HACCP for Delis and Charcuteries: A Complete EU Compliance Guide

Introduction

One of the most common failures in delis and charcuteries is the improper cleaning of slicers. A simple wipe-down is not enough; Listeria monocytogenes can form biofilms behind the blade guard, posing a serious risk to ready-to-eat (RTE) products.

What you'll learn

• How to implement effective sanitation practices specific to slicers and equipment.
• Key temperature controls for storing and displaying RTE products.
• Best practices for staff training on allergen management and hygiene.

What Auditors Check First

• Slicer sanitation:
  • Confirm that slicers are disassembled, cleaned, and sanitized every 4 hours and between product types.
• Time and date labeling:
  • Check that pre-sliced meats are labeled with time of slicing and have a maximum shelf life of 24 hours.
• Environmental Listeria monitoring:
  • Verify that there is a documented monitoring program in place for high-risk RTE products.

Hazards Specific to Delis and Charcuteries

Biological Hazards:

• Listeria monocytogenes:
  • This pathogen thrives at refrigeration temperatures and can form biofilms on slicers.
• Salmonella:
  • Often introduced through cross-contamination when handling raw ingredients alongside ready-to-eat (RTE) items.
• Staphylococcus aureus:
  • Can be transferred through hand contact during slicing, plating, and sandwich assembly.

On a busy Saturday when multiple staff are slicing various products, cross-contamination can easily occur without proper handwashing.

Implement a handwashing protocol: wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds after handling raw foods and before touching RTE items.

Maintain slicers by disassembling, washing, and sanitising with a food-grade sanitiser (200ppm chlorine or QAC) every 4 hours during use.

Chemical Hazards:

• Allergens:
  • Common allergens include milk, gluten, sulphites, mustard, celery, and sesame found in charcuterie products.
• Cleaning agents:
  • Residues from cleaning agents can contaminate food if not properly rinsed off equipment.

On a busy Friday, if staff forget to rinse the slicer after cleaning, residues could contaminate the next batch of RTE meat.

Train staff to rinse all slicers and equipment thoroughly after cleaning to eliminate any chemical residues.

Display allergen information clearly for all products, especially those containing milk and gluten, as per Regulation 1169/2011 Annex II.

Physical Hazards:

• Foreign objects:
  • Items like broken glass from displays or plastic from packaging can pose risks.
• Improperly stored ingredients:
  • Ingredients not stored correctly can lead to spoilage and contamination.

On a busy Sunday, if a staff member drops a glass jar near the slicing area, it could result in shards contaminating the food.

Implement a strict policy for immediate cleanup and inspection of the area whenever breakage occurs.

Regularly inspect storage areas to ensure no foreign objects are present, and maintain a clean workspace.

Seasonal Considerations

During summer, display cases work harder, and ambient temperatures can rise, increasing the risk of time-temperature abuse. Reduce pre-sliced quantities and slice to order when possible.

At Christmas, with a surge in hamper and platter orders, pre-sliced charcuterie may be assembled hours before collection, risking time-temp abuse if not kept below 5°C.

Monitor display temperatures rigorously, ensuring all RTE meats and cheeses are kept at <5°C, probing the product directly, not just the cabinet glass.

Critical Control Points

• CCP 1:
  • Slicer Sanitation

    Measure: Ensure slicers are disassembled, washed, and sanitised every 4 hours during use and between product types.

    Monitor: Use a food-grade sanitiser at 200 ppm chlorine or QAC. Check sanitiser concentration with test strips before each sanitisation.

    Corrective Action: If not cleaned every 4 hours, stop use immediately, disassemble, clean, and sanitise the slicer before resuming operations.

• CCP 2:
  • Display Temperature

    Measure: All ready-to-eat (RTE) meats and cheeses must be displayed at <5°C.

    Monitor: Use a calibrated probe thermometer to check product temperature at least every 2 hours.

    Corrective Action: If the temperature exceeds 5°C, remove the affected products from display and check their safety. Discard if above 5°C for more than 2 hours.

• CCP 3:
  • Slicing-to-Sale Time

    Measure: Pre-sliced products must be labelled with the time of slicing and have a maximum shelf life of 24 hours.

    Monitor: Check labels on pre-sliced products every 4 hours to ensure compliance with shelf life.

    Corrective Action: If a product exceeds 24 hours, discard it immediately and document the action taken.

• CCP 4:
  • Vacuum Packing

    Measure: If vacuum-packing in-house, validate the process and ensure use within 5 days at <5°C.

    Monitor: Document vacuum-packing processes and check product temperature daily.

    Corrective Action: If products are not used within 5 days or not stored at <5°C, discard them immediately.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake:
  • Slicer not disassembled for cleaning → Fix: Always disassemble, wash, and sanitise every 4 hours and between product types.
• Mistake:
  • Pre-sliced meats in display with no time/date label → Fix: Label all pre-sliced products with the time of slicing and enforce a 24-hour shelf life.
• Mistake:
  • Same slicer used for raw and cooked products without full clean between → Fix: Clean and sanitise the slicer thoroughly before switching between raw and cooked products.

Supplier management is critical in delis and charcuteries to prevent food safety hazards. Each delivery must be thoroughly checked to ensure compliance with safety standards and to mitigate risks associated with key pathogens. Develop a routine for receiving checks to maintain high-quality products.

Delivery Acceptance Checklist

• Verify supplier's Listeria testing programme results for cured meats (last 6 months).
• Check that raw milk cheeses have been aged for over 60 days.
• Confirm olives and antipasti in oil have a pH <4.6 or are stored at <5°C.
• Review allergen declarations for bread and crackers (gluten, sesame, egg).

When to Reject a Delivery

• Any cured meat without documented Listeria test results.
• Raw milk cheeses aged <60 days.
• Olives or antipasti in oil with pH >4.6 or not stored at <5°C.
• Products showing signs of spoilage or improper temperature during transport.

Daily Monitoring Checklist

• Check slicer sanitation:
  • Disassemble, wash, and sanitise every 4 hours during use.
• Verify display temperature:
  • Ensure all RTE meats/cheeses are <5°C; probe the product, not the cabinet glass.
• Monitor slicing-to-sale time:
  • If pre-slicing, label with time of slicing and ensure 24h maximum shelf life.
• Inspect vacuum-packed products:
  • Ensure use within 5 days at <5°C or validate HACCP for in-house packing.
• Check for environmental Listeria:
  • Conduct routine testing in high-risk areas.

What Records Auditors Expect

• Slicer cleaning logs:
  • Document each cleaning session, including time and staff responsible.
• Temperature logs:
  • Record daily temperatures of display cases, including time of checks.
• Slicing time/date labels:
  • Maintain records for pre-sliced products indicating slicing time and expiry.
• Supplier verification documents:
  • Keep records of Listeria testing results from cured meat suppliers (last 6 months).
• Staff training records:
  • Document training sessions and competency checks for all counter staff.

Staff Training Requirements

All counter staff must demonstrate competency in slicer disassembly and sanitisation. This includes washing and sanitising with a food-grade sanitiser (200ppm chlorine or QAC) every 4 hours during use.

Ensure all staff are trained on allergen knowledge, specifically regarding milk (cheese), gluten (breadcrumbs), sulphites (wine-cured meats), mustard, celery, and sesame.

Implement handwashing protocols: Staff must wash hands between handling different product types, after touching money/phone, and before slicing RTE meats. New starters should shadow experienced staff for a minimum of 2 days before using the slicer independently.

Conclusion

Compliance with HACCP guidelines for delis and charcuteries involves understanding key regulatory requirements. Maintain Listeria monocytogenes levels below 100 cfu/g throughout shelf life as per EC 2073/2005 Annex I Ch. 1. Ensure equipment is cleanable according to EC 852/2004 Annex II Ch. V, and manage temperature control for RTE foods under EC 852/2004 Annex II Ch. IX(5).

Quick-Start Action Plan

1. Review and update your cleaning schedule to include disassembling and sanitising slicers every 4 hours.
2. Check and label all pre-sliced meats with time and date, ensuring a maximum shelf life of 24 hours.
3. Implement a temperature monitoring system to ensure all RTE meats and cheeses are displayed below 5°C.
4. Train all staff on allergen awareness and handwashing protocols before handling RTE products.
5. Request Listeria testing results from your cured meat suppliers for the last six months.

Generate your free Delis and Charcuteries HACCP plan at ilovehaccp.com/builder - it takes under 10 minutes and covers all the points in this guide.

For practical implementation, review haccp-for-dark-kitchens-and-ghost-kitchens-eu and haccp-for-food-trucks-eu before finalizing your HACCP records.