A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE OPERATING LICENSE REQUIREMENTS FOR OIL AND COOKING FAT STORES
An oil and cooking fat store is a shop that sells olive oil, packaged or in bulk, packaged kernel oils and seed oils, and cooking fats, under the terms specified by the applicable Market Regulations and the Food Code. The same store is also allowed to sell melted butter, if this is not prohibited by other provisions, and soap. The consumption of any kind of food or drink inside the stores is prohibited.
They will have the following spaces:
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Sales area (mainly store) of sufficient capacity, depending on the store’s customer traffic, in such a way as to ensure comfortable customer circulation and easy cleaning, and in any case not less than 15 square meters.
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Preparation area, with a minimum area of 20 square meters, for stores where the items offered, or even some of them, are prepared.
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A warehouse, proportional to the commercial activity of the store. A warehouse is not necessary in small stores of 20 sq.m.
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Staff toilets
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The above areas shall be separated from each other by walls or other solid structures that are easy to clean and do not provide breeding grounds for mice, cockroaches, etc.
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The items for sale shall be neatly arranged inside the store. It is prohibited to display the above items outside the building line, on the grass or on the sidewalk.
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Canned preserved foods (canned goods) shall be stored in cool places, which are not affected by sunlight and generally by high ambient temperatures. Wholesale stores shall store canned foods in dry warehouses at a stable low temperature, preferably +10°C, which shall be well ventilated.
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Unpackaged food, which is eaten as is, without first being boiled, baked, or peeled, shall be kept in hermetically sealed display cases, in such a way as to protect it from flies, cockroaches, mice, dust, exhaust fumes, and any other kind of pollution.
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Perishable foods shall be stored in suitable refrigerators of adequate capacity and at a constant low temperature below +7°C, depending on the type of food and the desired storage time.
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All types of food must have the usual organoleptic characteristics (smell, taste, appearance) and, in terms of their effect on human health, must comply with the health requirements and conditions laid down in the Food and Beverage Code and the provisions of the relevant food legislation in force at the time.
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The packaging containers of canned foods shall not show any significant swelling or crushing, oxidation or subsequent welding at various points, or any loss of tightness, and shall meet all the conditions of the relevant provisions of the Food and Beverage Code concerning packaging materials. .
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All areas of the stores referred to in this article, as well as furniture, refrigerators, tools, utensils, etc., shall be kept in good condition and perfectly clean. The tools, utensils, and appliances used for various food handling operations shall be washed daily with hot water and soap or another suitable and hygienically acceptable detergent. For this purpose, the store shall have a sink (which may also be used for washing hands) and a hot water supply (water heater or, in small stores, an electric kettle with a pot).
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Food vendors shall be healthy and perfectly clean and shall wear a white or light-colored clean shirt. The Health Service may require shops covered by this article to hire a cashier if it considers that their customer traffic warrants such a measure.
