Temperature monitoring — Food Safety Glossary

Regularly measuring and recording the temperature of food and equipment to prove it stays out of the danger zone.

Frequently asked questions

What temperatures should I be monitoring?

Cold storage at or below 5 degrees C, hot holding at or above 60 degrees C, frozen storage staying frozen, plus cooking, cooling and reheating of food, checked with a probe thermometer.

How often should temperatures be checked?

Check storage units at least at the start and end of each day, deliveries on arrival, and hot or cold displayed food during service. Higher-risk operations may check more often.

Do I have to write temperatures down?

Records are strongly recommended and are often required as part of a food safety program. Written or electronic logs give proof that food was kept safe and help spot problems early.

What do I do if a reading is out of range?

Take corrective action straight away - move the food, fix or swap the appliance, and for ready-to-eat food use the 2-hour / 4-hour rule to decide whether to keep or discard it.

Does my thermometer need to be accurate?

Yes. Monitoring is only useful if the thermometer is accurate, so calibrate probe thermometers regularly and check appliance thermometers against a known reference.

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