Temperature control is where food safety is won or lost, and it's one of the first things an FSSAI inspector or hygiene rating auditor checks. Five of the ten critical items on FSSAI's hygiene rating checklist for restaurants are about temperature — and failing a critical item means no rating at all. Here are the limits that apply, and how to keep a log that actually holds up.
The temperatures that matter
These figures come from FSSAI's hygiene rating checklist for food service establishments, which is based on the Schedule 4 hygiene requirements:
- Cold storage: 5°C or below. Foods of animal origin should be stored at 4°C or below.
- Frozen storage: -18°C or below.
- Hot holding: 65°C for food intended for consumption, and 70°C for non-vegetarian food.
- Cooking (vegetarian): a core temperature of 60°C for 10 minutes or 65°C for 2 minutes.
- Cooking (non-vegetarian): a core temperature of 65°C for 10 minutes, 70°C for 2 minutes, or 75°C for 15 seconds.
- Reheating: the core temperature must reach 75°C and be held for at least 2 minutes. Adding hot water, or reheating under a bain-marie or heat lamp, doesn't count.
Cooling and thawing, the steps most kitchens skip
Leftover curries and bulk-cooked gravies are a common risk because they cool slowly. FSSAI's checklist sets a two-stage limit for high-risk food intended for refrigeration: cool from 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then from 21°C to 5°C within the next 2 hours. Dividing large batches into shallow containers is the simplest way to hit it.
Thawing has rules too. Meat, fish and poultry should be thawed in a refrigerator at 5°C or below, or in a microwave. Shellfish and seafood can be thawed under cold running potable water at 15°C or below, within 90 minutes. Thawed food shouldn't be stored for later use.
What to record on your temperature log
A temperature log is only useful if it's specific. Every entry should capture:
- Which unit or item was checked — 'walk-in chiller', 'freezer 2', 'dal on hot hold' — not just 'fridge'
- The reading, in °C
- The date and time of the check
- Who took the reading
- What was done if the reading was out of range — moved stock, called for repair, discarded food
That last column is the one most logs leave blank, and it's the one that shows an inspector you're in control. A reading of 9°C with 'moved stock to backup fridge, technician called' is a compliant log. A reading of 9°C with nothing next to it is a finding.
How often to check
FSSAI's checklist requires that temperatures are maintained and that you have the facilities to monitor them, but it doesn't fix a single frequency for every kitchen. A practical baseline is to check every refrigerator and freezer at opening and closing, check hot-holding food regularly during service, and probe the core temperature when cooking, cooling and reheating high-risk food. Also remember that FSSAI expects measuring devices, including thermometers, to be calibrated periodically.
Keep the records for at least a year
One of the critical items on FSSAI's hygiene rating checklist is that documentation and records are available and kept for at least a year. A paper register that's damp, missing pages or filled in at the end of the week won't meet that. Neither will a log where every reading is a suspiciously perfect 4°C written in the same pen.
How Mohar helps
In Mohar, temperature logs are part of each outlet's daily checklists. Staff record readings on their phones; each entry is timestamped and tied to the person who took it, so nothing can be backfilled. Temperature items can be marked as critical, and an out-of-range reading alerts the owner or manager straight away instead of waiting to be noticed in a register. Every record is kept and searchable, ready for an inspection or a hygiene rating audit.
Temperature limits in this article are taken from FSSAI's Hygiene Rating Scheme guidance (food service checklist, Annexure 2A). For specific products or processes, confirm requirements with your food safety officer or on fssai.gov.in.