Food safety
Daily HACCP Checklist for Kitchens
- Who checks
- Head chef, sous chef or the HACCP lead on shift
- When
- Daily, at the start of the shift and again mid-day
- Time
- ~25 min · 24 items
| Location | Date and time | Inspector | Signature |
A HACCP plan only works if critical control points are actually monitored every day, not filled in retroactively at the end of the month. This walk-through checks the system rather than the food itself: are the logs complete, are thermometers accurate, are there corrective actions for deviations, are sanitizers mixed correctly, and are raw and ready-to-eat flows kept apart.
Work through the logs and areas in the order food moves: receiving, storage, prep, cooking, service. If an entry is missing or a value is outside the critical limit, mark "no", photograph the log and assign a corrective action with an owner right away. Detailed fridge checks and food temperature probing belong in separate checklists.
HACCP Logs and Records
-
1
Control point logs for the past 24 hours are complete with no gaps Open the receiving, cold holding, cooking and cooling logs: every point has a time, value and signature. A blank line without a "closed / not in use" note is a "no".☐ Yes☐ No
-
2
Entries are made at the time of measurement, not retroactively Same handwriting and pen for every entry of the day, suspiciously "perfect" values, or entries for a time that hasn't come yet are signs of backfilling.☐ Yes☐ No
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3
Every deviation from a critical limit has a recorded corrective action Find out-of-limit values in the logs: next to each it says what was done with the food (cooked further, chilled, discarded), what was done with the equipment, and who made the call.☐ Yes☐ No
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4
A CCP chart with critical limits is posted in each kitchen area A table is posted at the workstations: control point, limit, monitoring frequency, person responsible, action on deviation. The version matches the approved HACCP plan.☐ Yes☐ No
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5
Staff know who is responsible for CCP monitoring on this shift Ask two cooks who is responsible today: both name the same person, and that name is on the schedule or in the log.☐ Yes☐ No
Measuring Equipment
-
6
Probe thermometers are checked in ice water on schedule In a slurry of crushed ice with a little water, the probe reads 0 °C (32 °F) within ±1 °C (±2 °F). Frequency follows the HACCP plan (usually daily or weekly) and the result is recorded in the calibration log.☐ Yes☐ No
-
7
Inaccurate or faulty thermometers are taken out of use Any thermometer outside the tolerance is removed from the area, tagged "do not use" and a replacement ordered. If there are none, the item passes.☐ Yes☐ No
-
8
Thermometer probes are sanitized between readings Single-use alcohol wipes or a container of sanitizer is next to each thermometer; there is no food residue on the probe.☐ Yes☐ No
Receiving and Storage Records
-
9
All deliveries in the past 24 hours are in the receiving log with temperature and decision Match the day's invoices with the log: chilled and frozen items have a receiving temperature and an "accepted" or "returned" mark.☐ Yes☐ No
-
10
Every fridge and freezer temperature is recorded at the start of the shift There is a morning entry for every unit number; values are within the HACCP plan limits (typically 0–5 °C / 32–41 °F for chilled and −18 °C / 0 °F or below for frozen).☐ Yes☐ No
-
11
Food is thawed only by an approved method Acceptable: bottom shelf of the fridge, cold running water, microwave followed by immediate cooking. Meat thawing on the counter or in warm water is a "no".☐ Yes☐ No
Cross-Contamination Control
-
12
Raw meat, poultry and fish are handled separately from ready-to-eat food Look at the prep and cold kitchen areas: raw products and food that won't be cooked again are never on the same table at the same time.☐ Yes☐ No
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13
Cutting boards and knives are used according to color coding Pick up 3–4 boards in use: the color or letter coding matches the product per the kitchen chart (e.g. red for raw meat, green for produce). The chart is posted nearby.☐ Yes☐ No
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14
Raw eggs are handled separately from ready-to-eat food Eggs are not cracked over tables or containers holding finished dishes; after handling raw egg the cook washes their hands before moving on.☐ Yes☐ No
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15
Dirty dishes and waste don't pass through the ready-to-eat area Trace the route of dirty dishes from the dining room to the dish pit and of waste to the bins: it doesn't cross the pass or cold kitchen, or is separated by time.☐ Yes☐ No
Cleaning and Sanitizing
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16
Sanitizer solutions are mixed to the correct concentration and within their use time Check containers with a test strip: concentration matches the manufacturer's instructions; each container shows the name and the date and time it was mixed, and the solution is within the use time stated in the instructions.☐ Yes☐ No
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17
Handwashing sinks are fully stocked Every sink has hot and cold water, liquid soap in a dispenser and paper towels or a hand dryer.☐ Yes☐ No
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18
Handwashing sinks contain no dishes, food or utensils The sink is clear and used only for handwashing; if it's used to wash herbs or hold pots, there's nowhere to wash hands.☐ Yes☐ No
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19
Work surfaces are cleaned and sanitized when switching product types Watch prep for 5 minutes: after raw meat, the table is cleaned and sanitized before vegetables or ready-to-eat food go on it.☐ Yes☐ No
Staff
-
20
Staff fitness-to-work checks are recorded before the shift Every employee on shift has a record confirming no symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, no infected cuts or sores on the hands and no fever, signed by the person checking.☐ Yes☐ No
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21
New staff on shift know the critical limits for their station Ask a new cook what the limit is at their station and what to do if it's exceeded. The answer matches the CCP chart.☐ Yes☐ No
Finished Food
-
22
Cooked food temperatures are taken on schedule The cooking log has entries for every batch of key items (poultry, ground meat, egg dishes) for the current shift.☐ Yes☐ No
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23
Retained food samples are taken and stored, if local regulations require them Samples of each dish in clean, closed, labeled containers in a separate fridge; storage time and temperature are set by local regulations (e.g. some countries require 48 hours at 2–6 °C / 36–43 °F). If your regulations don't require samples, mark this item as not applicable.☐ Yes☐ No
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24
Fryer oil is checked and changed when needed Oil has no acrid smell, heavy darkening or persistent foam; if you have a polar compounds tester, the reading is below your procedure's limit (typically 24–27%). The change is logged.☐ Yes☐ No
This template is a starting point. Check the limits and wording against your local regulations, your company standards and the equipment manufacturers' instructions.
jeCheck · https://jecheck.io/en/templates/haccp-daily-control
Common violations
- Logs are filled in at the end of the shift from memory with identical numbers. A real deviation — say, a fridge that didn't hold temperature overnight — goes unnoticed until a guest complains.
- A deviation is recorded but there is no corrective action. Undercooked food goes out to a guest, and in a food poisoning case that entry proves the problem was known.
- Nobody checks the thermometers. A probe that is off by 3–4 degrees makes every log entry meaningless.
- Sanitizer is mixed by eye, or once in the morning for the whole day. A weak solution doesn't sanitize, and one that's too strong leaves chemical residue on food-contact surfaces.
Frequently asked questions
The HACCP plan is the document that sets out hazards, critical control points, limits and corrective actions. The daily checklist verifies the plan is being followed: measurements are taken, records are honest, equipment is accurate. Without this check, the plan is just a binder on a shelf.
Usually the head chef or sous chef who is the HACCP lead on shift. Once a week it's worth having a manager or an outside food safety specialist do the walk-through: fresh eyes catch what the kitchen has stopped noticing.
The minimum period is set by local regulations and your HACCP plan. In practice, records are kept at least longer than the shelf life of the food produced, and many businesses keep them for a year or more so they can reconstruct events after an inspection or complaint.
Employee test on this topic
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Run this inspection on your phone
Move the checklist into jeCheck: photos on every item, tasks for each issue with an owner and a deadline, and location comparison by results.