Questions answered by the Food Safety Authority

Drinking water should always be clear and colorless. Brown drinking water may indicate pipe corrosion, signaling it's time for maintenance on the drinking water pipes in the house, which is the homeowner's responsibility from the intake point. To ensure the safety of drinking water temporarily until maintenance can be performed, let the water run for about 10-15 minutes to flush out any stagnant water before using it. When the water temperature is as cold as it can get (this temperature varies by season and from house to house, with common end temperatures being 5-8°C in winter and up to 12-13°C in summer), it means clean water from the Veitur distribution system has entered the house. Reykjavík Public Health takes samples of the drinking water in the distribution system twice a week.

If the result of a routine inspection is 1, it means the health inspector has restricted the business's operations or partially shut it down. Alternatively, the operator may have taken responsibility as required by law and done this themselves. An example is a pub serving alcohol and grilling hamburgers. During a routine inspection, refrigerators for hamburgers are found faulty. Hamburger grilling is banned, but the operator can continue selling non-refrigerated drinks. In these cases, the operator gets a short deadline to fix issues that led to the partial restriction or shutdown. After completing improvements, the operator must request the health inspector to review them. If satisfactory, the operator can resume full operations.

• Ensure the premises meet the Building Commissioner/planning requirements. Food trucks and carts need permits for street vending from Reykjavík City if the truck or other mobile food service will be on city land or from the landowner if the activity will be on private land.
• Apply for an operating permit from Reykjavík Public Health.
• Apply for a business license from the District Commissioner of Greater Reykjavík, if applicable (for running a restaurant with alcohol (category II and III) or accommodation in categories II-IV).
• Familiarize with and meet the equipment requirements for food businesses.
• Learn about and comply with requirements for accommodations (regulation on restaurants, lodging establishments and entertainment, regulation on hygiene practices, and operating permit conditions set by Reykjavík's Public Health Committee for accommodations).
• Establish internal control (food safety system) for the food operation.
• Meet general conditions regarding food carts.
• Thoroughly familiarize yourself with other guidelines as applicable.

• If you intend to run a restaurant and sell alcohol, you need a business license.
• If you plan to run an accommodation facility (excluding homestay), you need a business license.
• Note that in addition to the aforementioned business licenses, an operating permit from the Public Health Committee is required.
• You apply for the business license at the District Commissioner of Greater Reykjavík.

It depends on the operation.

If you need to rinse fruits, vegetables, or other foods, you require a sink for that purpose, known as a food sink. If your operation is extensive, you might need more than one food sink, for example, one for meat and another for vegetables and fruits. You need a sink to wash utensils and other equipment (utensil and equipment sink) and a sink to rinse tableware from guests (tableware sink). If the operation is small-scale, this can be the same sink.

A sink to rinse tableware from guests is usually adjacent to the dishwasher, which is essential when providing tableware such as glasses, cutlery, and plates. In addition to the mentioned sinks, you must have a hand sink designated solely for handwashing. The hand sink must be freestanding, not incorporated into a counter, and have wall-mounted dispensers for sanitary supplies, i.e., sanitizer, liquid hand soap, and disposable paper towels.

Hand sink faucets must be hands-free so you do not have to touch the faucets with your hands during use. The number of hand sinks depends on the operation; large kitchens may have multiple hand sinks, and bars or other service areas must allow for handwashing. Here, there may also be a need for so-called servers' sinks designed to retrieve water for customers and rinse fruits/vegetables. Janitor closets should have sinks for disposing of dirty cleaning water.

It is not permitted to prepare food at home and distribute it on the market. An exception to this is food sold for charitable purposes, i.e., not for personal profit (such as fundraisers like charity bake sales). It is important to note that food safety must always be ensured.

No. It is not permitted to wash work clothing or other staff attire at home. The operations of food businesses must not be connected to a home setting.

You need an operating permit. Further information on food importation. It should be noted that the customer has the right to detailed information about the food on the website/social media to make an informed decision about purchasing the product. General requirements for food information are in the regulation on the provision of food information to consumers.

Yes, you need an operating permit. Further information on food importation. If you intend to import alcohol, you also need a permit from the District Commissioner.

Importing food for market distribution requires a license. This includes alcohol and dietary supplements. Storing food in a garage or other spaces connected to a private home for market distribution is not permitted.

No, but you need to notify the Public Health Committee of your operation using a designated form.

Commercial vegetable cultivation is subject to notification. Growers must notify their activity to the public health authority before it starts by submitting a completed and signed document to the Reykjavík Public Health.

If the intention is to cultivate sprouts, then the activity requires an operating permit. Sprout growers must apply for an operating permit before starting their activity by submitting a completed and signed operating permit application to Reykjavík Public Health.

If the intention is to process vegetables in any way and/or package them into consumer packaging, the activity requires an operating permit. The sale and distribution of food in stores and online also requires an operating permit. You must apply for an operating permit before the activity commences by submitting a completed and signed operating permit application to Reykjavík Public Health.

If you suspect you became ill after eating at a restaurant, it's important to report it to the public health authority where the restaurant is located. Information about public health districts.

The most common issue is stomach flu, and it is recommended to seek a doctor if symptoms persist for more than 24 hours. Further guidance regarding illnesses can be found at healthcare clinics nationwide.

If you suspect illness after consuming food delivery or after eating food purchased in stores, it should be reported in the same manner.

It's important to describe precisely what was eaten and when, when the first symptoms were noticed, the symptoms, the duration of the illness, and how many were affected. The public health representative or the infectious disease physician's representative may need to ask more detailed questions following a report.

Reykjavík Public Health accepts reports of suspected food poisonings and other suggestions by phone at 411 1111 or by email at heilbrigdiseftirlit@reykjavik.is.

A homestay is defined as the rental of guest rooms for 90 days or less per year and falls under Category I according to the regulation on restaurants, lodging establisments, and entertainment. Neither a public health authority operating permit nor a district commissioner's business license is required for such accommodation. You only need to register the homestay with the District Commissioner of Greater Reykjavík.

You need an operating permit from Reykjavík Public Health and a business license from the District Commissioner of Greater Reykjavík. Requirements for running lodging establishments are defined in the regulation on hygiene and the regulation on restaurants, lodging establishments, and entertainment. If meals are offered at lodging establishments, they must comply with the European Union's regulation on food hygiene practices. Additionally, lodging establishments must meet the regulations on noise and waste management.

No. A new operating permit is never issued without a district commissioner's business license if the new operation requires a business license. An application for the Reykjavík Public Health's operating permit is submitted concurrently with the district commissioner's business license application.

You apply for a business license at the District Commissioner of Greater Reykjavík, at Hlíðarsmári 1 in Kópavogur. This applies to accommodation in Categories II, III, IV, and for restaurants in Categories II and III.