Quick answer
Choose suitable food-contact boards that can be cleaned effectively, keep raw and ready-to-eat uses properly separated and make the business’s identification system clear. Colour coding is a useful system, but no single colour chart replaces the method. Clean, disinfect and store boards under the applicable national guidance, and replace deeply scored boards that can no longer be cleaned effectively.
A board’s colour is only one part of control
A red or green surface can still be contaminated if used, washed or stored incorrectly. Staff need to understand its designated use and the route back to safe storage.
FSA’s detailed guidance treats colour coding as an example of easy identification and explains equipment separation. Scottish CookSafe rules give separate national instructions.
Make the agreed colour system visible
| Example colour | Possible designated use |
|---|---|
| Red | Raw meat and poultry. |
| Blue | Raw fish. |
| Brown | Unwashed vegetables. |
| Green | Washed ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables. |
| Yellow | Cooked meats. |
| White | Suitable bakery or dairy preparation under the agreed method. |
This is an illustrative business scheme, not a universal legal chart. Confirm what the actual business uses, provide enough boards and use clear labels or another identification aid where colour alone is insufficient. Do not guess a board’s purpose in a new workplace.
Select and inspect for effective cleaning
Choose boards suitable for the food task, equipment and cleaning/disinfection process. Check condition as part of the routine rather than wait until a board breaks.
FSA guidance says deeply scored chopping boards should be replaced because effective cleaning may no longer be possible. Remove a board that cannot be cleaned properly from food use; a fresh label does not repair its surface.
Follow the correct separation and cleaning method
For England, Wales and NI, the detailed FSA guidance explains suitable heat disinfection or a complete dishwasher cycle where utensils or boards are used between raw and ready-to-eat tasks. If those methods are unavailable, separate designated equipment and separate washing/storage are needed.
Follow Scottish dedicated-equipment guidance where applicable. Use the manufacturer’s instructions for dishwasher loading and the full cycle, and keep the machine functioning correctly. Store cleaned boards protected from raw work and other contamination.
Simply rinsing a board or spraying a chemical on a dirty surface is not an equivalent method.
Worked example: enough colours, insufficient clean boards
Hypothetical example: a kitchen owns a full colour set but has too few suitable ready-to-eat boards for a busy service. A worker proposes using a raw-food board after a quick wipe.
The supervisor uses the proper separation method, changes the sequence or provides enough suitable equipment. The team checks washing and storage capacity too. Buying colours without planning turnaround would leave the practical gap unresolved.
Do not confuse an extra colour with an allergen guarantee
Some businesses add an identifiable board for particular allergen-controlled work. The colour alone does not establish ingredient information or prevent every cross-contact route. Follow the complete allergen method.
Observe staff selection, cleaning, return to storage and replacement decisions. Include temporary staff and anyone who uses the boards only occasionally. Correct misunderstandings and check the procedure during normal workload.
Next steps
Agree and display the actual board system, provide enough equipment and test the cleaning/storage route. Use separation guidance and the cleaning schedule to support it.
Read official board and utensil controls — Use the complete separation, washing and storage conditions.