Cooling log template for restaurants
Cooked TCS food must cool from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and to 41°F or less within 6 hours total (FDA Food Code 2026, §3-501.14(A)). Food made from room-temperature ingredients must reach 41°F within 4 hours (§3-501.14(B)). Log that reading in the 6-hour column. This log in °F and Letter size records the time and temperature at each check, and we send it by email.
A template from Patrono, the food safety, scheduling and food cost app for US restaurants.
Updated
What §3-501.14 requires
The Food Code sets two limits for cooked food and one for food made from room-temperature ingredients. The log has a column for each check.
- 1.Within 2 hours. From 135°F to 70°F (§3-501.14(A)(1)).
- 2.Within 6 hours total. From 135°F to 41°F or less (§3-501.14(A)(2)).
- 3.Within 4 hours. Food made from room-temperature ingredients, such as reconstituted foods and canned tuna, to 41°F or less (§3-501.14(B)).
Is a cooling log required?
The Food Code treats routine temperature logs as inspection evidence, not a general written duty. Some local codes require them, for example Lee County, Illinois. And within four years of your regulatory authority adopting the 2026 Food Code, a written food safety management system with monitoring records becomes due (§8-201.15).
Ask the health department that issued your permit which edition it enforces. More in what the 2026 Food Code changes for restaurants.
How to cool food faster
§3-501.15 lists the cooling methods. New in 2026 is a depth of no more than 2 inches.
- shallow pans
- smaller or thinner portions
- rapid cooling equipment
- stirring the food in a container in an ice water bath
- containers that help heat transfer
- ice as an ingredient
- a depth of no more than 2 inches, new in 2026
The log
One line per batch, with the time and the temperature at the start, at 2 hours and at 6 hours. We email you a fillable PDF and a Word file, Letter size.
Cooling log
FDA Food Code 2026, §3-501.14: from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, to 41°F or less within 6 hours total. Note any corrective action.
Location: ____________________________
Week of: __/__/____
| Date | Food | Start time / °F | 2 hours 70°F or less | 6 hours 41°F or less | Cooling method | Corrective action | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/26/2026 | Chicken stock | 2:15 PM / 135°F | 4:05 PM / 68°F | 7:40 PM / 40°F | Ice bath, stirred | None | L. M. |
| 10/26/2026 | Cooked rice | 3:00 PM / 135°F | 4:50 PM / 66°F | 8:30 PM / 39°F | Shallow pans, 2 inches | None | J. P. |
| __ / __ | __ / __ | __ / __ | |||||
| __ / __ | __ / __ | __ / __ | |||||
| __ / __ | __ / __ | __ / __ | |||||
| __ / __ | __ / __ | __ / __ |
The first two rows are examples.
Checked by (manager): ___________________________
Keep the records in one app
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Frequently asked questions
What does it cost?
Nothing. Enter your email and we send you the files.
How fast must cooked food cool?
From 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and to 41°F or less within 6 hours total (FDA Food Code 2026, §3-501.14(A)). Food made from room-temperature ingredients, such as canned tuna, must reach 41°F within 4 hours (§3-501.14(B)).
Did the 2026 Food Code change the cooling limits?
No. FDA's list of changes does not include §3-501.14. New in 2026 is a cooling method, food at a depth of no more than 2 inches (§3-501.15(A)(7)), and a paragraph that lets your regulatory authority approve an alternative cooling method (§3-501.15(C)).
Do I have to keep a cooling log?
The Food Code treats routine temperature logs as inspection evidence, not a general written duty. Some local codes require them, for example Lee County, Illinois. And within four years of your regulatory authority adopting the 2026 Food Code, a written food safety management system with monitoring records becomes due (§8-201.15).
Is it in °F and Letter size?
Yes. Every temperature is in °F, and the log prints on Letter paper, one line per batch.