Temperature Log

Why you need it

Checking temperatures only protects food if someone acts on the results. Food law requires procedures based on HACCP principles, with records that suit the size of your business, and temperature records are one of the clearest ways to show your controls work.

An environmental health officer will usually ask to see them.

What it’s for

A flexible log for one piece of equipment or food: record the date and time, the actual reading, whether you checked the air or the food core, and any action and recheck. It lists typical targets, such as fridges at 5°C or below and freezers at -18°C or below.

How to use it

1. Fill in the equipment, location, target and check frequency at the top before the first reading.
2. Write down the actual temperature every time, not just a tick, and note what you checked.
3. If a reading is outside the limit, tell the supervisor, record the action you took and add the recheck time and temperature.
4. Keep the sheet on a clipboard near the equipment so checks are not skipped.
5. Have a manager review and sign it, then keep completed sheets with your food safety records.