Food Safety Temperature Cheat Sheet (Scotland)
A concise reference summary of commonly discussed food safety temperature benchmarks. These figures appear in legislation, guidance, and training materials but operate within a wider regulatory framework.
About this reference page
Food safety discussions often refer to a small number of commonly recognised temperature benchmarks. These figures appear in legislation, guidance, and training materials but operate within a wider regulatory framework.
This page provides a simple reference summary.
Common Food Safety Temperature Benchmarks
| Activity | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Cooking high-risk food | 75°C (commonly used cooking benchmark) |
| Hot holding | 63°C or above |
| Reheating food | 82°C (statutory requirement in defined circumstances) |
| Chilled storage | 5°C or below (typical operational target) |
| Legal chilled reference | 8°C |
| Frozen storage | −18°C (widely used frozen storage benchmark) |
Temperature control in Scotland
Temperature control in Scotland operates within a broader regulatory framework. The structure of temperature control for food businesses is explained in the temperature control hub. The legal status of individual figures — including which are statutory thresholds and which are guidance benchmarks — is examined in the Temperature Control publication.
Related reading
Temperature Control in Food Businesses (Scotland)
The broader hub covering temperature control law and inspection practice in Scotland.
View hubFood Temperature Danger Zone
The temperature range where bacteria can multiply most quickly, and how common benchmarks relate to it.
Read moreTemperature Control
Legal foundation title explaining how temperature control duties are structured in Scottish law, including where direct statutory thresholds apply and where broader outcome-based duties and guidance benchmarks shape the wider framework.
View publicationFrequently asked questions
Is this page specific to Scotland?
Yes. This page is framed around temperature benchmarks as they are commonly encountered within the Scottish food hygiene framework.
Are all these temperatures legal requirements?
No. The figures carry different legal status. 63°C for hot holding and 82°C for reheating in defined circumstances are statutory thresholds. 75°C for cooking is a commonly used benchmark rather than a direct statutory requirement. The structure of the framework is explained in the Temperature Control in Food Businesses (Scotland) page.
Does this page replace legislation or official guidance?
No. It is a publisher-produced reference page intended to summarise commonly discussed benchmarks. It does not constitute legal advice.