Red — Raw Meat
Keep raw red meat and mince on a dedicated surface to prevent cross-contamination.
HACCP colour guide for commercial kitchens
Colour-coded boards turn food safety into a shared reflex. One colour per food category keeps audits simpler and new hires productive from day one.
The colours below apply whether you choose HDPE or LLDPE boards — the material affects rigidity and knife feel, the colour is what keeps your kitchen HACCP-compliant.
The 6 colours
Yellow — Raw Poultry
Reserve for raw poultry, one of the highest-risk categories in a busy kitchen.
Blue — Seafood
Use for raw fish and shellfish. Rinse and sanitise between different species if needed.
Green — Produce
Fruit, vegetables, and salad prep stay separate from protein stations.
White — Dairy / Bakery
Dairy, bakery, and ready-to-eat items that should never share a raw protein board.
Brown — Cooked Meat
Cooked meats and reheats. Never return them to a raw-meat board.
How to roll it out
- Map every prep station to one food category.
- Stock matching board colours, and label storage the same way.
- Train the line once. Colour does the reminding every service.
Need boards cut to your stations? Request a custom size.
Common mistakes kitchens make with colour coding
- Using the same board for multiple categories “just for a few minutes”
- Not colour-coding storage (boards stored together defeats the point)
- Skipping training for new hires in their first week
- Not replacing boards once they’re too scarred/grooved to sanitise properly
Downloadable wall chart
Print this colour guide and post it at every prep station.