Food Authority and smiley scheme
Who controls what they see, and what the smiley means
When you work in a professional kitchen you work under supervision. The Danish Food Authority is the authority that checks that food companies comply with food law and the result of the inspection is shown publicly with a smiley. For the guest the smiley is often the first thing they see at the door – for you it is a mirror of how you work every day.
§What the Danish Food Authority inspects
Inspection is about food safety: that the food is safe to eat and that the company has control over the things that can make people sick. The inspector looks at, among other things, hygiene, temperatures, storage, self-inspection, labelling and the condition and maintenance of the premises. The inspection is usually unannounced so it shows how the kitchen looks on a completely ordinary day — not a dressed up version.
- 01Hygiene: cleaning, personal hygiene and separation of raw and ready-to-eat.
- 02Temperatures: cooling, freezing, keeping warm, and cooling down.
- 03Storage: labelling, shelf life, protection against contamination and pests.
- 04Quality control: that you have a system, follow it and can document it.
- 05Marking and information: including allergens for guests.
- 06Premises and equipment: maintenance, materials and furnishings that can be cleaned.
§How the construction trades are structured — the common framework
The inspector comes in shows ID and goes through the kitchen. Along the way remarks are noted and at the end the result is reviewed with a responsible person. After the visit a control report is drawn up describing what was seen and whether there were any remarks. The report is sent digitally to the company and the smiley result becomes publicly available.
§The three smileys
The Smiley scheme was simplified in 2022. The scale went from four to three smileys — a happy face, a neutral (straight) face and a sad face — depending on how well the business complies with the rules. The previous elite smiley that rewarded businesses with a long streak of good inspections was discontinued at the same time. The Smiley mark is displayed at the entrance, often with a QR code that leads to the public inspection results.
§What triggers a remark?
Notes are given when something does not comply with the rules. This can be missing or inadequate self-control, poor hygiene, incorrect temperatures, missing allergen information, or disorder that poses a risk of contamination. The more serious and the more it deals with direct food safety, the more weight it carries. Repeated errors weigh more than a single quickly corrected problem.
§Your role in a good inspection result
As a gastronome you are not a bystander to the inspection — you are one of the reasons it goes well or poorly. The temperatures you measure and record the hands you wash and the marking you put on are exactly what the inspector looks for. A good inspection result is not built on the visit day but on all the days when no one is watching.
“The Smiley doesn't show how good the food tastes — it shows whether the guest can safely eat it.”
— Principle of food control