Written by: Localyn · Reviewed: September 2026 · Last updated: September 2026 · Sources: Food Standards Agency; UK Government (where applicable)
Delivery temperature checks for food businesses
Chilled and frozen deliveries are a common weak point in food safety records. A clear accept/reject check protects customers and gives officers a usable trail.
What to check on arrival
Confirm the delivery matches the order, packaging is intact, and chilled or frozen goods feel appropriately cold before they enter your storage.
Record supplier, product type, temperature (where you probe), time, and whether the delivery was accepted or rejected. Vague ticks without temperatures are weak evidence.
- Identify high-risk chilled and frozen lines.
- Probe or otherwise check temperature where your procedures require it.
- Accept only if within your safe ranges; otherwise reject and record why.
- Move accepted goods into correct storage promptly.
When to reject
Reject when temperatures are out of your safe range, packaging is damaged, or goods look spoiled. Tell the supplier and keep the record — including what you did with the rejected stock.
A rejection without a follow-up note leaves the same gap an officer sees when a fridge reading fails and nothing was written down.
Link to corrective actions
Failed delivery checks belong with your corrective action habit: problem, immediate action, prevention. Use a dedicated sheet or your digital diary so the trail is easy to find.
Related Localyn pages
Written by Localyn. Reviewed September 2026. See also the editorial policy.
Delivery temperature templateCorrective action templateCorrective actions guideTemperature logs
Put this into practice with Localyn
Localyn gives cafes, restaurants and takeaways a digital SFBB diary, temperature and cleaning records, allergen management and inspection-ready reports — all in one place.