If you doubt the safety of ingredients, you must discard them. But for HACCP and accountability, you need to record what you've thrown away and why. This protects you during inspections and helps prevent it from happening again.
Why record what you throw away?
Discarding ingredients due to safety concerns is not a failure. It's responsible action. But you need to be able to prove you made the right decision.
⚠️ Note:
During an NVWA inspection or complaint, you must be able to demonstrate that you discarded suspect products. Without records, you can't prove this.
What do you need to record?
For each batch you discard due to safety concerns, note:
- Date and time of the decision
- Product (name, brand, packaging)
- Quantity (kg, pieces, packages)
- Supplier and delivery date
- Reason for disposal (describe specifically)
- Who made the decision (person's name)
- How disposed (trash bin, returned to supplier)
💡 Example record:
Date: March 15, 2025, 09:30
- Product: Fresh salmon fillet, 2 kg
- Supplier: Fish Shop De Zee, delivered March 13
- Reason: Strange smell, doubt about freshness
- Decision: Chef Jan de Vries
- Disposed: Trash container, separately wrapped
How do you describe the reason?
Be specific about why you had doubts. Vague descriptions won't help during an inspection.
💡 Good descriptions:
- "Packaging swollen, strange smell when opened"
- "Meat felt slimy, color not normal"
- "Vegetables slimy, despite correct storage"
- "Dairy tasted sour, before expiration date"
❌ Poor descriptions:
- "Didn't look right"
- "Doubt about quality"
- "Didn't feel right"
- "Better safe than sorry"
Digital or on paper?
Both work, but digital has advantages during inspections. You can search faster and everything is in one place.
- Paper: Keep a logbook, retain for at least 2 years
- Digital: App or system, automatic backup
- Photos: Take photos of suspect product before discarding
💡 Digital advantage:
With an app like KitchenNmbrs, you can take photos directly, note the reason, and everything saves automatically. During inspection, you show your phone.
What if you doubt an entire delivery?
Sometimes you doubt not just one product, but an entire delivery from one supplier. This also needs to be recorded.
💡 Example entire delivery:
Delivery from Greengrocer Peters, March 14, 2025:
- Refrigerated truck too warm (12°C instead of max 7°C)
- Discarded: 5 kg lettuce, 3 kg tomatoes, 2 kg cucumber
- Supplier informed, credit note requested
- Photos taken of refrigerated truck thermometer
Storage and retrieval
You must keep records for at least 2 years. Make sure you can find them by date, product, or supplier.
- Chronological: Sort by disposal date
- By supplier: Recognize patterns
- By product: Which products go wrong often?
How do you record discarded product? (step by step)
Record immediately
As soon as you decide to discard something, note the date, time, product, and quantity. Don't wait until the end of the day or you'll forget details.
Describe the reason specifically
Write down why you had doubts: smell, color, texture, packaging. Take a photo if possible before you discard it.
Add delivery information
Note which supplier it came from and when it was delivered. This helps identify patterns and contact the supplier if there are complaints.
Save and store
Make sure the record stays findable. Digital in an app or system, or in a logbook that you keep for at least 2 years.
✨ Pro tip
Create a weekly overview of what you've discarded. Patterns by supplier or product group help you make better purchasing decisions.
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
Do I need to record everything I throw away?
Only what you discard due to safety concerns or doubt. Normal kitchen waste (peels, trim) doesn't need to be recorded for HACCP.
Can I just write 'product discarded'?
No, that's too vague. You need to be able to show why you discarded it. Describe specifically what you saw, smelled, or felt.
How long do I need to keep these records?
At least 2 years. In many countries this is legally required. With digital storage, this often happens automatically.
What if I later doubt whether I acted correctly?
When in doubt, always discard. Better to throw away unnecessarily than to have a sick customer. Your record shows you acted responsibly.
Do I need to take photos of discarded product?
Not required, but helpful as evidence. Especially for entire deliveries or expensive products. Take the photo before you discard it.
Can the NVWA request my disposal records?
Yes, during inspections they often look at what you discard and why. It shows you're consciously managing food safety.
📚 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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