# Hot-Holding Temperature Record: free UK download

Canonical: https://paddl-ai.co/templates/hot-holding-temperature-record
Last reviewed: 2026-09-11 by the Paddl team

Free hot-holding temperature record sheet (63°C and above)

## In one sentence

The Hot-Holding Temperature Record is a free PDF + Editable Spreadsheet for UK food businesses with one record sheet: hot-holding log with multiple reading slots through the day, clear 63°c target and a column to flag anything below it, corrective action column (reheat to 75°c or discard). Download it, print it or fill it in, and keep it with your food safety records; Paddl keeps the same records on a phone with timestamps and reminders.

Hot food held for service has to stay at or above 63°C, because below that bacteria start to grow again. This free record sheet lets you log each hot-holding unit at regular intervals, flag anything that falls below 63°C, and note the action you took, including the single two-hour period the regulations allow food to be held below that limit.

## Why you need it

- Keeping hot food at 63°C or above is a legal requirement under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006
- Carveries, buffets, and bain-marie service are exactly where EHO officers check hot-holding records
- Food held in the danger zone for too long becomes a food poisoning risk
- Records show you monitor display units rather than assuming they hold temperature
- It documents the once-only two-hour rule if you ever choose to use it

## What is included

- Hot-holding log with multiple reading slots through the day
- Clear 63°C target and a column to flag anything below it
- Corrective action column (reheat to 75°C or discard)
- Note on the once-only two-hour rule for food held below 63°C
- Unit and food item columns for traceability
- Time-out column for tracking the holding period
- Staff initials and manager sign-off

## Record sheets

- **Hot-Holding Record (Target: 63°C or Above)**: columns Date, Unit, Food Item, Time, Temp (°C), Above 63°C?, Action Taken, Initials

## How to use it

1. **Check before service starts** Probe the food once it is up to temperature and only put it on display when it is at or above 63°C.
2. **Re-check through service** Take a reading at regular intervals during service and record the actual number each time.
3. **Act on a low reading** If food drops below 63°C, reheat it to 75°C, or discard it. Record which you did and why.
4. **Track the two-hour rule** Food can be held below 63°C for a single period of up to two hours, after which it must be used or thrown away. Note the time out if you rely on this.

## Tips

- Pre-heat the bain-marie before food goes in, because it holds temperature but does not reheat well
- Probe the centre of the food, not the water bath underneath it
- Top up small and often rather than mixing fresh hot food into a cooling tray
- Do not re-use food held below 63°C a second time once the two-hour period has passed
- Paddl can schedule hot-holding checks during service and store every reading against the unit

Download the file from https://paddl-ai.co/templates/hot-holding-temperature-record (email required). The Paddl features that keep the same records: https://paddl-ai.co/features/routines, https://paddl-ai.co/features/compliance, https://paddl-ai.co/features/haccp, https://paddl-ai.co/features/mobile-app.