# Which food safety records does a kitchen need, and can they be digital?

Markdown copy of https://everlongapps.com/cheflog/guides/food-safety-records

> In short: UK law asks every food business for food safety procedures based on HACCP principles, with records that fit the size of the business. Most small kitchens use Safer food, better business: safe methods plus a daily diary with opening and closing checks, problems and a 4-weekly review. The FSA says the diary can be kept electronically or on paper; what matters is that it is complete, honest and ready when the inspector asks.

Updated 6 November 2026. By Everlong, the maker of Cheflog.

## What the law says

Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, as it applies in the UK, asks food businesses to put in place procedures based on HACCP principles and to keep documents and records in proportion to the nature and size of the business. Small kitchens don't need a consultant's HACCP plan: Safer food, better business in England and Wales, Safe Catering in Northern Ireland and CookSafe in Scotland are ready-made ways to meet the rule.

## The records most kitchens keep

| Record | How often | Template |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Opening and closing checks | Every day you open | Part of the SFBB diary |
| Fridge and freezer temperatures | At least daily | Fridge log |
| Cooking, reheating, hot holding | As your safe methods say | Cooking log |
| Cooling | Each batch | Cooling log |
| Deliveries | Each delivery | Delivery record |
| Cleaning | As scheduled | Cleaning schedule |
| Probe thermometer checks | Monthly or as the maker says | Probe check log |
| Staff training | Each person, each course | Training record |
| Allergens | Whenever the menu changes | Allergen matrix |
| Problems and what you did | When they happen | Diary |
| Review of the whole system | Every 4 weeks | SFBB 4-weekly review |

## Can the records be digital?

Yes. On its Safer food, better business page the FSA says completed diary pages must be stored until the next visit from a food safety officer, and that "this can be done electronically or with printed copies". In the FSA's KitchenLogs feasibility study, inspectors said records that can't be changed afterwards add trust, and two of the three trial restaurants moved up from a 1 or 2 to a 4.

## What makes digital records trustworthy

- [ ] Every entry shows who made it and when
- [ ] Entries can't be changed silently: a correction is a new entry with a reason, and the original stays visible
- [ ] Checks that were due but not done are shown, not hidden
- [ ] The records can be shown on screen or printed as a PDF for any period
- [ ] There is a backup, so a lost tablet doesn't mean lost records

That list is how Cheflog is built: signed entries, a correction trail on every printout, missed checks listed, a read-only view for the inspector and a daily backup.

## How long to keep records

There is no single legal period for a restaurant's daily records. The FSA's advice for the SFBB diary is to keep completed pages until the next inspection; many businesses keep them for at least a year, and longer for anything linked to a complaint or an illness.

## Questions
### Is Safer food, better business a legal requirement?
No. The law requires food safety procedures based on HACCP principles. SFBB is the FSA's ready-made way to meet that for small caterers, and most local authorities expect it or an equivalent.
### Can I use an app instead of the SFBB diary?
Yes, as long as it records the same checks and you can show the records to the inspector. The FSA says the diary can be kept electronically.
### Do I need a full HACCP plan?
Small kitchens can use a simplified system such as SFBB, Safe Catering or CookSafe. Larger or more complex operations, or unusual processes like sous vide or curing, may need a full HACCP plan.

## Sources
- [Safer food, better business: how to use the pack and diary (gov.uk)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safer-food-better-business-sfbb/safer-food-better-business-sfbb)
- [Safer food, better business for caterers (Food Standards Agency)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safer-food-better-business-for-caterers)
- [Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, as it applies in Great Britain](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2004/852/annex/II)
- [KitchenLogs feasibility study (Food Standards Agency, PDF)](https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/kitchenlogs-feasibility-study-report.pdf)
- [CookSafe (Food Standards Scotland)](https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-guidance/running-a-food-business/publications/cooksafe-guide)


---
This page is general information, not legal advice. Limits in the templates are a starting point: check them against your own food safety plan and ask your local authority if you are unsure. Cheflog and Everlong are not connected to the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland or any other authority, and nothing here is approved by them.