Receiving Temperature Log: What to Check When Food Is Delivered

A receiving temperature log is the first record in most restaurant HACCP plans. It shows that the food entering your kitchen arrived at a safe temperature and in good condition. If chicken shows up at 48°F, nothing you do later fully fixes that, so receiving is where the control starts. This guide covers the Food Code receiving limits, how to take the readings, when to reject, and how to set up the log.

Limits come from the FDA Food Code 2022, mainly section 3-202. Your state may have adopted a different edition, so check with your health department. Any plan you build is a draft for them to review.

Why receiving matters in a HACCP plan

In most restaurant hazard analyses, receiving is not a critical control point for cooked items, because cooking later controls the bacteria. It is still a key control step, for three reasons.

First, some hazards cannot be fixed later. Scombrotoxin (histamine) in tuna or mahi-mahi forms when the fish is temperature abused and cooking does not destroy it. Staphylococcus aureus toxin is heat stable too. If the product arrives abused, the damage is done.

Second, some food is never cooked. Salad greens, cut fruit, oysters served raw and deli meats rely on cold temperature from the farm to the plate. Receiving is one of the few times you can check that the supply chain did its part.

Third, a receiving log is evidence. When an inspector or a customer complaint asks where a problem started, a log showing 38°F at delivery points away from the supplier and toward your own storage or handling. A log showing nothing proves nothing.

Many plans for raw oysters and raw fish make receiving a CCP for exactly this reason. See critical control point examples for how to decide.

Receiving temperature log limits under the Food Code

| Food | Receiving limit | Food Code reference | |---|---|---| | Refrigerated TCS food (meat, poultry, dairy, cut produce, cooked food) | 41°F or below | 3-202.11(A) | | Food that another law allows at a different temperature (for example milk, molluscan shellstock) | As that law specifies; cool to 41°F within 4 hours of receiving | 3-202.11(B) | | Shell eggs | Air temperature 45°F or below | 3-202.11(C) | | Hot TCS food (catered or commissary delivery) | 135°F or above | 3-202.11(D) | | Food labeled frozen | Frozen when received | 3-202.11(E) | | Food shipped frozen and cooked or packaged to be kept frozen | No sign of thawing | 3-202.11(F) |

The table summarizes the rules; read 3-202.11 for the exact wording. For shellstock, the Food Code and the National Shellfish Sanitation Program set specific receiving conditions, and the tag must be present.

What to record on a receiving log

A useful receiving log has one row per item checked:

| Date | Time | Supplier | Invoice # | Item | Temp °F | Packaging OK | Accepted / Rejected | Reason | Initials | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

Some kitchens add a column for the truck temperature or a note on how long the delivery sat before it was checked. Keep the log on a clipboard by the back door or in the receiving area, not in the office, so it actually gets used.

How to take receiving temperatures

Use a calibrated probe thermometer. FSIS has a good explanation of probe types on its kitchen thermometers page. See the thermometer calibration log for how to check accuracy.

Packaged meat and poultry. Do not puncture vacuum packages if you can avoid it. Fold the package around the probe so the stem sits between two packages, or between the package and the product. If the reading is close to the limit, open one package and probe the product directly, then use that package first.

Bulk items in cases. Open the case and probe between items in the middle of the case, not at the edge where they warm first.

Milk and liquids. Open one container and probe the liquid, then use that container first. Or probe between two containers.

Frozen food. Check that it is frozen hard. Look for signs of thawing and refreezing: large ice crystals, frozen liquid at the bottom of the box, items stuck together, or stained packaging.

Hot food. Probe the center of the thickest part. Catered or commissary food should arrive at 135°F or above.

Shell eggs. The limit is air temperature, so you can check the temperature on the truck or place the probe between eggs in a case.

Live shellfish. Check that shells are closed or close when tapped, that there is a tag, and that the product is cold. Keep the tag with the container until it is empty, then file it for 90 days.

When to reject a delivery

Reject when:

• refrigerated TCS food is above 41°F, unless a specific exception applies
• hot food is below 135°F
• frozen food shows signs of thawing and refreezing
• packages are torn, leaking or swollen, or cans are dented on the seam, bulging or rusted
• ready-to-eat items are not properly sealed
• shellstock has no tag
• the food shows pest damage
• the product is not from an approved source, such as home-canned items
• the smell, color or texture is clearly wrong

Rejecting a delivery feels awkward with the driver standing there. It is much less awkward than explaining to an inspector why you accepted warm chicken. Write the reading on the invoice, have the driver initial it if possible, and record it on the log.

Receiving temperature log for specific foods

Raw meat and poultry

Check one case of each type. Ground meat is higher risk than whole cuts because bacteria from the surface are mixed through. If ground beef arrives at 44°F, reject it.

Fish

Fish species that can form histamine (tuna, mahi-mahi, mackerel, bluefish, amberjack and others) need tight temperature control from harvest. FDA's fish hazards guide treats temperature control as the main control. Reject scombroid species above 41°F. If you serve fish raw, check that the supplier provides parasite destruction records where required and keep them 90 days. See the seafood HACCP plan.

Dairy

Check one item per delivery. Look at dates and packaging.

Produce

Whole uncut produce is not usually TCS and does not have a receiving temperature limit under the Food Code. Cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes and cut melons are TCS and must arrive at 41°F or below. Sprouts are a higher risk item and should arrive cold.

Cooked food from a commissary

Hot food at 135°F or above, cold food at 41°F or below. Ask for the time the food left the commissary if you use time as a public health control.

How often to log

There is no single Food Code rule saying how many items to log. Common practice:

• every delivery that includes TCS food
• at least one item per temperature category per delivery (one refrigerated, one frozen)
• every case of high risk items such as raw oysters or scombroid fish

Your plan sets the frequency. Choose a rule staff can follow on a busy morning. "Log one item from each category per delivery" works better than "log every item" that nobody actually does.

Setting up the receiving area

Good receiving starts before the truck arrives:

• Schedule deliveries outside rush periods so someone has time to check.
• Clear space in the walk-in and freezer before the delivery.
• Have a thermometer, sanitizer wipes and the log at the receiving spot.
• Put cold and frozen food away first, then dry goods.
• Do not leave deliveries on the dock while you finish a ticket. A case of chicken sitting at room temperature for 40 minutes is the most common receiving problem, and it happens after the delivery, not before.

Receiving and supplier approval

The Food Code requires food to come from approved sources. Receiving checks are your evidence that suppliers keep their part of the deal. If one supplier keeps delivering warm product, that is a reason to talk to them and, if needed, change suppliers. Keep a short list of approved suppliers with contact information in your plan.

Why receiving temperatures matter for specific bacteria

It helps staff to know what the 41°F limit is protecting against, so the rule does not feel arbitrary.

Salmonella and Campylobacter are common on raw poultry. They grow slowly near 41°F and much faster as temperature rises toward body heat. Cooking kills them, but higher starting numbers make cross-contamination in the kitchen more dangerous, because a cutting board or a cook's hands pick up more bacteria.

Listeria monocytogenes is unusual because it can grow at refrigeration temperatures. That is why the Food Code limits how long ready-to-eat TCS food can be held, even at 41°F. A delivery of deli meat or smoked fish that arrives warm has given Listeria a head start, and those foods are often not cooked again.

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in ground beef is the reason ground meat has a higher cooking requirement than whole cuts. Receiving it cold limits growth before cooking.

Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens are more associated with cooling and holding of cooked food, but cooked items delivered from a commissary can carry them if they were cooled poorly before shipment. Check commissary food as carefully as raw food.

Histamine-forming bacteria in certain fish produce a toxin that is not destroyed by cooking or freezing. This is why fish is one category where a borderline reading should mean rejection.

You do not need staff to memorize this list. A short explanation during training ("cold food that arrives warm can make people sick even if we cook it later, and some fish can't be fixed at all") usually makes the log feel less like paperwork.

Questions to ask a new supplier

Before your first order from a new supplier, ask:

• How are refrigerated and frozen products kept during delivery? Is the truck refrigerated, and is it monitored?
• What is the delivery window, and can it avoid your busiest hours?
• What happens when you reject a product? Is there a credit, and how fast?
• For seafood: can they provide shellstock tags and parasite destruction records where required?
• For produce: do they sell cut produce, and how is it kept cold?
• Can they give you a contact for temperature complaints?

Write the answers down. If problems start later, you have a record of what was promised.

Receiving during an inspection

Inspectors sometimes arrive during a delivery or ask how receiving works. Be ready to show the thermometer, the log, and a recent rejection if you have one. A log with a few rejections shows the system works. If the inspector watches you receive, probe the product the way your plan says and write the reading down on the spot. See the health inspection food safety checklist.

Corrective actions for receiving

| Problem | Food | Process | Record | |---|---|---|---| | TCS food above limit | Reject | Tell supplier; note on invoice | Log and corrective action log | | Frozen food thawed | Reject | Tell supplier | Log | | Damaged packages | Reject affected items | Tell supplier | Log | | No shellstock tag | Reject | Tell supplier | Log | | Delivery left out before checking | Check temperature; if above limit, treat as a deviation under your plan | Retrain; change delivery schedule | Corrective action log |

See HACCP corrective actions examples for full written entries.

Paper log or digital log

Both work. The Food Code does not require a format.

Paper logs are cheap, need no training, and work when the internet is down. The downsides are illegible handwriting, missing pages, and logs filled in later from memory. Keep paper logs in a binder by month.

Digital logs on a tablet or phone can timestamp entries, require a reading before an item is marked accepted, and alert a manager when something is rejected. Some connect to Bluetooth probes, which removes transcription errors. The downside is cost and the need to export records for an inspector who wants to see them.

Whichever you use, the inspector needs to be able to read it on request. If you switch from paper to digital, keep the old paper logs for your retention period.

A receiving procedure staff can follow

Post this at the back door:

1. Stop what you are doing when the delivery arrives.
2. Check the invoice against the order.
3. Probe one refrigerated item, one frozen item, and every high risk item (raw oysters, scombroid fish).
4. Check packaging and dates.
5. Write the readings on the log.
6. Reject anything outside the limits and write the reason on the invoice and the log.
7. Put refrigerated and frozen food away within 15 minutes of checking. (A common house rule; set your own.)
8. Initial the log.

Common receiving log mistakes

Logging the truck instead of the food. The truck display shows air temperature. Probe the product.

Writing the same number every day. 38°F every delivery for three months suggests the readings are not real. Inspectors notice.

Using an uncalibrated thermometer. A probe reading 3°F low hides warm deliveries.

Logging after putting food away. Check before accepting. Once the driver leaves, you cannot reject.

No initials. Each entry needs the person who did the check.

Receiving temperature log for food trucks and caterers

Food trucks often pick up supplies from a commissary or a warehouse club instead of getting deliveries. The same limits apply: check the temperature when you get the food back to your truck or commissary, and record it. Bring an insulated cooler with ice packs to the store, especially in summer. Caterers receiving rentals or specialty items at a venue should check those too.

See the food truck HACCP plan and the catering HACCP plan.

Receiving and the rest of your temperature logs

The receiving log is the first of several logs in a typical plan: receiving, cold holding, cooking, cooling, reheating, hot holding and thermometer calibration. They tell one continuous story about each food. See the restaurant temperature log, the cooling log, and cold holding vs hot holding temperatures. CDC lists improper holding temperatures and contaminated equipment among the factors behind foodborne illness, and receiving is the start of that chain.

Training staff to receive

Anyone who accepts deliveries should know:

• the limits for each category
• how to probe without puncturing packages
• the signs of thawing and refreezing
• that rejecting is expected, not optional
• where the log is and what to write

A 15 minute walk-through with the next delivery is enough for most new staff. Record the training. See HACCP training for restaurant staff.

How long to keep receiving logs

Keep logs as long as your plan says and your health department requires. Many kitchens keep them 6 to 12 months. Shellstock tags must be kept 90 days after the container is emptied, and parasite destruction records 90 days after the fish is sold or served. See HACCP verification and record keeping.

A sample week of receiving entries

To show what a working log looks like, here is a short example.

| Date | Supplier | Item | Temp | Pkg | Result | Initials | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Mon | Produce co. | Cut romaine | 38°F | OK | Accepted | JM | | Mon | Meat co. | Chicken thighs | 36°F | OK | Accepted | JM | | Mon | Meat co. | Frozen shrimp | Frozen hard | OK | Accepted | JM | | Wed | Dairy co. | Heavy cream | 40°F | OK | Accepted | AR | | Wed | Seafood co. | Yellowfin tuna | 44°F | OK | Rejected, above 41°F | AR | | Fri | Meat co. | Ground beef | 37°F | 1 case torn | Accepted 3, rejected 1 | JM |

Notice the variation in readings, the rejections, and the notes. That is what a real log looks like.

Build a receiving step into your plan

The HACCP builder includes receiving in every process it generates, with the Food Code limits, the corrective actions, and a printable receiving log. Free blank logs are on the free logs page. For multiple processes and all the logs together, see the Plan Pack. Remember that the plan is a draft for your health department to review.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should cold food be when delivered?

Under Food Code 3-202.11, refrigerated TCS food should be received at 41°F or below, unless another law sets a different temperature for that product, such as milk, shell eggs or shellstock.

Do I need to log every item on a delivery?

Most kitchens log at least one TCS item from each temperature group on each delivery, for example one raw meat, one dairy and one frozen item. Your plan and health department set the requirement.

What should I do with a delivery that is too warm?

Reject it, tell the driver, record the reading and the rejection on the log, and tell the supplier. Do not accept it and then try to cool it down.

How long do I keep shellfish tags?

Food Code 3-203.12 requires shellstock tags to be kept for 90 days from the date the container is emptied.