — including during delivery to your customer. This means continuing to follow rules on hygiene, temperature control, and allergen labelling. If you offer home delivery or sell food online, please adhere to the below requirements.

  During delivery, you must:

  • Protect food from contamination
  • Store food at the proper temperatures:
    • food that needs to be refrigerated must be kept below 5°c
    • frozen food must be kept at -18°c
    • hot food must be kept above 63°c
  • Food delivery bags must be:
    • clean, suitable, and in good condition
    • easy to clean and disinfect
    • capable of holding the food at the appropriate temperature.
    • used only for food
  • Delivery Personnel should:
    • wear suitable, clean, clothing
    • maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness
    • sanitise hands before and after each delivery transaction
    • the use of gloves is not recommended as this can give a false sense of security. hand washing/sanitising is best practice.

• 3e. Maintenance

  Why Maintenance Matters

  Keeping your equipment and premises in good condition is essential for food safety.

  Poor maintenance can lead to:

  • Hard-to-clean areas that allow dirt and bacteria to build up.
  • Pest problems because of gaps or damage.
  • Unsafe food if equipment like fridges or ovens can’t hold the right temperature.
  • Physical contamination from broken or worn-out parts.

  What You Should Do

  • Inspect regularly: Check your kitchen and equipment for damage or faults.
  • Act fast: Repair broken equipment and fix structural issues as soon as possible.

• 3f. Personal hygiene

  Staff must:

  • Wash hands often (especially before handling food, after using the toilet, or touching raw food).
  • Wear clean protective clothing, such as an apron or chef’s whites.
  • Tie back hair and wear hats or hairnets.
  • Avoid touching face, smoking, eating, or chewing gum while working.
  • Keep nails short and clean—no nail polish or false nails.
  • Remove jewellery (except a plain wedding band).
  • Cover cuts with blue waterproof dressings.
  • Provide a clean area for staff to change clothes.

  Our 'Safe Food To Go' booklet explains the skills that food handlers must be able to demonstrate before they start handling food in the workplace.

• 3g. Pest control

  You must have a pest control system in place in your business.

  Pests can spread bacteria and contaminate food, putting your customers in danger of unsafe food. They can also damage your business reputation.

  Key Tips 

  • Keep pests out: Seal gaps, fix damages, and use mesh screens on vents and windows.
  • Stay clean: Store food off the floor, keep bins closed, and clean up spills and waste quickly.
  • Check deliveries: Don’t accept food with signs of pests (e.g. gnawed packaging or insects).
  • Inspect regularly: Look for droppings, dead insects, or damages. Train staff to spot signs.
  • Act fast: If you find pests or evidence of pest activity, clean affected areas, throw away contaminated food, and call a pest control company.
  • Keep records: If you use a pest control contractor, keep their reports as part of your food safety documentation.

  Learn more about Pest Control.

• 3h. Selling or advertising food online

  If you sell or advertise food online, you are responsible for the food information you provide to the consumer.

  If you sell food online, you must comply with the relevant food law. The main purpose of food law is to ensure that food available for consumers to buy is safe. It also requires food businesses to provide consumers with the necessary information about food, so that they can make an informed choice at the time of purchase. 

  Learn more about Selling or Advertising Food Online.

• 3i. Stock rotation

  Effective stock rotation is essential for maintaining food safety, reducing waste, and ensuring compliance with food hygiene standards.

  Follow these best practices to manage your stock safely and efficiently:

  • Date Code & Rotate: Label all high-risk foods with clear date codes. Check them daily and use the First In, First Out (FIFO) system to ensure older stock is used first.
  • Hot Holding: Monitor and rotate food during hot holding to avoid keeping it too long.
  • Freezing & Labelling: For cooked or prepared dishes going into the freezer, label with the date frozen and use-by or best-before date.
  • Stock Checks: Regularly check stock and safely dispose of anything past its use-by date.
  • Ordering Smart: Plan stock for each shift, avoid over-ordering, and review your menu to match stock needs.
  • Staff Training: Make sure staff understand and follow stock rotation procedures.

• 3j. Storage

  Keeping food stored properly helps prevent food poisoning, waste, and cross-contamination.

  Temperature control:

  • Fridges: Keep at 5°C or below (ideally 3°C).

  • Freezers: Keep at -18°C or colder.

  • Hot holding: Keep food at 63°C or above. Remember, you can only reheat food once. 

   Labelling:

  • Label all food with preparation and use-by dates.
  • Once opened, assign a new use-by date.
  • Prepared foods (e.g. sauces, cooked dishes) should be used within 2 days.

  Storage practices:

  • Use sealed containers, never open tins.
  • Store food off the floor and away from walls.
  • Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate.
  • Rotate stock—use shorter dated items first.

  Dry goods:

  • Store in cool, dry, pest-free areas.
  • Use airtight containers and check expiry dates.

  Clean & organised:

  • Clean fridges, freezers, and storage areas regularly.
  • Don’t overcrowd—allow air to circulate.
  • Train staff to check temperatures daily.

  Learn more in the FSAI Safe Catering Pack.

• 3k. Traceability

  You must be able to:

  • trace your food one step back and,
  • if you supply another food business, one step forward.

  This helps in case of a food safety issue or product recall.

  Learn more about traceability.

• 3l. Training & supervision

  If food handlers are not adequately supervised, instructed and/or trained in food safety and hygiene, serious food safety issues can arise.
  
  Learn how to fulfil your legal requirements for training. Ways include: developing your own training course, choosing a food safety trainer and online learning with the FSAI. 
  
  Check out the FSAI Guide to Food Safety Skills.

• 3m. Waste control

  Dispose of food waste and rubbish quickly and properly.

  Waste can:

  • Attract pests.
  • Spread bacteria.
  • Cause contamination.

  Keep bins covered and emptied often.

  Find out more about Starting and Running a Takeaway.