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Temperatures
What are the hot holding and reheating temperatures?
The short answer
Hot food you aren't serving straight away must be kept at 63°C or above. When you reheat food it must be steaming hot all the way through; in Scotland the law sets a minimum of 82°C.
Last checked 25 September 2026 against official guidance · see the sources.
| England, Wales and NI | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| Hot holding | 63°C or above | 63°C or above |
| Reheating | Steaming hot all the way through | At least 82°C (the law) |
The 2-hour rule for hot holding
Food can be kept below 63°C for up to 2 hours, for example while it’s being served. After that it must be cooled to 8°C or below as quickly as possible, or thrown away. Don’t put it back into hot holding.
Good practice
- Heat food fully before it goes into a bain-marie or hot cabinet. Hot holding equipment keeps food hot; it isn’t designed to heat it up.
- Probe hot-held food regularly and write the readings down.
Official sources
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