Food receiving log
Refrigerated TCS food must be 41°F or below when received, food received hot 135°F or above, raw eggs in units at 45°F or less, and food shipped frozen must arrive frozen (FDA Food Code 2026, §3-202.11). The log records the supplier, the food, the temperature in °F and whether you accepted or rejected it.
A template from Patrono, the food safety, scheduling and food cost app for US restaurants.
Updated
What §3-202.11 requires
The Food Code sets a temperature for each kind of delivery. The log has a column for the temperature and one for your decision.
- 1.41°F or below. Refrigerated TCS food when received (§3-202.11(A)). A law on the food's distribution may set another temperature, as for milk and molluscan shellfish (§3-202.11(B)).
- 2.135°F or above. TCS food cooked and received hot (§3-202.11(D)).
- 3.45°F or less for raw eggs. Received in refrigerated equipment that keeps the air at 45°F or less (§3-202.11(C)).
- 4.Frozen stays frozen. Food labeled frozen and shipped frozen by a food processing plant is received frozen (§3-202.11(E)).
- 5.No sign of temperature abuse. TCS food arrives with no evidence of previous temperature abuse (§3-202.11(F)), and packages arrive in good condition (§3-202.15).
What the inspector checks
Inspectors mark receiving on the temperatures they measure when a delivery arrives during the visit. A TCS food accepted above its limit marks the item out of compliance, and with no delivery the item is marked not observed (FDA Food Code 2026, Annex 7, Guide 3-B, item 12). FDA's inspection guide also tells them to review receiving logs and other documents (Annex 5).
Is a receiving log required?
The Food Code sets the temperatures at receipt and says nothing about a duty to keep a log (§3-202.11). The inspector measures what arrives during the visit, and your log shows what arrived between visits. 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 use the log
- 1.One line per item. The date, the time, the supplier and the food.
- 2.Measure before the driver leaves. Use a calibrated thermometer on TCS food, and write the temperature in °F.
- 3.Reject what fails. Write rejected and why, on the same line.
- 4.Sign the week. The manager reads the sheet and signs at the bottom.
The log
One line per item received, with the date, the time, the supplier, the food, the temperature in °F, whether you accepted or rejected it, and initials. We email you a fillable PDF and a Word file, Letter size.
Food receiving log
FDA Food Code 2026, §3-202.11: refrigerated TCS food at 41°F or below, food received hot at 135°F or above, raw eggs in units at 45°F or less, frozen food received frozen.
Location: ____________________________
Week of: __/__/____
| Date | Time | Supplier | Food | Temperature °F | Accepted or rejected and why | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/26/2026 | 8:10 AM | Lakeview Meats | Raw chicken | 38°F | Accepted | L. M. |
| 10/26/2026 | 9:40 AM | Valley Produce | Cut melon | 52°F | Rejected, above 41°F | 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.
What temperature should food be when it is delivered?
Refrigerated TCS food at 41°F or below, food received hot at 135°F or above, raw eggs in units at 45°F or less, and food shipped frozen must arrive frozen (FDA Food Code 2026, §3-202.11).
Do I have to keep a receiving log?
The Food Code sets the temperatures at receipt and says nothing about a duty to keep a log (§3-202.11). The inspector measures what arrives during the visit, and your log shows what arrived between visits. 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).
Can I keep this log in an app?
Yes. In Patrono, staff enter each delivery by hand in the browser on any phone, tablet or computer, with a time and a name on every record. Temperature and food safety records cannot be changed after they are saved.