Inspection covers food handling and records as well as the cold room itself.
In short: keep the room clean, products organised, thermometers checked and HACCP/GHP/GMP evidence available every day.
Review temperatures, calibration or verification records, corrective actions, cleaning, maintenance, labels, stock rotation and separation of raw from ready-to-eat food. Check the door seal, drainage and surface condition.
Compare the controller with an independent instrument under a defined procedure. Different sensor locations may explain small differences; investigate results outside the accepted tolerance.
Official overview: Polish GIS food inspections.
What an inspection checks
A SANEPID (sanitary inspectorate) visit or EU food-hygiene audit typically checks:
- Actual temperature — the inspector's calibrated thermometer against your display.
- Records and logs — temperature history, corrective actions, calibration evidence.
- Interior cleanliness — surfaces, shelving, and drainage.
- Product organisation — raw and cooked separation, date labelling, stock rotation.
- Door gasket condition — a leaking seal is both an energy and a hygiene flag.
- Maintenance and cleaning schedules — documented evidence they are followed.
Organised documentation and a clean, well-maintained room make these inspections straightforward.
The temperature display catches people out
Inspectors compare their thermometer to yours. If your controller has drifted, you can fail on a room that is actually in spec.
Protect yourself by keeping calibration current and running a periodic cross-check of the display against an independent, recently calibrated probe. The display the inspector reads should match that probe within tolerance. Calibration records are part of your HACCP evidence — see HACCP documentation and temperature records.
Before the inspector arrives
A short routine keeps you ready:
- Confirm the display reads true against an independent probe.
- Check gaskets seal cleanly and condenser/evaporator are clean.
- Have temperature logs, corrective-action records, and calibration evidence to hand.
- Confirm raw/cooked separation, date labels, and stock rotation are in order.
See Maintenance schedule overview and Cleaning procedures.
Related articles
- Cold storage as a Critical Control Point
- Critical temperature limits for cold storage
- HACCP documentation and temperature records
- Handling a temperature excursion
- Maintenance schedule overview
- Cleaning procedures
Inspection practice reflects EU food-safety law and Polish SANEPID procedure; confirm the exact requirements for your jurisdiction and product. For help with a room that passes inspection on temperature, contact [email protected].
