Proper training on raw product safety prevents foodborne illness that can shut down your restaurant and destroy your reputation. Most kitchen teams understand raw ingredients carry risks, but they don't know the specific protocols that keep guests safe. You need clear, actionable instructions that eliminate guesswork.
Why instruction matters so much
A single contaminated egg can harbor salmonella. One improperly handled tartare plate can sicken multiple customers. And you're legally responsible for everything that leaves your kitchen.
Here's the issue: your team knows raw products can be dangerous, but they don't know the exact protocols. At what point do you discard something? How long can items sit at room temperature? Which cutting board prevents cross-contamination?
⚠️ Attention:
Food poisoning from raw products can result in legal liability. Especially if you haven't provided proper staff training.
The 4 biggest risks with raw products
These mistakes happen most frequently in restaurant kitchens:
- Cross-contamination: Same cutting board for raw meat and vegetables
- Temperature abuse: Raw products sitting too long at room temperature
- Expired ingredients: Using eggs or meat past their prime
- Poor hygiene: Inadequate handwashing after handling raw products
Essential rules for your staff
These protocols apply to every raw product in your operation:
? Example instruction card:
For tartare preparation:
- Use only same-day meat
- Red cutting board (raw meat only)
- Return to refrigeration immediately after cutting
- Wash hands before and after handling
- Maximum 2 hours at room temperature
Temperature control guidelines
Your team must understand bacterial growth temperatures:
- Danger zone: 5°C to 60°C (rapid bacterial growth)
- Safe storage: Below 4°C in refrigeration
- Room temperature limit: 2 hours maximum, then discard
? Example timing:
Tartare removed from refrigeration at 14:00:
- 14:00 - 16:00: Safe for service
- 16:00: Must discard immediately
- Don't serve even if it looks fine
Handwashing protocols
Specify exactly when and how your team should wash hands:
- Before: Handling any raw products
- After: Processing raw ingredients
- Before: Touching other food items
- Technique: 20 seconds with soap, scrub under fingernails
Color-coded cutting boards and knives
Prevent cross-contamination with this system:
- Red: Raw meat (tartare, carpaccio)
- Yellow: Poultry
- Blue: Fish and seafood
- Green: Vegetables and fruits
- White: Dairy and baked goods
⚠️ Attention:
One incorrect cutting board can contaminate your entire salad batch. Make this crystal clear to your staff.
Product-specific handling instructions
Different raw ingredients require unique protocols:
Eggs:
- Always verify date (21 days maximum after laying)
- Never crack directly over other ingredients
- Dispose of shells immediately
- Serve raw egg preparations right away
Tartare/Carpaccio:
- Only same-day meat allowed
- Cut just before service
- 2-hour room temperature maximum
- Never save for next day
? Example daily schedule:
Tartare for dinner service:
- 17:00: Remove meat, cut immediately
- 17:30: Finished, back to refrigeration
- 19:00: First order, remove from cold storage
- 21:00: Still unused? Throw away
Handling uncertainty
Train your team on this fundamental rule: If you're unsure, discard it.
- Unusual odor? Throw it out
- Too long at temperature? Throw it out
- Unclear expiration? Throw it out
- Wrong cutting board used? Throw it out
You'll lose a few dollars in ingredients. But a sick customer costs far more in reputation and legal fees.
Documentation and tracking
Monitor your team's compliance with these areas:
- Which raw products are being used
- Removal times from refrigeration
- Discard times for unused items
- Refrigeration temperatures
From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, digital systems work better than paper checklists. Tools like KitchenNmbrs let you review records quickly if health inspectors or customers raise concerns.
Related articles
How do you instruct your team? (step by step)
Create instruction cards per product
Write a short instruction for each raw product (eggs, tartare, carpaccio). Maximum 5 rules per card. Post these at the workstation where the product is processed.
Train your team individually
Take each employee aside and have them demonstrate the procedure. Explain why each step is important. Have them repeat the instruction until they understand it.
Check daily during the first week
Check every day whether your team follows the rules. Correct immediately if you see mistakes. After a week, check weekly, then monthly if things are going well.
Register what happens
Have your team note when raw products are removed from refrigeration and when they are discarded. This helps with inspections and if questions about food safety come up later.
✨ Pro tip
Post laminated photos showing correct raw product procedures at each prep station. Visual reminders work better than written instructions during busy service periods, and new staff can reference them within their first 48 hours on the job.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How long can raw eggs sit at room temperature?
Can I use yesterday's tartare if it was refrigerated?
What's the protocol if someone uses the wrong cutting board for raw fish?
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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