Temperature Records That Impress EHO Inspectors

Cooking temperature records demonstrate that your food reaches safe core temperatures. For each high-risk item cooked (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, rice), record the dish or product, the core temperature achieved (target 75C or 70C held for 2 minutes), the time the check was made, and who made the check. You do not need to probe every portion of every dish at every service, but you should probe-check representative samples of each high-risk item. If you cook 20 chicken breasts for a service, probe-check at least 2 from different positions in the oven or pan. Reheating records follow the same format: the item reheated, core temperature achieved (75C in England and Wales, 82C in Scotland), and who checked it. The most common temperature recording failure is only checking cooking temperatures when things are going well. If a probe check shows a chicken breast at 68C, the record should show that finding, the corrective action taken (returned to the oven for further cooking), and the subsequent successful check. This corrective action trail is exactly what builds Confidence in Management. An inspector seeing a log with 100% compliant readings is less convinced than one showing 98% compliant readings with clear corrective actions for the 2% that were not.

Temperature records are only as reliable as the equipment used to take them. Inspectors increasingly ask about probe calibration, and the absence of any calibration records undermines the credibility of all your temperature data. Calibration does not require expensive equipment. The simplest method is to check your probe against boiling water (should read 100C at sea level, minus approximately 0.5C per 150m altitude) and an ice slurry (should read 0C). Record the date, the reference temperature, your probe reading, and any adjustment made. Do this weekly or at minimum monthly. Between calibrations, ensure probes are clean, undamaged, and responding quickly. A probe with a cracked seal or a slow response time gives unreliable readings. Digital logging systems often include automated calibration prompts and records, which eliminates this as a gap. Keep calibration records alongside your temperature logs so they are accessible during an inspection. An inspector who asks to see your calibration records and receives them immediately has increased confidence in the accuracy of all your temperature data.