Food Hygiene Temperature Logs (UK): what to record, how often, and what EHOs expect
Food hygiene temperature logs are one of the most important food safety records in a UK kitchen. Whether you run a restaurant, café, takeaway, pub, dark kitchen, school kitchen, or catering unit, you need a clear system for checking and recording food temperatures properly.
This guide explains what temperatures to log, how often temperature checks should be done, safe hot and cold holding ranges, what corrective actions to write down, and what an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) is likely to expect during inspection.
Quick answer
In the UK, food businesses should record temperatures at the points that actually control risk: chilled storage, frozen storage, deliveries, cooking, reheating, hot holding, cooling, and any corrective action re-checks. A good food temperature log should show what was checked, when it was checked, the actual temperature, who checked it, and what happened if it failed.
Why food temperature logs matter
Temperature control is one of the main ways you prevent harmful bacteria from growing in food. If food is stored, cooked, cooled, reheated, or held at the wrong temperature, you increase the risk of food poisoning and make it much harder to demonstrate control during inspection.
A food hygiene temperature log is not just paperwork. It is evidence that your kitchen checks temperatures consistently and takes action when something is wrong. That is why fridge temperature logs, freezer temperature logs, hot holding logs, and food probe checks are such common inspection records.
- It shows that chilled and frozen food is being stored safely.
- It helps you catch equipment faults before they become bigger problems.
- It provides a record of corrective action when a check fails.
- It gives EHOs evidence that your system is actually being followed.
What should a food temperature log include?
A proper temperature log sheet should be clear enough that someone else can look at it and immediately understand what happened. Whether you use paper or digital records, each entry should normally include:
- Date and time of the check.
- What was checked, such as walk-in fridge, freezer, hot hold unit, delivery item, or cooked food.
- Actual temperature reading, not just pass or fail.
- Staff initials or name of the person who carried out the check.
- Corrective action if the reading was out of range.
- Re-check temperature where appropriate.
Weak records usually fail because they are vague. “Fridge checked” is weak. “Walk-in fridge 8.6°C, moved food, engineer called, re-check 4.1°C, WS” is much better.
Which temperatures should UK food businesses record?
Not every kitchen records every possible check every day, but most food businesses should be recording the temperature checks that match their actual operation.
1. Fridge temperature logs
A fridge temperature log records the temperature of chilled storage units such as prep fridges, under-counter fridges, display chillers, and walk-in cold rooms. This is one of the most common records EHOs ask for.
2. Freezer temperature logs
Freezer temperature logs help show that frozen stock is being stored correctly and that equipment is working as it should.
3. Delivery temperature checks
If chilled or frozen food is delivered to your site, a delivery temperature log helps prove that stock was accepted in a safe condition.
4. Cooking temperature checks
If you cook high-risk foods, probe checks should show that the food has reached a safe internal temperature before service.
5. Reheating temperature checks
Reheated food should be brought back up safely, and this is another area where a probe check may be needed.
6. Hot holding temperature logs
If food is kept hot for service, a hot holding temperature log is important. Hot food should not sit in unsafe temperature ranges for long periods.
7. Cooling records
If your kitchen cools food for later use, you should have some way of showing that the cooling process is controlled.
Safe temperature ranges to know
The exact checks you record depend on your process, but these are the temperature rules most kitchens are working around:
| Area | Target / rule | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Chilled food | Typically keep at 5°C or below | Helps slow bacterial growth |
| Danger zone | Between 5°C and 63°C | Bacteria can grow fastest here |
| Hot holding | Keep at 63°C or above | Reduces risk while food is held for service |
| Frozen food | Keep frozen solid | Shows frozen stock is being maintained safely |
Your own documented targets may vary slightly depending on your equipment, supplier instructions, and system, but the key point is that your kitchen should have a clear standard and your records should show whether that standard was met.
How often should temperature checks be recorded?
There is no universal one-size-fits-all number for every kitchen. The right answer depends on your volume, equipment, risk level, and process. That said, most UK kitchens should have a documented routine that covers checks at sensible intervals.
- Fridges and freezers are often checked daily.
- Hot holding is often checked during service.
- Deliveries are checked when high-risk chilled or frozen food arrives.
- Cooking or reheating probe checks are done when needed for the food being produced.
The important thing is not “more paperwork”. It is having a sensible routine that is actually followed. EHOs would rather see a realistic system completed properly than a beautiful form nobody uses.
What should you write when a temperature check fails?
This is where many temperature record sheets fall apart. A failed reading on its own is not enough. If a fridge is too warm or hot holding is too low, your log should show what you did about it.
Good corrective action records often include:
- Moving food to another safe unit
- Discarding food if safety cannot be guaranteed
- Adjusting or checking equipment settings
- Calling an engineer
- Recording a re-check temperature after action was taken
Example
Weak: “Fridge failed”
Better: “Walk-in fridge 8.2°C. Food moved to backup fridge. Engineer called. Re-check at 10:20 was 3.9°C. WS”
What EHOs expect to see in temperature records
EHOs are not usually looking for pretty paperwork. They are looking for evidence that your kitchen has control. Your temperature logs should help answer these questions:
- Are checks being done consistently?
- Are records recent and believable?
- Do staff know what they are recording?
- Do failed readings trigger sensible corrective actions?
- Is there an audit trail with initials and timings?
Blank sheets, repeated identical readings every day, missing initials, and no action on failed checks all make records look weak.
Paper log sheets vs digital food temperature logs
Paper sheets can work, but they are easy to forget, lose, damage, or fill in after the event. A digital food temperature log makes it easier to:
- record checks live during service
- capture initials and timestamps automatically
- flag failed readings and prompt corrective actions
- export records quickly for inspection or review
If you still want paper, you can use our free log sheets. If you want a faster day-to-day system, TempTake is built around digital food safety records that are easier to complete and easier to show.
Useful templates and related guides
How TempTake helps
TempTake is built around what UK kitchens actually need from food hygiene temperature logs: pre-built routines, staff initials, timestamps, corrective actions, and simple records you can show when someone asks.
Instead of chasing paper sheets, you can log temperature checks on mobile, review what has been missed, and keep your temperature records inspection-ready day to day.