Fridge and freezer temperature monitoring: what HACCP requires

Your fridge, freezer and display case each have temperature limits — and at an inspection you have to prove you kept them. Here's what applies to temperature measurement and how to avoid both fines and spoiled stock.

Which temperatures you have to keep

The exact values depend on the food type and your HACCP plan, but as a rule of thumb:

• Chilled food: usually up to +5 °C (meat, dairy, deli).
• Frozen food: −18 °C and below.
• Hot food on service: above +60 °C.

How often temperature should be measured

In a manual routine, temperature is written into a paper log a few times a day. The catch: overnight, on weekends and during a power cut nobody is measuring — and that's exactly when stock tends to spoil.

Why paper logs aren't enough

Manual records get forgotten, filled in after the fact, and don't look credible at a food-safety inspection. They also miss short spikes — a failed compressor at night is only discovered in the morning, when the stock is already gone.

Automatic temperature monitoring as the answer

A probe in the cooling unit measures continuously, data goes to the cloud and HACCP records are created on their own. If a limit is exceeded, an instant alert reaches your phone, so you can react before the stock suffers. How automatic temperature monitoring works →