Food guidance · 44 questions

Mapping and monitoring in distribution centres and cold stores

For distribution centres, wholesale and cold stores: where the probes go, whether you need a mapping study, alarms that reach a person, calibration and how long to keep the records, in chilled and frozen stores.

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Reviewed by Jake Farrow, Managing DirectorLast reviewed 19 October 2026

Food law asks for effective monitoring but does not say where the probes go. BRCGS does: under Storage and Distribution the temperature distribution in a controlled store must be established, validated and verified at a risk-based frequency, and Food Safety asks the same of cold stores and freezers, which in practice means a mapping study. The probes then go where the map shows the extremes.

Why it matters

A probe by the door tells you about the door

A large chill or frozen warehouse is not one temperature. Dock doors, evaporator positions, racking height, defrost cycles and summer sun all make some locations warmer or colder than others. If the monitoring probe sits where the cable reached, the record shows that spot and nothing else, and the warmest pallet in the building may never be measured.

The FSA's Practice Guidance tells officers that air records 'are an indication of temperature history', and that product testing should start 'with items from the warmest part of the unit'. Knowing where that is, and having a probe there, is what mapping is for.

What the rules say

Law and standards on monitoring and mapping

Food law does not require mapping. Regulation 852/2004 asks for 'effective monitoring procedures' at critical control points; Regulation 37/2005 asks for EN 12830 recorders in quick-frozen stores, monitoring air 'at frequent and regular intervals'. Neither says where the sensors go.

BRCGS Storage and Distribution Issue 4 does (paraphrased). Clause 7.3.7 requires the uniformity of temperature in controlled stores to be 'established, validated and verified at a frequency based on risk', or restrictions on where product can be placed; 7.3.8 asks for performance to be re-established after equipment changes; 7.3.2 asks for recording with suitable alarms on all storage facilities, or manual checks typically every 4 hours. BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 4.15.3 has the same monitoring rule, and its process-control clause 6.1.5 asks for temperature distribution in freezers and cold stores to be validated and verified at a frequency based on risk and performance.

What good looks like

Map, then place the probes where the map says

A mapping study puts calibrated loggers across the store in three dimensions, near doors, evaporators, the top and bottom of racking and the middle of the load, and runs long enough to see the real pattern: defrost cycles, busy loading shifts and a quiet period. The report shows the warmest and coldest locations and whether the whole store holds its limits. The permanent monitoring probes then go at those extremes, or as close as practical, and the rationale is written down.

Alarms need a person on the end. Decide who receives each alarm in and out of hours, how long before it escalates, and test the whole path, not just the sounder. For calibration, BRCGS 6.4 and Storage and Distribution 6.3 ask for a risk-based frequency traceable to a national standard; FSAI Guidance Note 20 gives the clearest published benchmark: working thermometers 'at least annual', reference thermometers at least every three years.

Our recommendation

A JTF position, not a regulatory requirement

Mapping and monitoring a food warehouse

Start from the risk: The standards ask for risk-based mapping but set no frequency, duration or number of loggers. Large stores with dock doors, chilled ready-to-eat stock and seasonal swings carry the most risk.
What we recommend: Map each controlled store at commissioning, after any change to layout, racking or refrigeration, and at least every three years. Run each study for at least 72 hours with the store loaded, covering defrost cycles, a busy loading shift and a quiet period. In stores with dock doors or an outside wall, map in summer and in winter. Place permanent probes at the warmest and coldest locations found, log every 10 minutes or less, and test the alarm path end to end monthly for unattended stores and quarterly elsewhere.
Scale it to the risk: Chilled ready-to-eat or high-value stock: re-map every two years.
Small, stable, single-door stores: re-map up to every five years where the annual data review shows no change.
After major work or a failure: keep stock out until the store has held its limits through at least two full defrost cycles (24 hours for major refrigeration work).
What to record: Keep the mapping protocol and report, the probe locations and the reason for each, the alarm routes, each alarm test and its result, and an annual review of the monitoring data against the map.

From mapping study to monitoring

PlanLogger positions across doors, evaporators, racking and load.
RunLoaded store, through defrosts, busy and quiet periods.
ReportWarmest and coldest locations, and whether limits held.
Place probesPermanent monitoring at the extremes, with the rationale.
RepeatAfter changes, and on a risk-based cycle.

Our sequence, drawn from BRCGS Storage and Distribution 7.3.7 and 7.3.8 (paraphrased). JTF runs mapping studies as a managed service.

How long to keep the records

Only quick-frozen food has a fixed period in UK law: at least one year, or longer for the shelf life. Ireland fixes HACCP record periods in law for HSE-supervised businesses (S.I. 369/2006); DAFM, SFPA and local-authority sites under S.I. 22/2020 have none. Everywhere else the period comes from your standard and your customers. The table below sets them out; where one store holds products under different rules, keep its records for the longest period that applies.

Worked example

A mapping study that moves a probe

This is an illustrative example; readings are invented. A distributor's 2,000-pallet chill store works to 0 to 5 °C, with one monitoring probe on a column near the office door that has always read about 3 °C.

A summer mapping study with loggers across the store shows the top racking level beside dock door 4 reaching 6.2 °C during the afternoon loading shift, while the existing probe stays at 3.1 °C. The coldest point, low beside the evaporators, reaches −0.4 °C during pull-down.

What the site does: adds probes at the top of the racking by door 4 and low by the evaporators, keeps the original probe as a general reading, and records why each is where it is. It restricts the top level by door 4 to products with a wider tolerance until an air curtain is fitted, then re-maps that zone. What the auditor sees: a map, a rationale and probes that would have caught the problem.

Where it is unclear

No figure for frequency, duration or density

No source we checked sets a mapping frequency for food stores. The nearest is FSAI Guidance Note 20, which asks for heating and chilling chambers to be re-mapped at least every three years or after any change; our three-year default follows it. No food source sets a study length or a number of loggers, and none says how far from the warmest point a monitoring probe may be. Food Safety Issue 9 does not mention mapping at all. Whether monitoring the air or the product is expected is also open: the FSA says the law is about 'the temperature of the food', while 37/2005 requires air recording. See air or food.

Inspection findings

How an officer uses your records

The Practice Guidance sets a staged check: air records first, then between-pack readings with a +2.8 °C total tolerance, then destructive testing for enforcement. If there is no monitoring system or the officer doubts it, they move straight to stage 2. A mapped store with calibrated probes at the extremes is the strongest stage 1 evidence you can offer.

In summary

The short version

Food law does not require mapping; BRCGS does, at a risk-based frequency (Storage and Distribution 7.3.7, Food Safety 6.1.5).
Map loaded, through defrosts and busy shifts, and in both seasons where the outside gets in.
Put permanent probes at the warmest and coldest locations and write down why.
Alarms need named people, escalation and end-to-end tests.
Calibrate to a national standard; FSAI's benchmark is at least annually.
Keep records for the longest period that applies to anything in the store.

How long to keep records

Food records: how long to keep them

Law sets a fixed period only for quick-frozen food. Elsewhere the period comes from HACCP, your certification standard and your customers, and the longest one that applies wins.

Setting	Record	How long	Basis
Quick-frozen food: stores and vehicles, UK	Dated air temperature recordings from the recording instruments in transport, warehousing and storage	At least 1 year, or longer taking into account the nature and shelf life of the food	LawCommission Regulation (EC) No 37/2005, Article 2(3), as retained in GB; enforced by the Quick-frozen Foodstuffs (England) Regulations 2007 and equivalentsCommission Regulation (EC) No 37/2005, Article 2The only fixed temperature record period in UK food law. Retail display cabinets and retail cold stores under 10 m³ may use a visible thermometer instead of a recorder.
Quick-frozen food: stores and vehicles, Ireland	Air temperature recordings in transport, warehousing and storage	At least 1 year, or longer according to the nature of the food	LawS.I. No. 370 of 1995, Regulation 7S.I. No. 370/1995 (Monitoring of Temperature ... Quick-Frozen Foodstuffs) RegulationsContravention is an offence (Regulation 12).
HACCP records, Ireland (HSE-supervised businesses)	HACCP documents and records under Article 5 of Regulation 852/2004, including temperature monitoring	3 months after the use-by date; 1 year after the best-before date; 3 months after sale for food for immediate consumption	LawS.I. No. 369 of 2006, Regulation 5(3) to 5(5)S.I. No. 369/2006, European Communities (Hygiene of Foodstuffs) Regulations 2006Businesses supervised under S.I. No. 22 of 2020 should check their conditions of approval.
HACCP records, UK	Documents and records of the HACCP-based procedures, including temperature monitoring	No fixed period: records commensurate with the nature and size of the business, other records for an appropriate period	LawRegulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5, as retained in GB. Northern Ireland's Safe Catering recommends at least 12 months; CookSafe says an appropriate periodRegulation (EC) No 852/2004, Article 5The period is set by your HACCP plan, standard and customers.
BRCGS Food Safety certified sites	Quality and food safety records, including temperature records	A defined period considering legal and customer requirements and shelf life (including consumer extension such as freezing); at minimum shelf life plus 12 months	GuidanceBRCGS Global Standard Food Safety, Issue 9, clause 3.3.2 (paraphrased)Global Standard Food Safety, Issue 9: Auditor Checklist and Site Self-Assessment Tool (F904a)Customer codes may ask for longer.
BRCGS Storage and Distribution certified sites	Records, including storage and transport temperature records	A defined period reflecting shelf life and customer or legal requirements, never less than 1 year; contract chilling and freezing records (section 17) at least shelf life plus 1 year	GuidanceBRCGS Storage and Distribution Issue 4, clause 3.1.3.1; Position Statement 20 (effective 10 August 2026) for clause 17.3 (paraphrased)Storage & Distribution Issue 4, Position Statements (SD404)
SALSA approved producers and distributors	Documents and completed records relating to product safety, legality and quality	At least the shelf life of the products plus one year	GuidanceSALSA Food & Drink Production Issue 7, clause 3.5.2; the same in Brokers, Storage & Distribution Issue 2SALSA Food & Drink Production Audit Standard Issue 7, June 2026All SALSA audits from 1 September 2026 use Issue 7.

These are differences between regimes, not contradictions: each period applies to its own records. Sources checked 18 October 2026.

Our recommendation

A JTF position, not a regulatory requirement

Mixed stores: keep the longest period that applies

Start from the risk: One cold store often holds products under different rules and shelf lives. If the monitoring system deletes data after the shortest period, the records for the longest obligation are gone, and a due diligence defence needs the record from the time.
What we recommend: Keep temperature records for the longest period that applies to anything stored in the unit, never less than two years, and set the monitoring system's retention to match.
Scale it to the risk: Frozen stock with long shelf life under BRCGS: shelf life plus 12 months, often three years or more.
Quick-frozen food: at least one year, by law, in the UK and Ireland.
HSE-supervised Irish sites: never less than the S.I. 369/2006 periods. DAFM/SFPA/local-authority sites: no fixed period under S.I. 22/2020, so set one by risk.
A customer contract asking for longer: the contract period.
What to record: For each store, write down what it holds, which rules apply, the period chosen and why, and check once a year that archived data still opens. This is a JTF position, not a regulatory requirement.

Worked example: a cold store with mixed stock

Illustrative example. A BRCGS Storage and Distribution certified cold store holds quick-frozen vegetables with a 24-month shelf life and chilled dairy with a 3-week shelf life, for customers in England and Ireland. The law asks for at least a year for the frozen recordings; S&D asks for never less than a year. Shelf life plus 12 months (three years) is a Food Safety requirement for the manufacturer, and many product owners ask their stores to match it, so the site sets three years for the frozen chamber and two years for the chilled chamber, writes both into its procedure, and sets the monitoring system to keep the data, with its audit trail, for that long.

Sematics, the platform JTF installs and supports, keeps your records, unaltered, for as long as you're with us, and hands you the complete set, audit trail included, in readable formats if you ever leave.

PDF

Food temperature control: UK and Ireland at a glance

The limits, tolerances, time rules and record periods for chilled, frozen and hot food across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Ireland, with our recommendations where the rules are silent.

Download the PDF

Food distribution and cold stores

Questions, answered from the source

Last checked 19 October 2026. Each answer links to its source and says whether it is law, formal guidance or interpretation.

Is it an offence if a fridge goes above 8 °C during a defrost cycle or a breakdown?Law

Paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 4 gives a defence where food was being transferred between premises and a food business vehicle, or was kept above 8 °C (or the recommended temperature) 'for an unavoidable reason, such as' handling during and after processing or preparation, 'the defrosting of equipment', or 'temporary breakdown of equipment', provided it was above that temperature 'for a limited period only and that period was consistent with food safety'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The law does not specify how long 'a limited period' is, or what makes a period 'consistent with food safety'. That has to be justified case by case, which in practice means having a time-stamped record showing when the excursion started and ended and what was done. This is where alarm delays matter: the regulation is silent on alarm settings, so the business must decide them in its HACCP plan. The same text appears for Wales and Northern Ireland.

Source: The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, Schedule 4 (Temperature control requirements) UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk), 13 December 2014
Status: Law
Applies to: Catering, Food retail, Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?

How long can chilled food go above 8 °C during loading, defrost cycles or a breakdown?Guidance

The FSA guidance (paragraphs 47 to 48) explains a defence for food kept outside temperature control 'for a limited period only' consistent with food safety, while being loaded or unloaded from a vehicle, or for unavoidable reasons such as handling during preparation, 'defrosting of equipment; or temporary breakdown of equipment'. The regulations do not specify the period, but the guidance says: 'In normal circumstances, a single limited period of up to two hours outside temperature control is unlikely to be questioned.' Longer periods may need justification and a HACCP-based hazard analysis.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The two-hour figure is FSA guidance on how the defence is likely to be read, not a number in the law, and the burden of proof is on the business. It applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland; the guidance says no such periods are specified in the Scottish schedule. Records of when an alarm started and when the unit recovered are what would support this defence; the guidance does not mention alarms or loggers.

Source: Guidance on Temperature Control Legislation in the United Kingdom FSA, May 2016
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail, Catering, Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, Food transport and deliveries

If a fridge or freezer in an Irish kitchen has been warm, how long before the food has to be thrown out?Guidance

I.S. 340:2007 (Hygiene in the Catering Sector), as corrected by Corrigendum No. 1:2008 to clause 3.1 point 3, gives corrective actions by time above 5 °C for chilled food: under 2 hours, use immediately or restore the temperature; between 2 and 4 hours, use immediately or discard; over 4 hours, discard. For frozen food at or above −12 °C, the action is to use immediately, risk assess, or discard. The standard says the cold chain can be managed by following its Section 3 guidance or by defining the cold chain as a Critical Control Point.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased from the free sample pages NSAI publishes; the standard itself is a paid document, and I.S. 340 is a voluntary national guide (it is on the EU register). Knowing how long food has been above 5 °C needs either frequent manual checks or continuous logging; with a once-a-day check the duration of an excursion is unclear, and the standard is silent on how to establish it. FSAI Guidance Note 15 uses a different rule for cook-chill food (above 5 °C but not above 10 °C: consume within four hours), and I.S. 341 for retail was not checked here, so figures may differ by sector.

Source: I.S. 340:2007&A1:2015 Hygiene in the Catering Sector (NSAI free sample) NSAI, 7 December 2015
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, Food in Ireland

If an inspector finds food above 8 °C, is it automatically an offence or unfit?Guidance

Section 8.9.10 of the Food Law Practice Guidance (England) reminds officers that the regulations allow chilled food on service or display 'to rise above 8ºC for one period only of less than four hours', and section 8.9.11 that hot-held food may fall below 63 °C 'for one period only of less than 2 hours', citing schedule 4 paragraphs 5 and 7 of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013. The officer 'needs to be satisfied that the FBO has measures in place' so these tolerances are not exceeded. Section 8.9.12 says food above 8 °C 'can still be fit for consumption' and officers should look at the history of the food and how likely it is that food is consistently placed on the market at those temperatures.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Where the officer considers food was not produced or distributed in line with the 2013 Regulations, it can be dealt with under regulation 29 (seizure or detention), though voluntary removal can be used. The guidance allows an educative first step. It does not specify how a business proves a single period of under four hours; time-stamped monitoring or a documented display procedure is the usual evidence, so agree the approach with your EHO. Schedule 4 does not apply where Regulation 853/2004 applies.

Source: Food Law Practice Guidance (England) (Issued October 2025), sections 8.9.10 to 8.9.12 FSA, October 2025
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food retail, Catering, Food distribution and transport, Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, Catering and retail

Is 5 °C or 8 °C the right target for chilled food in the supply chain?Interpretation

The Chilled Food Association says chilled foods are designed to be stored 'at or below 8ºC, targeting 5ºC' throughout their life, and that in England, Wales and Northern Ireland the 8 °C legal requirement applies to the temperature of the food, not the surrounding air. It notes that Scotland's rules differ and contain no specific chill temperature, and recommends that if storage exceeds 8 °C, shelf life may need to be reduced.

What's agreed, and what isn't

8 °C is the legal ceiling in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; 5 °C is an industry target, not law. Retailer supplier codes are often said to require tighter limits, but we found no publicly published retailer figure we could verify, so we do not state one; check your customer's code. ATP sets product-specific limits (for example +4 °C poultry, +2 °C minced meat) for international journeys, which differ from both. Shelf-life studies are usually based on the intended storage temperature, so a site running warmer than its shelf-life assumption needs to review it.

Source: Temperature is Key Chilled Food Association, undated
Status: Interpretation
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Food retail
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?

Do Irish cold stores, vehicles and retailers have to record frozen food air temperatures, and for how long must records be kept?Law

Yes. S.I. No. 370 of 1995, Regulation 5(1), requires the means of transport, warehousing and storage of quick-frozen food to 'be fitted with suitable recording instruments to monitor, at frequent and regular intervals, the air temperature'. Regulation 7 requires recordings to 'be dated and stored by the operator for at least one year or longer according to the nature of food'. Retail cold chambers under ten cubic metres may use an easily visible thermometer instead (Regulation 5(2)), and retail display cabinets need at least one easily visible thermometer, in open cabinets reading at the air return side at the maximum load line (Regulation 8).

What's agreed, and what isn't

Regulation 6 says measuring instruments in transport registered in the State 'must be approved by the Minister' or a nominated body; the regulations do not say which standard that means, so check with your supervising authority. The Irish S.I. is silent on any instrument standard; check Commission Regulation (EC) No 37/2005, which applies directly, for the EU requirements. 'Frequent and regular intervals' is not defined, so a business needs to decide its own logging interval. Contravening Regulations 5 to 8 is an offence (Regulation 12).

Source: S.I. No. 370/1995 - European Communities (Monitoring of Temperature in the Means of Transport, Warehousing and Storage of Quick-Frozen Foodstuffs and Sampling Procedure and Methods of Analysis for Control of the Temperatures of Quick-Frozen Foods Intended for Human Consumption) Regulations, 1995 Office of the Attorney General (Irish Statute Book), 15 December 1995
Status: Law
Applies to: Cold stores, Food distribution and transport, Food retail
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Frozen food and cold stores, Food in Ireland

Do retail freezers and small cold rooms need data loggers?Law

Not under Regulation 37/2005. Article 3(1) says that in retail display cabinets and local distribution the air temperature 'shall only be measured by at least one easily visible thermometer'; open cabinets must have the maximum load line marked and the thermometer must read 'at the air return side at the level of that mark'. Regulation 9(4) of the England 2007 Regulations adds that there is no breach for 'a cold store facility with a capacity of less than 10m3 used for storing stock in retail outlets' where air temperature is measured 'by an easily visible thermometer'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The exemption covers only quick-frozen food recording rules. It does not remove the general HACCP duty under 852/2004 to monitor critical control points, so a retailer may still choose to record. Scotland applies the same small cold store exemption through SSI 2007/106. The recital to 37/2005 explains that recording on small retail equipment 'would be excessive'.

Source: Commission Regulation (EC) No 37/2005, Article 3; The Quick-frozen Foodstuffs (England) Regulations 2007, regulation 9 UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk), 12 January 2005
Status: Law
Applies to: Food retail, Catering, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Frozen food and cold stores

Do vehicles and cold stores carrying quick-frozen food need EN 12830 temperature recorders?Law

Retained Regulation (EC) No 37/2005, Article 2, requires the means of transport, warehousing and storage of quick-frozen foodstuffs to be fitted with recording instruments monitoring air temperature 'at frequent and regular intervals'. The instruments must comply with EN 12830, EN 13485 and EN 13486, operators must keep documents showing conformity, and recordings must be dated and kept 'for a period of at least one year, or for a longer period taking into account the nature and the shelf life'. ATP Annex 2 Appendix 1 sets the same for international carriage, requiring EN 12830:2018 recorders verified under EN 13486:2002 by an accredited body.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Article 3 allows retail display cabinets and local distribution to use 'at least one easily visible thermometer' instead, and lets the competent authority allow a visible thermometer for retail cold stores under 10 m3. The regulation does not specify the recording interval; 'frequent and regular' is unclear. ATP still cites EN 13486:2002, but BSI lists BS EN 13486:2023 as current, so the cited editions differ; ask your supplier which edition the verification certificate follows.

Source: Commission Regulation (EC) No 37/2005 on the monitoring of temperatures in the means of transport, warehousing and storage of quick-frozen foodstuffs intended for human consumption, Article 2 UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk), 12 January 2005
Status: Law
Applies to: Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Frozen food and cold stores, Food transport and deliveries

What temperature recording is legally required for frozen food stores and vehicles?Law

Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 37/2005 requires the means of transport, warehousing and storage of quick-frozen foodstuffs to 'be fitted with suitable recording instruments to monitor, at frequent and regular intervals, the air temperature'. Instruments 'shall comply with EN 12830, EN 13485 and EN 13486 standards' and operators must keep documents showing conformity. 'Temperature recording shall be dated and stored by the food operator for a period of at least one year, or for a longer period taking into account the nature and the shelf life of the quick-frozen foodstuffs.'

What's agreed, and what isn't

This is the only UK temperature law with a specific record retention period. It does not specify the recording interval ('frequent and regular') or a calibration frequency, although EN 13486 covers periodic verification. Breach is an offence under regulation 9 of the England 2007 Regulations (and equivalents), and records must be made available to an authorised officer on request (regulation 8).

Source: Commission Regulation (EC) No 37/2005 on the monitoring of temperatures in the means of transport, warehousing and storage of quick-frozen foodstuffs intended for human consumption UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk), 12 January 2005
Status: Law
Applies to: Cold stores, Food distribution and transport, Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Frozen food and cold stores, Food transport and deliveries

Can cold stores raise frozen set points from -18 °C to save energy?Interpretation

The Cold Chain Federation says -18 °C has been the standard 'for well over 100 years' and that evidence suggests that for most products it 'could be overly risk averse', citing -15 °C as an example of a higher set point. It also says 'more research and collaboration is needed' and that the new temperature is still undetermined.

What's agreed, and what isn't

This is an industry position, not a change in law or standards. ATP Annex 2 still requires -18 °C for quick-frozen food in international carriage, and quick-frozen food law still applies in the UK; customer specifications and BRCGS audits follow the product specification. Do not change set points for quick-frozen products without checking legal requirements and the product owner's specification. The page is undated and refers to a survey due in summer 2024, so it may be out of date.

Source: Increasing Temperature Set Points For Frozen Food Cold Chain Federation, undated
Status: Interpretation
Applies to: Cold stores, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Frozen food and cold stores

Must refrigerated delivery vehicles be able to monitor temperature?Law

Annex II, Chapter IV, paragraph 7 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 says: 'Where necessary, conveyances and/or containers used for transporting foodstuffs are to be capable of maintaining foodstuffs at appropriate temperatures and allow those temperatures to be monitored.' Chapter IV also requires conveyances to be kept clean and in good repair, and effective separation and cleaning between different loads.

What's agreed, and what isn't

'Allow those temperatures to be monitored' does not specify recording, a data logger, or a logging interval for chilled loads. Recording instruments are legally required for quick-frozen food in transport (Regulation 37/2005, Article 2), and 853/2004 requires an instrument that 'monitors and records air temperatures' for the derogation allowing carcases to be transported warm. For other chilled goods, recording is a HACCP and customer decision.

Source: Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IV (Transport) UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk), 31 December 2020
Status: Law
Applies to: Food distribution and transport, Food manufacturers, Food retail
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Food transport and deliveries

What do BRCGS Storage and Distribution rules say about refrigerated vehicles, pre-cooling and driver alerts?Guidance

Section 5.4 of Storage and Distribution Issue 4 requires validation and ongoing verification that vehicles can hold specified product temperatures in all weather, considering maximum and minimum loads and delivery points (5.4.1). Load-area temperature must be monitored and recorded by automatic time and temperature equipment, with real-time records readily accessible, or by recorded manual checks where such equipment is absent (5.4.2). Settings must be verified before loading, and vehicles must be at a suitable temperature before loading or reach it within a defined time (5.4.3). A system must make the driver aware if load-area temperature leaves limits (5.4.5), and procedures must establish product status after equipment failure, before release to the customer (5.4.6).

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard. Pre-cooling is required in principle but the time and target are not specified; the 'defined time' is the operator's to set and justify. Alarm thresholds and delays for the driver alert are not specified. Food Safety Issue 9 (4.16.3) is less demanding and accepts refrigeration-operation records instead of load-temperature logs, so the two standards differ.

Source: Global Standard Storage and Distribution, Issue 4. SD401: Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 6 May 2021
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Food transport and deliveries, BRCGS and SALSA

What does BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 say about temperature control in dispatch and transport?Guidance

Clause 4.16.2 requires vehicles and containers to be fit for purpose, including 'equipped to ensure any temperature requirements can be maintained', with inspection records. Clause 4.16.3 says temperature-controlled transport must hold product within specification 'under minimum and maximum load', using either temperature data loggers that can be interrogated for time and temperature, or a system that monitors and records refrigeration operation at predetermined frequencies. Clause 4.16.5 requires instructions for breakdown, accident or refrigeration failure so product safety is assessed and recorded, and 4.16.6 requires contracted hauliers to be approved through BRCGS or GFSI certification or a contract covering 4.16.1 to 4.16.5.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard. Monitoring the refrigeration unit's operation is accepted as an alternative to logging load temperature, so a reefer unit log can satisfy 4.16.3; whether it is enough for high-risk product is for the site's risk assessment and auditor. The clause does not specify logging intervals, pre-cooling of vehicles or door-open limits during multi-drop deliveries; it is silent on these. Storage and Distribution Issue 4 (clauses 5.4.1 to 5.4.5) is more specific for hauliers.

Source: Global Standard Food Safety, Issue 9. F904a: Auditor Checklist & Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 1 August 2022
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Food transport and deliveries, BRCGS and SALSA

What does the law say about HACCP monitoring and temperature records?Law

Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 requires food business operators to 'put in place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure or procedures based on the HACCP principles'. These include 'establishing critical limits at critical control points', 'effective monitoring procedures', 'corrective actions when monitoring indicates that a critical control point is not under control', verification procedures 'carried out regularly', and 'documents and records commensurate with the nature and size of the food business'. Article 5(4)(c) requires operators to 'retain any other documents and records for an appropriate period'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The regulation is silent on the actual numbers: it does not specify monitoring frequency, logging interval, record format, or how long to keep records ('an appropriate period'). Those choices sit with the business and are tested by the enforcing officer or auditor. The procedure must be reviewed when any change is made to the product, process or any step. Quick-frozen food is the exception, with a specific one-year minimum record period under Regulation 37/2005.

Source: Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, Article 5 (Hazard analysis and critical control points) UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk), 31 December 2020
Status: Law
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail, Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP

What is the due diligence defence, and how do temperature records help?Law

Regulation 12(1) of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 makes it a defence to any offence under those Regulations, including the Schedule 4 temperature offences, to prove the accused 'took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence'. Section 21 of the Food Safety Act 1990 contains the same defence for offences under Part II of that Act, and is applied to the Quick-frozen Foodstuffs (England) Regulations 2007 by their regulation 10.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Neither provision lists what counts as 'all reasonable precautions'; the law is silent on specific evidence, so it is judged by the court on the facts. Temperature records, alarm response logs and calibration evidence are the usual way a business shows it. If the defence relies on someone else's fault, notice must be served on the prosecutor at least seven clear days before the hearing (s21(5); reg 12(5)). Section 21 extends to England, Wales and Scotland; Northern Ireland has its own Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991, which we did not check.

Source: The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, regulation 12 (Defence of due diligence) UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk), 22 November 2013
Status: Law
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail, Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP

How are food businesses risk-rated for inspection in Scotland?Guidance

The Interventions Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2019 introduced the Food Law Rating System (FLRS), which combines hygiene and standards. Officers score seven compliance categories, including food safety systems and practice, cross contamination, food safety management systems and confidence in management; the average gives a band A to E within one of three business groups. Group 1 (for example manufacturers of high-risk foods) ranges from 1A, 18 months, to 1D, 3 months; Group 2 (other manufacturers, caterers, distributors of high-risk foods) from 2A, 24 months, to 2D, 3 months; band E in any group means intensive intervention at 1 month. 'Any Food Business with a single Serious (5) Non-compliance automatically gets rated a Band E' (5.10.1).

What's agreed, and what isn't

The Scottish model differs from England's points-based A to E scheme: the bands are not equivalent, and Scotland's highest-risk group can be visited more often (every 3 months at band D). The Code's aide-memoire lists 'Temperature Control' and 'Monitoring Records' among the prompts used when scoring, and refers to audits of 'temperature monitoring'. An FSS-commissioned evaluation (October 2024) reported concerns about local authorities keeping up with FLRS visit frequencies; we have not verified its detail.

Source: Interventions Food Law Code of Practice (Scotland) 2019 Food Standards Scotland, 28 June 2019
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail, Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP

How do our HACCP plan and temperature records affect the 'confidence in management' score?Guidance

The Food Law Code of Practice (England), Annex 1 Part 3, says the confidence in management score judges 'the likelihood of satisfactory compliance being maintained in the future', looking at track record, willingness to act on advice, attitude, knowledge of 'hazard analysis/HACCP and the control of critical points', and 'satisfactory food safety management-based procedures'. A score of 20 includes 'no food safety management procedures or unsatisfactory progress' in developing, documenting and implementing them; a score of 30 includes 'no food safety management procedures'. The Brand Standard adds that HACCP-based procedures 'cannot be termed satisfactory... if they are not being properly implemented', so failures that show non-adherence to them also affect this score (paragraph 3.8).

What's agreed, and what isn't

Record keeping is expected to be proportionate: the Code says the requirement to keep records 'needs to be flexible' for very small businesses and that documentation may not be necessary under the Article 5 flexibility, while larger or more complex operations are expected to have more. The Code also tells officers to reflect reassurance from independent third-party assurance checks at the establishment. It does not specify a format, frequency or retention period for temperature records; those come from the business's own HACCP and industry guides.

Source: Food Law Code of Practice (England) (Issued 23 October 2025), Annex 1 Part 3 FSA, 23 October 2025
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Catering, Food retail, Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP

How does CookSafe expect us to set critical limits and monitor fridges?Guidance

CookSafe uses a fridge as its worked example: 'If the Critical Limit has been set at 5°C, the purpose of Monitoring … would be to check that the Critical Limit of 5°C has been met.' Its suggested limits are chilled delivery and storage 'for example 5°C or below' and frozen 'for example –18°C or below'. For cold monitoring it says check 'the warmest part of the chill', avoid checking straight after the door has been open or 'during a defrost cycle', and that built-in displays show air temperature and 'should be checked regularly with a digital thermometer'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

CookSafe says 'You must determine the frequency of cold temperature monitoring in your House Rules', suggesting start of the working day plus another time in the day; it does not set a minimum. Monitoring may be recorded on its forms, your own forms, 'recording electronically' or a diary, so electronic records are expressly allowed. If a fridge at a 5 °C limit reads 12 °C, its example corrective action is to call the engineer and 'consider if the food is safe to use'. The manual's pages are marked Issue 1.2, May 2012.

Source: CookSafe: Food Safety Assurance System (complete manual, September 2021) Food Standards Scotland, September 2021
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, Manufacturing and HACCP

What must CCP temperature monitoring records contain under BRCGS Issue 9, and how is HACCP verified?Guidance

Clause 2.10.1 requires a monitoring procedure for each CCP that can detect loss of control and, wherever possible, give information in time for corrective action; continuous measurement such as thermographs is listed as an option. Clause 2.10.2 says CCP records must include date, time and result, be signed by the person monitoring and verified where appropriate by a competent, authorised person; electronic records need evidence that they were checked and verified. Clause 2.12.2 requires verification procedures, such as internal audits and review of records where limits were exceeded, to confirm the HACCP plan stays effective.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard. For automated monitoring, 'signed' is generally met through electronic sign-off or review, but the standard does not specify how often electronic records must be reviewed; that is unclear and auditors differ. Critical limits must be measurable, for example time and temperature (2.9.1), and validated (2.9.2). SALSA Issue 7 clauses 2.10 to 2.13 cover the same Codex steps in shorter form.

Source: Global Standard Food Safety, Issue 9. F904a: Auditor Checklist & Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 1 August 2022
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP, BRCGS and SALSA

What records does SFBB expect: the daily diary and the 4-weekly review?Guidance

SFBB says the manager should sign the diary every day to confirm the opening and closing checks were done and the safe methods followed. Opening checks include that 'Your fridges, chilled display equipment and freezers are working properly' and that the probe thermometer is working; closing checks include that ''Prove it' checks have been recorded'. The 4-weekly review looks back over four weeks of diary entries; if 'the same thing went wrong three times or more', record why and what you did, and it 'requires completion even if no problems have been found'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

SFBB answers 'Do I need to keep lots of daily records?' with 'No, but as a minimum, you need to fill in the diary each day', adding that larger or more complex businesses may need more. The diary records that checks happened; SFBB does not require the actual fridge readings to be written down each day, though it suggests some temperature checks may be recorded. Whether a business needs logged readings is a decision for its own system and the EHO.

Source: Safer food, better business: Diary and 4-weekly review FSA, 29 January 2020
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Catering, Food retail
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP

Is there any official guidance with specific cooling times for cooked meat?Guidance

Yes, FSS's ButcherSafe temperature control house rules. It says 'Active cooling should start within 90 minutes of the end of cooking', with the aim of cooling to 5 °C as quickly as possible through the 'temperature danger zone (from 63˚C to 5˚C)'. Small items such as pies should be cooled 'for no longer than 90 minutes at ambient temperature' before chilled storage. For uncured joints it gives good practice of 1 hour to 50 °C, 6 hours from 50 °C to 12 °C and 1 hour from 12 °C to 5 °C (8 hours total, 10 hours maximum); cured joints such as hams total 10 hours (12½ hours maximum).

What's agreed, and what isn't

This is Scottish guidance for butchers, not a legal limit, and the danger zone it uses (63 °C to 5 °C) differs from the FSA consumer guidance (8 °C to 63 °C). It says the cooling method must be validated and then followed exactly, including quantity and weight. It recommends a calibrated thermograph or data logger where staff are not present to probe at the end of overnight cooking. England's SFBB gives no cooling time.

Source: ButcherSafe: House rules: Temperature control: Guidance Food Standards Scotland, November 2013
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food retail, Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP, Catering and retail

What do real prosecutions involving temperature control look like?Interpretation

In a case published by Hillingdon Council in May 2025, a takeaway pleaded guilty to seven offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 after officers found a broken fridge, a walk-in freezer 'sounding an alarm displaying a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius', no shelf-life or temperature controls for cooked and hot food, and dirty probe thermometers with no means to sanitise them. It received a 0 rating and hygiene improvement notices, and was ordered to pay £16,491.20. In a Kirklees Council case (May 2025), chilled foods 'were shown to be far above the legal limit of 8°C', notices were not complied with, and the owner was ordered to pay £6,672.33.

What's agreed, and what isn't

These are individual council press releases, not a national dataset; in both, temperature was one of several failings alongside cleaning, training and non-compliance with notices. They show the usual sequence: inspection findings, a low rating, improvement notices, revisits, then prosecution for continued breaches. No national data break out how many prosecutions cite temperature control.

Source: Uxbridge business fined more than £16,000 for filthy kitchen and dangerous food storage and preparation London Borough of Hillingdon, 16 May 2025
Birkby restaurant owner fined over £6,000 for repeated food hygiene breaches Kirklees Together (Kirklees Council), 29 May 2025
Status: Interpretation
Applies to: Catering, Food retail
Last checked: 19 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, Catering and retail

How long does SALSA require records to be kept, and what does it say about vehicles?Guidance

SALSA Food & Drink Production Issue 7, clause 3.5.2, requires all documents and completed records relating to product safety, legality and quality to be genuine, legible, kept in good condition and stored securely 'for at least the shelf-life of the products plus one year'. Clause 1.12.1 requires storage and transport to be fit for purpose and capable of maintaining product and facility temperature where applicable, says all transport 'should be inspected before loading', and requires records. Clause 1.12.4 requires transit trials, with records, where products go by courier or post.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The same retention rule (3.5.2) and vehicle clause (1.12.1) appear in Brokers, Storage & Distribution Issue 2. SALSA's 'should' on pre-loading inspection is softer than 'shall'. The standard does not specify in-transit temperature logging; it is silent on loggers for vehicles, unlike BRCGS 4.16.3.

Source: SALSA Food & Drink Production Audit Standard Issue 7, June 2026 SALSA, June 2026
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Food transport and deliveries, BRCGS and SALSA

What do the BRCGS Storage and Distribution Issue 4 goods-in rule and optional modules add on temperature?Guidance

Clause 7.1.1 requires processes to confirm that measurable conditions such as temperature meet requirements before goods are accepted. The cross-docking module (11.4.1) requires process parameters critical to product safety, such as transfers between temperature-controlled and ambient areas, removal of temperature-sensitive product before loading and unforeseen delays, to be validated, controlled, monitored at a suitable frequency and recorded, with defined acceptable and unacceptable limits. The e-commerce module (12.5) requires packaging systems for temperature-sensitive products to be validated, with the cooling media and critical temperature limits defined, and supplier validation backed by an independent transit test (12.5.2). The contract chilling and freezing module (section 17) requires real-time temperature recording linked to an automatic failure alarm, or manual checks where appropriate, at a frequency that allows intervention (17.3), and the product owner told immediately of any failure or deviation (17.4).

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard and SD404. Temperature-controlled storage (7.3) and vehicles (5.4) are core requirements wherever temperature control applies; the modules apply only where the site does that activity. Position Statement 20 (effective 10 August 2026) rewords 17.3 to cover any process parameter, says alarm settings must be adequate for the process and adds a manual-check guide of every 2 hours chilled and 4 hours frozen; Position Statement 19 adds irradiation to section 17. None of these sets an alarm delay or set point.

Source: Global Standard Storage and Distribution, Issue 4; SD404: Storage & Distribution, Issue 4, Position Statements (Version 8.2) BRCGS, 6 October 2026
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Cold stores, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 19 October 2026
More on: Food transport and deliveries, BRCGS and SALSA

What do the SALSA standards require for temperature monitoring and calibration?Guidance

SALSA Food & Drink Production Issue 7 (June 2026), clause 1.5.2, requires documented environmental controls to be monitored so facilities keep raw materials, work-in-progress, finished products and packaging 'within a safe temperature range', with records kept. Clause 1.5.4 (External Calibration) requires environment monitoring devices 'such as temperature probes and recorders', where essential for legality and food safety, to be calibrated to defined accuracy 'at a pre-determined frequency'. Clause 1.5.5 requires regular in-house verification checks of all measuring devices, adjusted if necessary, with records. Clause 1.5.3 requires procedures for equipment failure. SALSA Brokers, Storage & Distribution Issue 2 has matching clauses 1.5.2 to 1.5.5.

What's agreed, and what isn't

SALSA is aimed at small producers and is shorter than BRCGS. It does not specify a monitoring frequency, alarm requirements, a calibration interval or traceability to national standards; it is silent where BRCGS 4.15.3 and 6.4 are explicit. All SALSA audits from 1 September 2026 use the new issues, with no transition period. The SALSA 'Standard' page still listed the old issues when checked, so rely on the new-issues page.

Source: SALSA Food & Drink Production Audit Standard Issue 7, June 2026 SALSA, June 2026
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: BRCGS and SALSA

What does BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 require for monitoring temperature-controlled storage?Guidance

Clause 4.15.3 says that where temperature control is required, the storage area must be able to hold product within specification and be run so that specified temperatures are kept. Sites must either fit temperature recording equipment with suitable alarms to all storage facilities, or run recorded manual checks, 'typically on at least a 4-hourly basis' or at a frequency that allows intervention before product goes out of limits. Clause 4.15.1 adds risk-based procedures, for example for moving chilled and frozen product between temperature-controlled areas.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard. The 4-hour figure is qualified by 'typically', so a site can justify another frequency, but it must allow intervention in time; auditors will expect the justification. The clause does not specify alarm set points, alarm delays or who must respond out of hours; mapping is not in 4.15 but in process control: 6.1.5 names temperature distribution in freezers and cold stores as something to validate and verify at a risk-based frequency (Storage and Distribution Issue 4 covers stores in 7.3.7). Issue 9 is the current issue; none of its four position statements (F926 version 4, effective 10 August 2026) changes 4.15, 4.16, 6.1 or 6.4.

Source: Global Standard Food Safety, Issue 9. F904a: Auditor Checklist & Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 1 August 2022
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Cold stores
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, BRCGS and SALSA

Are temperature monitoring or calibration among the most common BRCGS audit non-conformities?Interpretation

We found no primary BRCGS page listing top non-conformities. A certification body's datasheet based on more than 72,000 audits lists hygiene (4.11.1) as the most common global non-conformity, then chemical control, equipment risk management, doors and pest prevention, walls, ceilings and floors, and traceability and labelling, with seven of the top eight in Section 4. Calibration (6.4) and storage temperature (4.15) do not appear in that top list. A Campden BRI review of early Issue 9 data (October 2023) gave the top majors as audit due dates (1.1.10), cleanliness (4.11.1) and pest management (4.14.1).

What's agreed, and what isn't

These are interpretation sources (a certification body and a research organisation), not BRCGS's own data. The datasheet gives counts only for some clauses and uses a clause numbering style (for example 4.4.0.8) that differs from the published standard. Calibration and temperature findings still occur but are not in the published top lists; we could not verify their frequency.

Source: Top BRCGS Food Safety Non-conformities 2025-2026 (datasheet) LRQA (certification body), undated
Status: Interpretation
Applies to: Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: BRCGS and SALSA

Does UK law say how often to check temperatures, when to alarm, or how often to calibrate?Law

No. Regulation 852/2004 Article 5 requires 'effective monitoring procedures', corrective actions and verification 'carried out regularly', with records 'commensurate with the nature and size of the food business', but sets no frequency. Schedule 4 of the England, Wales and Northern Ireland regulations sets the 8 °C and 63 °C limits and time defences but no checking regime. Regulation 37/2005 requires frozen recording 'at frequent and regular intervals' and EN-compliant instruments, but sets no interval.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The law is silent on: how often to check or log (manual checks per day, or logger interval); alarm thresholds and alarm delays; calibration or verification frequency for probes and loggers; temperature mapping of cold rooms or vehicles; and record retention for chilled food (only 'an appropriate period'). These are business decisions that should be written into the HACCP plan with a reason, and agreed with the enforcing authority or certification body where they have a view.

Source: Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, Article 5 UK Parliament (legislation.gov.uk), 31 December 2020
Status: Law
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail, Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP

How long must an Irish food business keep its temperature and HACCP records?Law

Irish law sets the periods. S.I. No. 369 of 2006, Regulation 5, makes it an offence to fail to retain HACCP documents and records for: three months after the expiry of the 'use by' date (Regulation 5(3)); one year after the expiry of the 'best before' or 'best before end' date (Regulation 5(4)); and three months after sale for foodstuffs for immediate consumption (Regulation 5(5)). FSAI Guidance Note 15 repeats these periods for cook-chill records, which should include temperature monitoring and calibration records.

What's agreed, and what isn't

This differs from the UK, where the UK's version of Regulation 852/2004 asks for documents and records 'commensurate with the nature and size of the food business' and no fixed retention period is set in statute. The Irish periods cover records under Article 5 of 852/2004; quick-frozen air temperature recordings have their own minimum of at least one year (S.I. 370/1995, Regulation 7), and traceability records are treated separately. S.I. 369/2006 applies to HSE-supervised businesses; businesses under S.I. 22/2020 should check their own conditions of approval.

Source: S.I. No. 369/2006 - European Communities (Hygiene of Foodstuffs) Regulations 2006 Office of the Attorney General (Irish Statute Book), 12 July 2006
Status: Law
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail, Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP, Food in Ireland

Do BRCGS standards require temperature mapping of a cold store or chiller, and how often?Guidance

BRCGS Storage and Distribution Issue 4, clause 7.3.7, requires that where temperature, humidity or controlled-atmosphere stores are used, the uniformity of the condition (for example temperature distribution) is 'established, validated and verified at a frequency based on risk', or that restrictions on product placement are identified. Clause 7.3.8 requires performance to be re-established after changes to equipment. BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9, clause 6.1.5, says that where conditions can vary within equipment critical to safety or quality, its characteristics are validated and verified at a frequency based on risk and performance, and gives temperature distribution in freezers and cold stores as an example.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard. Mapping frequency is not specified; it is risk-based. The standard is silent on the number of sensors, test duration, loaded versus empty studies, or seasonal repeats. Food Safety Issue 9 puts mapping in process control (6.1.5) rather than storage (4.15), and sets no method either. A business needs its own decision, for example map at commissioning, after layout or refrigeration changes, and periodically; agree it with your auditor.

Source: Global Standard Storage and Distribution, Issue 4. SD401: Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 6 May 2021
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Cold stores, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Frozen food and cold stores, BRCGS and SALSA

Does the 8 °C rule apply to the air in the fridge or to the food, and does the FSA expect temperature logging?Guidance

The FSA's temperature control guidance (paragraph 27) says: 'The requirement is for the temperature of the food, not the surrounding air.' On monitoring, paragraph 21 says chill holding is 'very often critical to food safety', that 'Temperature monitoring and logging may be helpful as part of food safety management procedures', and that a need for monitoring and record keeping 'commensurate with the nature and size of the business' is indicated by Article 5 of Regulation 852/2004. Paragraph 20 notes SFBB, CookSafe and Safe Catering include 'limited temperature monitoring and recording' to avoid undue burden on smaller businesses.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The guidance does not require loggers, alarms or a set monitoring frequency; it is silent on these and leaves them to the business's HACCP-based procedures. Air readings from a built-in display are a proxy: CookSafe notes displays 'indicate the air temperature', and Safe Catering says for transport 'the temperature of the food is measured and not the temperature of food holding equipment'. Sensor placement and food-simulant probes are a business decision not covered by FSA or FSS guidance.

Source: Guidance on Temperature Control Legislation in the United Kingdom FSA, May 2016
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail, Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, Manufacturing and HACCP

How does BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 expect temperature probes and loggers to be calibrated?Guidance

Clause 6.4.1 requires a documented list of measuring equipment used for CCPs and product safety, legality and quality, with location, identification code and calibration due date, protected from unauthorised adjustment and damage. Clause 6.4.2 requires each device to be checked and, where necessary, adjusted at a predetermined, risk-based frequency, to a method traceable to a recognised national or international standard where possible, with results documented. Clause 6.4.3 requires reference equipment to be calibrated with traceability and says calibration uncertainty must be considered when assessing critical limits. Clause 6.4.4 requires recorded actions when a device is found out of limits, and action so at-risk product is not offered for sale.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard. The standard does not specify a calibration interval (for example annual) or an accuracy tolerance; both are left to risk assessment. 'Where possible' softens traceability for working devices, but reference thermometers must be traceable. In practice, protecting at-risk product means looking back at product measured since the last good check; that is good practice rather than the clause's wording, and the standard does not say how far back, so define it in your procedure. SALSA 1.5.4 is similar but lighter. BRCGS Storage and Distribution 6.3 goes further: devices measuring product safety, legality and quality must be traceable to a recognised national standard, with no 'where possible' (6.3.3); the product owner is told when a device is found inaccurate (6.3.5); and self-calibrating devices are verified at a set frequency (6.3.6).

Source: Global Standard Food Safety, Issue 9. F904a: Auditor Checklist & Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 1 August 2022
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Cold stores, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP, BRCGS and SALSA

How long must a storage or distribution site keep temperature records under BRCGS?Guidance

BRCGS Storage and Distribution Issue 4, clause 3.1.3.1, says records must be legible, genuine and kept for a defined period that reflects product shelf life and any customer or legal requirements, 'but shall never be less than 1 year'. Position Statement 20 (effective 10 August 2026) adds, for clause 17.3 process records, that records must be checked and kept 'for a minimum of shelf life + 1 year' as they could be needed for a due diligence defence.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased, with short quotes checked against the standard and the position statement. The general clause and the position statement differ (minimum 1 year versus shelf life plus 1 year for contract chilling and freezing records). Food Safety Issue 9 uses shelf life plus 12 months. For quick-frozen food, retained Regulation (EC) No 37/2005 Article 2(3) separately requires temperature records to be kept at least one year, or longer given the shelf life.

Source: SD404: Storage & Distribution, Issue 4, Position Statements (Version 8.2); SD401 Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 6 October 2026
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Cold stores, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: BRCGS and SALSA

How long must temperature records be kept under BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9?Guidance

Clause 3.3.2 says records must be kept for a defined period, considering legal and customer requirements and product shelf life, including any shelf life extension by the consumer, such as freezing, where stated on the label. 'At a minimum, records shall be retained for the shelf life of the product plus 12 months.' Clause 3.3.1 requires electronic records to be stored securely and backed up.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard. For long-life or frozen products this can mean several years. Issue 9 is silent on a floor for very short shelf-life products beyond the 12 months. BRCGS Storage and Distribution Issue 4 (3.1.3.1) differ: retention reflects shelf life and customer or legal needs 'but shall never be less than 1 year'. SALSA uses shelf life plus one year. Customers may require longer, so check contracts.

Source: Global Standard Food Safety, Issue 9. F904a: Auditor Checklist & Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 1 August 2022
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP, BRCGS and SALSA

How long should we keep temperature records?Guidance

Northern Ireland's Safe Catering pack (FSA) is the only FSA or FSS guide we found that gives a figure: 'It is recommended that you keep records for at least 12 months.' It adds that your legal advisors may recommend longer, or your EHO may ask you to keep them 'at least until his/her next inspection'. It also says records may be useful 'as part of a due diligence defence'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

SFBB is silent on how long to keep the diary or temperature records; it only says to keep purchase records, ideally 'until you are sure that the food they refer to has been consumed without any problems'. Scotland's CookSafe and RetailSafe say HACCP records must be retained 'for an appropriate period of time', and that your enforcement officer can advise on the timeframe. So the period is unclear in law and differs between guides. Many businesses choose at least 12 months, or longer where product shelf life or customer contracts require it.

Source: Safe Catering: your guide to making food safely (Issue 7, April 2019) FSA (Northern Ireland), April 2019
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Catering, Food retail, Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Manufacturing and HACCP

How often does SFBB say we must check fridge and chilled display temperatures?Guidance

SFBB's 'Chilled storage and displaying chilled food' safe method says you should check fridges and chilled display equipment 'at least once a day starting with your opening checks'. If you rely on the unit's digital display or dial, you 'should check regularly' that it is accurate using a fridge thermometer or probe thermometer. To confirm equipment is working properly, it says to check temperatures 'in-between packs of chilled food using a clean, disinfected probe thermometer'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Once a day is a minimum for small caterers and retailers using SFBB. It does not specify how often to cross-check the display against a thermometer ('regularly'). The Northern Ireland Safe Catering pack says the same ('at least once per day') and adds that 'some businesses may wish to check fridges more frequently'; its record sheet has AM and PM columns. CookSafe (Scotland) leaves the frequency to the business but calls a start-of-day check plus a check 'at some other part of the day' advisable. None of these documents mention continuous loggers or alarms; they are silent on them, neither requiring nor excluding them.

Source: Safer food, better business for caterers: Chilled storage and displaying chilled food (safe method) FSA, 29 January 2020
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Catering, Food retail
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, Catering and retail

How often does the FSAI say temperature probes and loggers should be calibrated, and to what accuracy?Guidance

FSAI Guidance Note No. 20 says daily or working thermometers should be calibrated 'at least annual or at shorter intervals determined by risk assessment', and reference thermometers as the manufacturer specifies or by risk assessment but 'at least every three years'. Working instruments should have a minimum accuracy of ±1.0 °C (preferably ±0.5 °C), be traceable to the International Temperature Scale ITS-90, and reference thermometers should have a test uncertainty ratio of at least 4:1. Where an external provider is used it should be accredited to ISO 17025, and data loggers 'should be calibrated before use'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

GN20 is written for industrial heat-chill processors; caterers get simpler FSAI advice (Temperature Control page) to check probes 'at least twice a year' in iced water (−0.5 to +0.5 °C) and boiling water (99.5 to 100.5 °C), with a probe accuracy of at least ±0.5 °C. GN20 also recommends reviewing calibration data every six months or more often (at a minimum annually) and keeping certificates on file. Neither Irish nor EU law specifies a calibration interval, so these are the clearest published Irish benchmarks; GN20 does not specify calibration intervals for fixed fridge or cold room sensors.

Source: Guidance Note 20: Industrial Processing of Heat-Chill Foods (Revision 1) FSAI, 2021
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Cold stores, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Food in Ireland

How often should fridges be checked and what delivery temperatures should we accept under the FSAI Safe Catering system?Guidance

The FSAI Safe Catering record book SC2 says fridge and freezer temperatures should be checked 'at least once per day', with an AM and PM column, and allows either food temperature (a dummy food or a core or surface probe) or air temperature (a probe in the unit or the display gauge). The delivery record SC1 and the transport record SC9 give acceptance figures of chilled food 0 °C to 5 °C, frozen food 'less than or equal to −18 °C' and hot food at or above 63 °C, and suggest checking one or two products from large deliveries.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Safe Catering is one of the Irish national guides on the EU register, so it carries weight with inspectors, but the once-a-day check is a minimum recommendation, not a legal frequency. The forms do not specify what to do between checks or how quickly to act on a high reading (the SC2 example shows a gauge adjusted and re-checked one hour later). Continuous monitoring is not required by the pack.

Source: SC2 Refrigeration Records (FSAI Safe Catering Pack) FSAI, undated
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Catering, Food retail
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Catering and retail, Food in Ireland

How should we check our probe thermometer is accurate, and how often?Guidance

SFBB's 'Prove it' safe method says the manufacturer's instructions should tell you how often to check a probe; if they are not available, check it regularly, 'for example once a month'. The simple check is iced water and boiling water: readings 'between -1°C and 1°C' in iced water and 'between 99°C and 101°C' in boiling water. Outside that range, replace the probe or return it to the manufacturer to be calibrated. The SFBB 4-weekly review asks: 'Have probes been calibrated in the last 4 weeks and results recorded?' Despite the wording, what SFBB describes is a check, not a calibration: it shows the probe still reads within about 1 °C, but it is not traceable and gives no error or uncertainty.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The tolerance (plus or minus 1 °C at 0 °C and 100 °C) is the same across SFBB, Safe Catering and CookSafe. The frequency differs: SFBB suggests monthly; Northern Ireland's Safe Catering says check 'at least twice a year' and record it on a calibration record; CookSafe has a monthly probe check sheet plus a yearly check of the electronic display unit. These are field checks, not traceable calibration. None of the documents say how often to calibrate fixed fridge sensors or loggers; they are silent on this.

Source: Safer food, better business for caterers: Prove it (safe method) FSA, 29 January 2020
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Catering, Food retail
Last checked: 18 October 2026

How will an inspector check our chilled food temperatures, and will they trust our monitoring system?Guidance

The FSA's Food Law Practice Guidance (England), section 8.9.2, recommends a staged approach. Stage 1 is air temperature monitoring: records 'are an indication of temperature history, including defrost cycles, door openings and breakdowns' and a guide to how the system is functioning, but a single air reading is not product temperature. Stage 2 is non-destructive between-pack testing with a pre-cooled flat probe, with 'a total tolerance of +2.8ºC (0.8ºC as specified for instrument accuracy and 2ºC for the limitation of the methodology)'. Stage 3 is destructive product testing, starting with items from the warmest part of the unit, and is the method recommended 'to produce evidence for formal enforcement action'.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The guidance says if there is no temperature monitoring system, or the officer has reasonable doubt about it, the officer should go to stage 2, and if satisfied at stage 1 or 2 no further action is needed. So a credible monitoring record can end the check at stage 1, but the guidance does not specify what makes a system credible (sensor placement, logging interval, alarm settings). It also recommends inviting the operator or manager to witness measurements taken for possible enforcement. This is non-statutory guidance for officers in England.

Source: Food Law Practice Guidance (England) (Issued October 2025), section 8.9 FSA, October 2025
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food retail, Catering, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?

What accuracy and calibration does an EHO's own thermometer have to meet, and does that apply to ours?Guidance

Section 8.9.9 of the Food Law Practice Guidance (England) says systems used for enforcement should reach 90% of the final reading within 3 minutes, have 'an accuracy of +/-0.5ºC, or better' between -20 °C and +30 °C, and display to at least 0.1 °C. Section 8.9.5 says enforcement thermometers are to be periodically calibrated by a suitably accredited tester such as the manufacturer or a UKAS-accredited laboratory, with a certificate, checked between calibrations against a reference thermometer, and checked before and after measurements likely to result in enforcement. Without a reference, the sensor can be checked in wet ice at 0 °C, read after three minutes at a depth of at least 5 cm.

What's agreed, and what isn't

These requirements apply to the officer's equipment, not the business's. The guidance is silent on how accurate a business's probes or loggers must be or how often they must be calibrated. Many businesses use the officer standard as a benchmark because their readings may be compared with it. The guidance also notes a stage 2 reading 'might be up to 2ºC warmer than the true product temperature', which matters when comparing a between-pack reading with a logger.

Source: Food Law Practice Guidance (England) (Issued October 2025), sections 8.9.5 and 8.9.9 FSA, October 2025
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food retail, Catering, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?

What are EN 12830, EN 13485 and EN 13486?Guidance

BS EN 12830:2018, 'Temperature recorders for the transport, storage and distribution of temperature sensitive goods. Tests, performance, suitability', covers recorders between -80 °C and +85 °C, applies to the whole recording system (sensors built in or remote) and gives requirements on sensor location; it replaced EN 12830:1999. BS EN 13485:2023 covers thermometers for measuring ambient or internal temperature for the same uses (tests, performance, suitability). BS EN 13486:2023 covers periodic verification of those recorders and thermometers.

What's agreed, and what isn't

These are paid standards; we took titles and scope from BSI's catalogue pages, not the full text. Older editions were written for chilled, frozen and quick-frozen food and ice cream; the 2018 and 2023 editions cover 'temperature sensitive goods' generally. Law and ATP reference specific editions (ATP: EN 12830:2018 and EN 13486:2002), so editions differ between the law and the current catalogue. The standards do not by themselves set a verification interval for food businesses; that is unclear from public sources. In our view, an annual UKAS-accredited calibration across the recorder's working range meets the periodic verification EN 13486 describes (EN 13486 is licensed; we paraphrase). That is a JTF view, not a statement by UKAS or the standard.

Source: BS EN 12830:2018 Temperature recorders for the transport, storage and distribution of temperature sensitive goods. Tests, performance, suitability BSI, 31 August 2018
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food manufacturers
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Food transport and deliveries

What does BRCGS Storage and Distribution Issue 4 require for monitoring temperature in warehouses and cold stores?Guidance

Clause 7.3.2 says that where a storage area is temperature-controlled, temperature recording equipment with suitable alarms must be fitted to all storage facilities, or there must be recorded manual checks 'typically every 4 hours' or at a frequency that allows intervention before limits are exceeded. Clause 7.3.3 requires facilities to hold products within the temperature range in the product specification, and 7.3.5 requires procedures for equipment failure to establish, with the product owner, the safety and quality status before release.

What's agreed, and what isn't

Paraphrased; checked against the standard. A BRCGS position statement (SD404, Position Statement 20, effective 10 August 2026) gives interpretation for clause 17.3 (contract chilling, freezing, tempering and defrosting): where automatic temperature recording is not used, manual checks must continue at weekends and holidays, frequency may reduce when doors stay shut, and 'as a guide, unless otherwise justified' every 2 hours for chilled and every 4 hours for frozen products. It also says alarm settings on recording equipment must be adequate for the process. It is a guide for manual checks, not a weekend-only rule. That guidance is written for section 17, so whether auditors apply 2 hours to general chilled storage under 7.3.2 is unclear; the two figures differ. The standard does not specify alarm delays or set points.

Source: Global Standard Storage and Distribution, Issue 4. SD401: Site Self-Assessment Tool BRCGS, 6 May 2021
Status: Formal guidance
Applies to: Cold stores, Food distribution and transport
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?, BRCGS and SALSA

Do Irish inspectors actually close businesses for temperature control failures?Interpretation

Yes. The FSAI reported 133 Enforcement Orders in 2024 (115 Closure, 16 Prohibition, 2 Improvement) and named 'failure to maintain correct temperatures of foodstuffs' among the recurring issues behind them.

What's agreed, and what isn't

The FSAI's round-up for 2025 reported 127 Enforcement Orders (102 Closure, 23 Prohibition, 2 Improvement), and the reasons for December 2025 closures included 'the use of an unrefrigerated vehicle for transporting meat with no controls in place to maintain the cold food chain'. Orders are served under the FSAI Act 1998 and Regulations 29 and 30 of S.I. 79/2020; a closure order can take effect immediately, and appeals go to the District Court within 7 days. Most orders cite pests and hygiene first, and the FSAI does not publish a count of orders where temperature was the main cause, so the share is unclear.

Source: 133 Enforcement Orders served on food businesses in 2024 FSAI, 9 January 2025
Status: Interpretation
Applies to: Food manufacturers, Food distribution and transport, Cold stores, Food retail, Catering
Last checked: 18 October 2026
More on: Food in Ireland

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Mapping and monitoring in distribution centres and cold stores

A probe by the door tells you about the door

Law and standards on monitoring and mapping

Map, then place the probes where the map says

How long to keep the records

A mapping study that moves a probe

No figure for frequency, duration or density

How an officer uses your records

The short version

Food records: how long to keep them

Food temperature control: UK and Ireland at a glance

Questions, answered from the source

Other topics

Chilled food: 8 °C or 5 °C?

Frozen food and cold stores

Food transport and deliveries

Manufacturing and HACCP

Catering and retail

BRCGS and SALSA

Where the rules differ

All food guidance

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