What Food Safety Records Must I Keep by Law?
Guide to mandatory and recommended food safety record-keeping requirements for UK food businesses, including retention periods and what EHOs expect.
UK food businesses must keep records that demonstrate their food safety management system is working. This includes temperature logs, cleaning schedules, supplier traceability records, staff training records, and HACCP/SFBB documentation.
Key Facts
In Detail
While UK food law does not prescribe a specific list of records every business must keep, it does require you to have a documented food safety management system based on HACCP principles and to be able to demonstrate that it works. In practice, this means keeping records that show what you do and when you do it. The most critical records are: temperature monitoring (fridge, freezer, cooking, hot-holding, and delivery temperatures), cleaning schedules and records showing cleaning was completed, food safety management system documentation (your HACCP plan or SFBB pack, including the diary), traceability records (supplier invoices, delivery notes — must be kept for at least the shelf life of the product plus one year), staff food safety training records, and pest control records. EHOs will ask to see these records during inspections. Missing or incomplete records suggest that food safety procedures are not being followed consistently, which will lower your confidence in management score and negatively impact your food hygiene rating. Digital record-keeping is fully acceptable and often preferred because it provides timestamped, tamper-resistant evidence.
Temperature Records
Temperature monitoring is one of the most scrutinised areas during inspections. You should record fridge and freezer temperatures at least twice daily (opening and closing), cooking temperatures for high-risk foods (must reach 75°C core), hot-holding temperatures (must stay above 63°C), and delivery temperatures for chilled goods (should arrive at 8°C or below, ideally 5°C or below). Keep these records for at least 12 months. Any out-of-range readings should have a note explaining what corrective action was taken.
Traceability and Supplier Records
EU retained law requires food businesses to identify their immediate supplier and immediate customer for all food products (the "one step back, one step forward" principle). Keep all delivery notes, invoices, and supplier specifications. These records are essential for product recalls — if there is a food safety incident, you need to be able to trace exactly where affected products came from and where they went. The FSA recommends keeping these records for the shelf life of the product plus an additional year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I keep food safety records?
There is no single legal retention period. As a general rule: temperature records for 12 months, traceability records for the product's shelf life plus one year, training records for the duration of employment plus three years, and HACCP/SFBB documentation indefinitely (keeping previous versions when you update).
Can I use paper records?
Yes. Paper records are legally acceptable. However, they are more easily lost, damaged, or incomplete. Digital records provide automatic timestamps, cannot be backdated, and are easier to organise and present during inspections.
Simplify food safety compliance
Paddl automates temperature logs, HACCP plans, SFBB records, and more — so you always have the answer when an inspector asks.