HACCP, fridge temperature: best practice guide

Température

⏳ Temps de lecture : 4 min

? Mis à jour le : 10/06/2024

Summary

HACCP Guide for Monitoring Refrigerator & Cold Room Temperatures ?

You must regularly check the temperature of your refrigerators and freezers to ensure that the goods stored inside have not experienced a break in the cold chain. ?

In this practical guide, we help you implement the HACCP method for your temperature recordings in your restaurant, whether you do it on paper or with HACCP software. ?

When should you check the temperatures of each fridge or freezer? ?

It is recommended to check them before each service. In practice, this is one of the first checks you should do when starting your shift. ?

Go around your cold storage units to ensure none have been damaged. Also verify that the goods inside have not experienced a break in the cold chain. ?

How to check temperature according to the HACCP method? ?

Temperature control can be done using an independent thermometer stored inside your cold storage unit. You should not rely solely on the temperature displayed on your cold unit, as this reading is not reliable enough.

You must record this temperature reading on a temperature control sheet or by using an HACCP software like Octopus HACCP. ?

relevé de température frigo HACCP
The Octopus HACCP application allows you to record temperatures quickly. All your refrigerators and freezers are available in the app, and with just one click—boom!—the temperature is logged.
Did you know? There are temperature loggers that take readings for you and alert you in case of an issue. Installed in your refrigerators and freezers, these sensors record temperatures every 10 minutes.

How do wireless temperature loggers work?

If you don’t want to take temperature readings manually, you can equip your cold storage units with wireless temperature loggers connected to HACCP software.

Easy to install, these connected sensors send you SMS alerts as soon as a temperature issue occurs.

Printable HACCP fridge temperature log sheet

After recording your fridge temperature, you must log it either on a fridge temperature control sheet or via HACCP software like Octopus HACCP. ✅

If you prefer to record your fridge temperature readings on paper, you can download it here. ?

Guide des températures HACCP

How long should I keep my temperature records? ⏳

There is no clear minimum duration specified in regulations. However, we recommend keeping them for at least 1 year, though some authorities suggest a minimum of 3 months.
Some DDP inspectors may occasionally request to see records from the previous year to verify that controls were properly carried out. ✅

How to record a corrective action on a HACCP fridge temperature log sheet?

Corrective actions describe what you did when you encountered a critical threshold exceedance. Simply put, if during a fridge temperature check I find the cold storage unit is at 8°C…
I also notice I’m storing high-risk foods (meat?, fish? etc.) inside. In this case, I must conduct a secondary check by verifying the core temperature of a product.
If it’s at 8°C for example, I discard the product that experienced a cold chain break.
If it remains below 4°C, I move the product to another cold storage unit.
In any case, I must record a corrective action describing what I just did.
Remember, it’s normal to have corrective actions noted during cold storage temperature checks. What matters isn’t the absence of problems, but implementing proper actions to resolve these issues. ✅
Conversely, it’s very unusual to never have any anomalies in a kitchen’s cold storage units, and this might actually raise questions from the DDPP… ?️

Food storage temperature guide according to HACCP method?

The Good Hygiene Practices Guide, which is the reference text, provides information about storage temperatures for different products in cold storage units.
It varies depending on the industry sector (restaurateur, butcher, fishmonger, etc.).
To simplify your life and help you see more clearly, we’re offering you a guide about temperature regulations. You can download it for free by clicking the button below.

Rapid cooling: Temperature control?

If you have a blast chiller, your equipment allows you to quickly cool your preparations. The HACCP method rule is as follows: you must cool food from above 63°C to below 10°C in maximum 2 hours. ?
  • If your preparation comes out of the oven at 90°C ?, the 2-hour count starts when your preparation reaches the 63°C threshold.
  • Are you preparing food at room temperature? ? The same rule applies: you must cool it in less than 2 hours.
  • Don’t have a blast chiller? ? You can cool your preparations in an ice bath, for example.
The key is to properly maintain the time/temperature ratio: from 63°C to below 10°C in less than 2 hours.
Once the 10°C threshold is reached, you must store your food products in cold storage at 4°C maximum.

Temperature control during food reheating ❄️

When reheating a dish, you must achieve rapid temperature increase to comply with HACCP method. ?
The product must indeed go from 10°C to above 63°C in less than one hour.

How is service temperature monitoring performed?

If you offer buffet service (cafeteria, self-service, open displays) or use service carts (nursing homes ??, Hospitals ?), you must ensure food items are maintained at proper temperatures from the end of production until consumption.
If you provide plated service and cook to order, you don’t need to monitor service temperatures.

Hot product temperature control ♨️

A hot product must be maintained at minimum 63°C.

If during your temperature check the critical threshold of 63°C is not met, and consumption is imminent, the product may still be consumed. For example, if less than one hour after cooking. ?

A hot product must not remain below 63°C for more than 2 hours, otherwise it becomes susceptible to bacterial growth.

Chef de Mamie Cocotte prenant la température

Cold product: Temperature control ❄️

Be particularly vigilant with buffets at the end of service to ensure the temperature maintenance system is functioning properly.
A cold product must be maintained at 4°C maximum. ?
Similarly, for a cold product that exceeds 4°C, immediate consumption is permitted. If the time exceeds one hour, you must discard the products.
Relevé HACCP mobile

Never miss a reading – record temperatures on mobile

Record your temperature readings with just one click directly in the Octopus HACCP app.
No time? We offer temperature loggers that automatically record temperatures for you!
Chef ouvrant une enceinte froide

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