What an SFA inspection looks for in your fridge — and how to pass first time

In Singapore, your SFA licence is your right to trade — and refrigeration is one of the things an inspection looks at closely. The good news: a fridge that genuinely does its job makes passing routine.

What the inspection checks

Where cold storage is concerned, an officer is really asking three questions:

• Is food held at a safe temperature? Chilled food should sit at 4°C or below, frozen food at −18°C. A fridge that drifts warm is the most common problem found.
• Is it clean and in good condition? Interiors free of mould and spills, sound door seals, no rust or damage.
• Is raw kept apart from ready-to-eat? Clear separation, covered containers, no risk of cross-contamination.

How to pass first time

• Check the real temperature with a thermometer — not the dial — and keep a simple daily log.
• Keep door gaskets clean and springy; replace any that are cracked or slack.
• Wipe the interior down regularly and never let spills sit.
• Do not overload — air has to circulate for the temperature to stay even.

Where the fridge itself decides it

Good habits get you most of the way. But if the unit simply cannot hold temperature — a tired compressor, thin insulation, a fridge that warms up every time the door opens — you are fighting it at every inspection. A commercial fridge with a true inverter compressor and even force-air cooling holds a steady temperature right through a busy service, and digital control makes temperature logging straightforward. That turns inspection day from a worry into a formality.