HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is an international food safety management system that food businesses must comply with. In Turkey, food businesses are obliged to implement HACCP or an equivalent system under Law No. 5996 on Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed.
The critical control points in kitchen cleaning are as follows: disinfecting cooking surfaces at the end of every shift with a food-safe surface cleaner, weekly cleaning of cold rooms at below 4°C, daily disinfection of waste areas, and documenting all cleaning records with a signature. Record forms must be kept for at least two years.
When choosing chemicals, the products used on kitchen surfaces must be NSF/ANSI 2 approved or compliant with the Turkish Food Codex. Chlorine-based products and acid cleaners should be used at different stages; microfiber and dosing systems should be preferred to minimize employees' exposure to chemicals. In weekly periodic inspections, surface hygiene can be verified objectively with ATP bioluminescence measurement.
