Where a municipal rule and an international code disagree, this guideline takes the stricter of the two.
Overview
Local rules and international codes rarely give the same figure for a chill-down time or a holding temperature, and a kitchen cannot work to both at once. This reference guideline resolves that in one direction, applying Codex CXC 1-1969 and CXC 39-1993 with ISO 22000 and ISO/TS 22002-2 to restaurants, catering operations and meal preparation establishments, and supplying an international parameter wherever a local limit is silent.
Beyond the numbers it is a kitchen document. It sets what a licence actually requires of the premises and the food safety management system running behind it, a layout and product flow that keeps raw material away from cooked food, and the control of suppliers, incoming transport, receipt and storage. The core is time and temperature — cooking, cooling, hot and cold holding and display, reheating, thawing and the same-day rule — closing on additives, packaging and labelling, meal transport, allergen management, personnel, monitoring and recall. It is a single editable Word document.
What it covers
- A line laid out so raw and ready-to-eat never meet — product flow through the sections, storage areas, and the benches cooked food is kept off
- What a licence requires in practice — approval and registration conditions and the food safety management system behind them
- Incoming goods — supplier and raw material control, the condition of the transport that delivered them, receipt checks and storage
- Time and temperature — cooking, cooling, hot and cold holding and display, reheating, thawing and the same-day rule, with international values where local limits are silent
- Meals after the kitchen — additives, packaging and labelling, transport and delivery, allergen management, personnel monitoring and recall
Who it's for
Restaurant and catering operators, central kitchens, institutional food services, QA consultants, and the municipal inspectors who license and audit them. Most come to it when a new site opens under an unfamiliar local code, or when a client's own specification has to be answered line by line. For a group running kitchens under more than one authority, every site then works to the same figures.
Key documents
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Everything you get
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Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I receive?
A downloadable ZIP containing the full set of ready-to-use documents for this toolkit — manuals, procedures, forms, records, checklists, guidance and training material, all in editable Word and Excel format. The exact document count is shown at the top of this page.
Are the documents really editable?
Yes. Every file is native Microsoft Word or Excel — no locked PDFs. Add your logo, change wording, and tailor the content to your organisation. The toolkit is yours to keep and reuse.
Does this certify my organisation?
No. These are documentation toolkits aligned to the relevant standard to help you prepare. Certification itself is issued by an accredited certification body after their audit. Our toolkits give you a strong, audit-ready starting point.
How is it delivered?
Instantly and digitally. There's no physical shipment — you download the files right after payment and receive a backup link by email.
Do I get updates?
Yes. If we revise this toolkit, you're entitled to the updated version at no extra cost — just contact us with your order details.
What is your refund policy?
These are digital products, so once a toolkit has been downloaded we cannot take it back. If you have not downloaded yet, contact us and we will cancel the order and refund you in full. We also refund in full if the files are damaged, incomplete, or not what the product page described.
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