AQTA Came, Wrote a Fine — You Were Not Ready. Full Checklist

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One day, an AQTA (Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency) inspector walks through the door. No warning. He comes according to his schedule. He conducts an inspection. And you are left with a fine — because you weren't ready.

This happens every day in Baku. The owner says "we'll fix it later," and then the fine is issued. Sometimes operations are suspended. In the worst case — the establishment is closed.

In this article, I write one by one what AQTA looks at, what violations it fines for, and what you need to do to make your restaurant/cafe/tea house fully ready. Print the checklist, stick it on the wall.

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What does AQTA look at? 8 main areas

1. Food storage conditions

• Refrigerator temperature: Must be between +2°C and +6°C. The inspector checks with a thermometer.
• Freezer temperature: -18°C and below.
• Raw and prepared food must be stored separately. If raw chicken is dripping onto a prepared salad — fine.
• Food must be at least 15-20 cm above the floor — on a shelf, on a pallet.
• FIFO (First In, First Out) rule: Old food in front, new in back. Date label on every container.
• Expiration dates: If expired food is found — serious violation.

2. Personal hygiene

• Medical certificate: Every employee must have a current medical certificate. The inspector asks; if you can't show it — fine.
• Work clothing: Clean, light-colored, fully buttoned. Kitchen staff must have a head covering (hairnet).
• Hand washing: The kitchen must have a separate hand-washing sink (must not be the same as the food-washing sink). Soap, paper towels, disinfectant.
• Nails, jewelry: Long nails, nail polish, rings, bracelets — prohibited in the kitchen.
• Tobacco: Strictly prohibited in the kitchen and food storage areas.

3. Kitchen hygiene

• Cleanliness of work surfaces: Cutting boards, tables, knives — must be cleaned after every use.
• Color-coded cutting boards: Red for raw meat, green for vegetables, white for bread, etc. Cutting raw chicken and salad on the same board — a serious cross-contamination risk.
• Trash bins: Lidded, pedal-operated. Trash overflow — fine.
• Pest control: Cockroaches, mice, flies — there must not even be a trace of them. The inspector checks the area.

4. Water quality

• Drinking water: If tap water is used — there must be a filtration system.
• Ice: The ice machine must be clean, ice must not be taken by hand (use tongs or a scoop).

5. Food preparation process

• Cooking temperature: Chicken must reach a minimum internal temperature of 74°C. Beef (well-done) 71°C. The inspector may check with a thermometer.
• Holding temperature: Prepared food must not remain at room temperature for more than 2 hours. After 2 hours, it must either be refrigerated or discarded.
• Reheating: If previously prepared food is reheated, it must reach above 74°C.

6. Documentation

• AQTA registration: To operate, you must register with AQTA. It is free of charge through ASAN Service or KOBİA.
• Hygiene journal: Daily temperature records, cleaning records. The inspector will ask for the journal.
• Food source: A document showing where each food item was purchased (invoice, receipt). This is a traceability requirement.

7. Hall and common areas

• Toilet: Clean, soap, dryer, running water. Separate entrance from the kitchen.
• Ventilation: Odors from the kitchen must not pass into the hall.
• General cleanliness: Floor, walls, ceiling — overall sanitary condition.

8. Allergen information

Allergen information must be present on the menu — nuts, milk, gluten, eggs, etc. This requirement is becoming increasingly strict.

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The most common reasons for fines

The most frequently cited violations by AQTA inspectors in Baku:

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Daily, weekly, monthly hygiene regime

Every day:

• ☐ Check refrigerator/freezer temperatures, record in the journal
• ☐ Clean and disinfect work surfaces
• ☐ Empty and clean trash bins
• ☐ FIFO check — any expired food?
• ☐ Check hand-washing stations — soap, dryer available?
• ☐ Check employees' work clothing

Every week:

• ☐ Thoroughly clean the interior of refrigerators
• ☐ Pest inspection — check all corners, behind the shelves
• ☐ Check cutting boards — cracks, signs of rot?
• ☐ Check the ventilation filter
• ☐ Deep-check toilet hygiene

Every month:

• ☐ Check the validity of medical certificates — any that need renewal?
• ☐ Archive food source documents — are invoices properly kept?
• ☐ Check the technical condition of all equipment — stoves, refrigerators, dishwasher
• ☐ Conduct a brief hygiene briefing for employees (15 minutes is enough)
• ☐ Call the pest control service (professional disinfection)

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"AQTA preparation" checklist — stick it on the wall

Print this list, stick it at the kitchen entrance. Check it every day.

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Cross-contamination — the most dangerous, least known risk

Cross-contamination — is the transfer of bacteria from raw food to ready-to-eat food. This is one of the main causes of food poisoning.

The most common ways:

• Cutting salad on a board used for cutting raw chicken
• Touching bread after handling raw meat without washing hands
• Liquid dripping from raw meat onto ready food in the refrigerator
• Touching raw and cooked food with the same gloves

Solution:

• Color-coded cutting boards: red = raw meat, green = vegetables, yellow = chicken, blue = fish
• Hand washing for 20 seconds, with soap, every time food is changed
• Raw food on the bottom shelf, ready food on the top shelf in the refrigerator
• Glove changing rule — new gloves for each food group

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