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The ongoing results of inspections by the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (SZPI) this season confirmed that a large share of operators do not comply with prescribed procedures for the production of scooped and soft-serve ice creams and ice for drinks. A very high proportion of the collected samples failed to meet the legal requirements regarding limits for the presence of bacteria, and such foods pose a health risk to consumers.

By 1st September 2025, a total of 46% of ice cream samples and 57% of ice samples for drinks had failed.

During inspections, CAFIA inspectors focus, among other things, on compliance with safety and quality parameters of these products, including inspections of the equipment used for their preparation. The inspections were carried out mainly in confectioneries and other catering establishments.

In 2025, CAFIA inspectors have so far evaluated 146 samples of soft-serve and scooped ice creams, and 67 of them (46%) failed to meet hygiene limits. Laboratory analyses of the ice cream samples confirmed excessive levels of bacterial colonies from the Enterobacteriaceae family. The main causes of these unsatisfactory results include non-compliance with hygiene standards, insufficient sanitation of equipment, and non-compliance with production procedures in ice cream preparation. Insufficient staff training may also play a role.

One of the common causes of problems in soft-serve ice cream is the undesirable practice where operators do not dispose of ice cream at the end of the day but instead return it to the machine the next day, which can lead to the transfer of bacterial contamination from the machine to the ice cream mix and back.

Among the unsatisfactory samples, vanilla ice cream predominated, which can be attributed to the popularity of this flavour.

In previous years, the proportion of ice cream samples failing to meet legal requirements was as follows: 2024: 52%, 2023: 45%, 2022: 53.3%, 2021: 48.3%, 2020: 51%.

In the current season (up to 1 September 2025), CAFIA inspectors have so far completed evaluations of 53 samples of ice for drinks, of which 30 (57%) failed to meet health or hygiene limits. Laboratory analyses confirmed the presence of Escherichia coli, enterococci, coliform bacteria, and bacterial colonies growing at 22°C and 36°C. The main cause of these unsatisfactory findings can be identified as insufficient hygiene practices in ice production and a lack of regular disinfection of ice-making machines.

In previous years, the proportion of ice samples failing to meet legal requirements was as follows: 2024: 37.5%, 2023: 64%, 2022: 74.5%, 2021: 68.6%, 2020: 51%.

The results of this year’s inspections, as well as those in previous years, clearly show that a significant number of operators still grossly underestimate the risks associated with failure to comply with hygiene procedures during the production, storage, and sale of these products, as well as during the maintenance and proper regular disinfection of production equipment. This results in violations of hygiene limits for microorganisms and poses a potential risk to consumer health.

The proportion of unsatisfactory samples cannot be generalized to the entire market, as CAFIA selects samples for testing based on risk analysis and more frequently inspects establishments where problems are expected. However, even compliant operators are regularly inspected, albeit with lower frequency.

Where non-compliant samples were found, SZPI inspectors immediately banned the use of the equipment (e.g. ice cream machines and related tools) or halted ice production. The operators were instructed to clean and disinfect the equipment and to provide microbiological test results from an accredited laboratory before resuming production. Only after a satisfactory test result will inspectors allow the ice cream machine to be used again or permit the resumption of ice production.

With the affected operators, CAFIA has initiated or will initiate administrative proceedings to impose fines.

Article by: Mgr. Pavel Kopřiva - CAFIA Spokesperson, +420 542 426 633