Category: Food Safety

The SFBB diary: how to fill it in properly, and why kitchens are swapping the paper pack for Hubl
The SFBB diary is the record-keeping section of the Food Standards Agency’s Safer Food, Better Business pack: the pages a small food business fills in every day to show that its safe methods were followed. It is free to download from the FSA, it is what most Environmental Health Officers expect to see in a small kitchen, and it is the document most often filled in badly. This guide covers what the diary is, where to get it, how to fill it in so it stands up to an inspection, and what changes when you move it off paper.

What the SFBB diary actually is

Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) is the FSA’s free food safety management system for small caterers and retailers. The pack has two halves. The front half is the safe methods: colour-coded sections on cross-contamination, cleaning, chilling, cooking and management, each of which asks you to write down how your business does things. The back half is the diary, which is where the day-to-day evidence lives.

A diary page covers one day. It asks you to confirm your opening checks and closing checks, to note anything that went wrong in the “any problems?” box together with what you did about it, and to sign the statement that the safe methods were followed and effectively supervised that day. Every four weeks there is a review page where you look back over the month, decide whether anything needs to change, and record any changes to your safe methods or your menu.

The pack also holds the supporting records officers ask for alongside the diary: the cleaning schedule, the staff training record, the list of suppliers and contractors, and your contacts list. In Northern Ireland the equivalent system is Safe Catering, and in Scotland it is Food Standards Scotland’s CookSafe; the diary principle is the same.

Where to download the SFBB diary

The whole pack, and the diary pages on their own, are free from the FSA. The Safer Food, Better Business page has packs for caterers, retailers, childminders, residential care homes and several specialist cuisines, and you can download individual sections rather than the whole thing. The diary refill and 4-weekly review is a separate PDF, so you can print a fresh month of pages without reprinting the safe methods.

The FSA no longer supplies printed packs to local authorities, so if you want a bound copy you now buy one: some councils sell printed packs and diary refills for around £10. Photocopying your own diary pages is fine. What is not fine is running out and leaving a fortnight blank.

How to fill in the SFBB diary so it passes an inspection

An officer reads the diary for one thing: does this business notice problems and deal with them? A perfect-looking diary is not the goal. A truthful one is.
1. Do the opening checks before service, every day. Fridges and freezers working and at temperature, hand-wash basins stocked with soap and paper towels, probe thermometer working, staff fit for work, surfaces and equipment clean and ready. Tick the checks only after you have done them.
  In Hubl: the opening checklist is a tap-through list on a phone or tablet, timestamped and recorded against the person who completed it.
2. Do the closing checks at the end of the day. Food covered, labelled and put away, waste removed, cleaning done and recorded on the schedule, nothing left out overnight that should be chilled.
  In Hubl: the closing checklist works the same way, and a check that is not completed by the end of the day shows on the dashboard as missed rather than disappearing into a blank page.
3. Use the “any problems?” box. A fridge reading 9°C, a delivery rejected, a cross-contamination near miss: write what happened and what you did about it. This box is the single most valuable thing in the diary, because a recorded fix is evidence of a working system.
  In Hubl: a failed check asks for the corrective action there and then, and Hubl tells your team what that action should be: move the food, re-probe in 15 minutes, discard, call the engineer. The problem, the guidance and the fix are recorded together, with the time.
4. Record actual readings where the safe methods ask for them. The “prove it” checks in the chilling and cooking methods want numbers, not ticks: 4°C, not a tick; 78°C core, not “done”. Our free temperature record sheets cover fridges, cooking, cooling, deliveries and probe checks if you want a cleaner layout than the diary gives you.
  In Hubl: temperatures are entered as numbers against the target for that check. An out-of-range reading triggers corrective-action guidance on the spot, and Orbit, Hubl’s AI assistant, can explain the why and answer the follow-up questions your team would otherwise have to ask a manager.
5. Sign it, on the day, by the person in charge. The signature is a statement that the safe methods were followed and supervised. Signing a week of pages in one sitting, in one pen, is the first thing an experienced officer spots.
  In Hubl: who completed each check, and when, is recorded automatically.
6. Do the 4-weekly review and mean it. New supplier, new dish, new piece of equipment, a member of staff who left: each one may change a safe method. Write down what changed and update the method, or write that nothing did.
  In Hubl: the reporting dashboard shows the month’s checks, failures and corrective actions across every site, so the review is reading a report rather than rebuilding one from paper.
7. Keep completed pages until at least your next inspection. The FSA advises asking the officer how long they want you to keep them; most businesses keep a minimum of three months and many keep a year.
  In Hubl: records stay in Hubl and can be shown to an officer on a phone or tablet whenever they ask.
The mistakes officers see most
- Blank days. A missing day is read as a day the checks were not done.
- Ticks where numbers are required. A column of ticks proves someone had a pen, not that the fridge was cold.
- “No problems” for twelve months. Every kitchen has problems; a diary that records none looks unread rather than perfect.
- Safe methods never updated. The menu changed in March, the safe methods still describe the old one.
- Staff who cannot answer. The diary is kept by the manager and nobody else has read the safe methods, so the person on the section cannot explain them when the officer asks. Our guide to what happens during an EHO inspection covers the questions they ask.
- Allergen information that does not match the menu. The pack asks you to record allergens; officers check that record against today’s dishes. An allergen matrix that is kept current fixes this.
Do you have to use the SFBB diary?

No. The legal requirement is to have a documented food safety management system based on HACCP principles, and to keep it up to date; SFBB is the FSA’s way of making that achievable for a small business without a consultant. Any system that gives the officer the same evidence, in a form they can inspect, meets the requirement, and most local authorities now see digital records every week. Larger or more complex businesses often need more than SFBB provides, which is where a full HACCP-based system comes in.

What changes when the diary lives in an app

A digital food safety diary does the same job as the paper one, with three differences that matter to an officer. Every check is timestamped and carries the name of the person who did it, so the question of whether the checks were really done that morning answers itself. Temperatures are recorded as numbers, with a prompt the moment one is out of range and a place to record what you did, so the “any problems?” box fills itself in as the day happens. And nothing is ever missing, photocopied or left in the van: the 4-weekly review becomes a report, and the whole diary can be shown on a tablet at the pass rather than fetched from the office.

Corrective action guidance, enhanced with AI

The paper diary can only ask what you did. It cannot tell a 19-year-old on their second shift what to do when the walk-in reads 9°C at 7 a.m. and the manager is not in yet. Hubl can. When a check fails, it gives the corrective action for that check: the steps to take, in order, in plain language, with the record of what was done captured as it happens. The guidance comes from the same HACCP-based safe methods the SFBB pack asks you to write out, so the officer sees a system that does not just notice problems but knows how to respond to them.

Orbit, Hubl’s AI assistant, sits on top of that. Ask it “the fridge is reading 9°C, what do I do?” or “which checks failed this week and what did we do about them?” and it answers from your own records and your own safe methods, not from a generic search. For a small business that is the difference between a diary that documents food safety and one that helps run it, and it is the part of Hubl that inspectors tend to ask about first.

That is what Hubl’s food safety diary is built to do, for a single café or a group of sites. If you already run SFBB well, the checks will feel familiar. If you have been meaning to fix the folder, the free EHO inspection checklist is a good place to find out how far off you are.

Keep the SFBB checks. Lose the folder.

Hubl runs your opening and closing checks, temperatures, cleaning and allergen records as a digital food safety diary, tells your team what to do when a check fails, and puts Orbit, its AI assistant, on hand for the questions in between. Timestamped, signed, and ready to show an officer on a tablet. Free for 14 days, no card needed.
See the digital diary Start a free trial
September 3, 2026
Food safety culture: Why it matters more than ever and how to build one that lasts
Food safety has always been a fundamental responsibility for food businesses – but today, creating a strong food safety culture matters more than ever.

Regulatory expectations continue to evolve, customer trust can shift overnight, and operational pressures make consistency harder to maintain.

While procedures, audits and compliance systems remain essential, businesses are increasingly recognising that documents alone do not create safe outcomes – people do.

Food safety culture is what happens when safe practices become part of everyday behaviour rather than something completed for an audit.

What is food safety culture?

Food safety culture refers to the shared values, attitudes and behaviours that determine how food safety is managed across an organisation.

It goes beyond policies and checklists. A positive culture means employees understand why food safety matters, feel responsible for maintaining standards and are confident speaking up when issues arise.

This is becoming a greater focus across the industry.

Why food safety culture matters now

Food businesses operate in increasingly complex environments. Staff shortages, changing regulations, higher customer expectations and operational pressures all create additional risk.

Research consistently shows that human factors remain one of the biggest contributors to food safety failures.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 866 million – almost 1 in 9 people in the world – become ill from contaminated food every year globally, resulting in approximately 1.52 million deaths.

While not every incident is caused by poor culture, many investigations highlight recurring themes:
- Procedures not consistently followed
- Poor communication between teams
- Near misses not reported
- Training treated as a one-off event
- Staff feeling unable to raise concerns
Strong food safety culture helps close the gap between written procedures and day-to-day reality.

Five ways to build a food safety culture that lasts

1. Make food safety visible every day

Culture is shaped by repetition.

Food safety should appear in shift briefings, team meetings, incident reviews and operational decisions – not only during audits or inspections.

Simple, regular conversations create stronger habits than occasional large training sessions.

2. Measure more than compliance

Passing audits is important – but it is not the only indicator of success.

Track leading indicators such as:
Monitoring these areas can reveal behaviours before they become bigger issues.

3. Encourage reporting without blame

Employees are more likely to report problems when they trust the response.

Creating an environment where issues are identified early and treated as opportunities for improvement supports stronger long-term outcomes.

4. Keep records simple and accessible

If processes feel difficult or disconnected, adoption drops.

Digital tools such as Hubl can help teams maintain visibility across incidents, assessments, actions and operational checks – making food safety easier to manage consistently.

5. Leadership must lead by example

Culture starts at the top.

When leaders follow procedures, engage with teams and prioritise food safety alongside operational performance, those behaviours become embedded across the business.

The future of food safety is behavioural, not just procedural

Compliance will always matter – but sustainable food safety performance depends on more than passing inspections.

Businesses that invest in culture create environments where people understand expectations, communicate openly and continuously improve.

At Hubl, we believe the strongest food safety systems are the ones that support people to do the right thing every day – because lasting compliance starts with lasting behaviours.
July 1, 2026
How to train seasonal or temporary staff quickly without sacrificing safety

Seasonal peaks, holidays, and busy trading periods often mean bringing in temporary or seasonal staff to help keep operations running smoothly.

Whether you’re managing a restaurant, café, retail food business, or hospitality venue, extra hands can make a huge difference during busy times.

But while speed is important when onboarding new team members, safety should never be compromised.

Temporary staff often arrive during your busiest periods, when teams are under pressure and there is less time available for detailed training. This creates a real risk if food safety procedures, health and safety protocols, and operational standards are not clearly communicated from day one.

The good news is that fast onboarding and strong compliance can absolutely work together.

Start with the essentials first

When training temporary staff, focus first on the tasks that carry the highest risk.

This includes food handling procedures, personal hygiene standards, allergen awareness, cleaning schedules, temperature checks, and reporting procedures for any incidents or concerns.

New starters do not need to know everything immediately, but they do need to understand the critical processes that protect customers, colleagues, and the business itself.

A clear, prioritised induction helps reduce overwhelm while making sure the most important areas are covered first.

Keep training simple and consistent

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is relying on verbal instructions alone.

When managers are busy, explanations can be rushed, inconsistent, or forgotten altogether. This often leads to confusion, missed checks, and avoidable compliance issues.

Instead, training should be standardised so every temporary team member receives the same guidance, every time.

Simple digital checklists, clear step-by-step instructions, and accessible procedures help staff understand exactly what is expected of them without needing constant supervision.

Consistency is what protects standards.

Make it easy for staff to ask questions

Temporary staff may feel less confident speaking up, especially during busy shifts.

Creating a culture where staff can quickly raise concerns, ask questions, or report problems is essential for maintaining safety standards.

Whether it is a fridge temperature issue, an allergen concern, or an accident in the workplace, employees need to know how and where to report it immediately.

Fast communication prevents small issues from becoming major problems.

Use tools that support learning on the job

Training should not stop after day one.

The best systems continue to guide staff throughout their shift, especially when they are still learning how your business operates.

Using digital apps such as Hubl makes this much easier.

Not only is Hubl designed to be simple and easy for temporary staff to pick up quickly, but it also allows businesses to include descriptions on each checklist, giving clear instructions and useful information specific to your operation.

This means staff are not just ticking boxes – they are being guided through processes correctly, with reminders around basic food safety, compliance steps, and what to do when issues arise.

For example, if a temperature check fails or a cleaning task needs escalation, Hubl can help prompt the right response rather than leaving staff unsure of what happens next.

This supports confidence, improves consistency, and reduces risk across the business.

Strong onboarding protects everyone

Temporary staff are often brought in to solve operational pressure, but without proper training, they can unintentionally create more risk.

Quick onboarding should never mean cutting corners.

By focusing on critical safety tasks, standardising training, encouraging clear reporting, and using simple digital tools to support day-to-day operations, businesses can protect compliance while helping temporary staff succeed from day one.

Because good training is not just about speed – it is about giving every team member the confidence to work safely and effectively.

May 19, 2026

Safe cooling techniques and the science of holding times: what professional kitchens still get wrong

In commercial kitchens, safe cooling and accurate holding times are two of the most misunderstood – yet most critical – parts of food safety management.

Despite strict legal frameworks and well-established science, many kitchens still make avoidable mistakes that can lead to bacterial contamination, foodborne illness and failed inspections.

Here we unpack what goes wrong, why it matters, and how chefs and managers can apply science-backed procedures to protect customers and operations.

Why cooling matters: understanding the risks

The temperature range between 8 °C and 63 °C is known as the danger zone – a range where pathogenic bacteria multiply rapidly. Some bacteria can even double in number every 20–30 minutes when food lingers here.

If food doesn’t pass through this zone quickly after cooking, the risk of foodborne illness rises significantly. That’s why food safety guidance is very clear: cool food as quickly as possible to a safe storage temperature.

Free temperature record sheets (PDF and Excel)

Fridges and freezers, cooking and hot holding, cooling, deliveries and probe checks, with the temperatures officers expect on every page. The Excel version flags out-of-range readings for you.

Get the free sheets

Common misconception

Simply leaving food on the counter to cool naturally is one of the biggest mistakes kitchens make. In reality, this practice keeps food in the danger zone far too long and invites bacterial growth – the exact opposite of safe cooling.

Best practice safe cooling techniques

1.) Move food through the danger zone quickly

Guidelines for food businesses generally recommend:

Start cooling food immediately once it falls below 70 °C.
Aim to reach below 8 °C within 90 minutes

This prevents food from spending extended time at temperatures where bacteria thrive.

2.) Use smart cooling methods

A few proven methods to accelerate cooling and reduce time in the danger zone:

Shallow trays & portioning: Thin layers cool far faster than deep pots.
Ice baths / cold-water circulation: Surrounding containers with ice helps pull heat out rapidly.
Blast chillers: These are especially effective in high-volume kitchens and professional settings.

Avoid placing large, hot pots straight into refrigeration – doing so can raise the internal fridge temperature and compromise other stored foods.

The science of holding times

Food safety isn’t just about cooling – it’s also about how long food sits at specific temperatures before service or storage.

Hot holding

Once cooked, high-risk foods must be held at 63 °C or above until served. This is not optional: it’s a legal expectation in many jurisdictions, including the UK. If food dips below this temperature, it must be consumed within a short window (often 2 hours) or cooled rapidly.

Cold holding

Cold foods must be kept below 8 °C, and ideally at or under 5 °C to minimise bacterial growth. Fridges that run warmer than this should trigger corrective action.

Facts & figures every chef should know

Safe hot holding	≥63 °C
Safe cold holding	<8 °C (ideally <5 °C)
Cooling time from hot to cold	≤90 mins to reach <8 °C (after it falls below 63 °C)
Danger zone range	8 °C–63 °C
Bacterial doubling time in danger zone	~20 mins

A single piece of food sitting in the danger zone for 2 hours could host enough bacteria to cause illness – which is why time-based procedures are built into HACCP and regulatory frameworks.

Beyond cooling: holding times & compliance

Understanding time as well as temperature is critical. Regulations require food businesses to have clear procedures for:

Hot holding
Cold holding
Cooling
Reheating

All of which are part of a comprehensive food safety management system (FSMS). For detailed UK guidance on chilling and temperature control, see the Food Standards Agency’s chilling guide.

Practical steps for kitchens

✔ Train teams on why temperatures and times matter – not just what to record.

✔ Use calibrated thermometers consistently.

✔ Record and act on data promptly – mistakes should trigger corrective actions, not blind spots.

✔ Review and update FSMS policies based on real performance and risk.

Cooling and holding times may seem like administrative chores, but they are rooted in microbiology and public health science. Kitchens that master them protect customers, support staff decision-making, and stand up to environmental health inspections.

Getting this right doesn’t just keep you compliant – it protects your brand and your business.

March 17, 2026

Food safety resolutions

7 operational changes that will deliver big results in 2026

In 2026, the food service and hospitality industry will continue to evolve in response to tighter regulations, rising consumer expectations, and increasing complexity around compliance.

One thing is clear, food safety is no longer just about ticking boxes – it’s about adopting smarter, data-driven operational systems that protect your customers and your business.

Here are seven strategic operational changes that food businesses should resolve to make this year – changes that can dramatically impact food safety, staff performance, and operational efficiency.

1. Ditch paper notebooks – go digital with a food safety app

One of the biggest shifts in food safety management is moving away from paper records – often cumbersome, easy to lose, and hard to audit – to digital food safety apps that streamline and standardise processes.

Hubl, for example, replaces traditional food safety diaries with an intuitive, paperless system that delivers real-time data and reporting across checklists, temperature logs, deliveries, and corrective actions.

Digital records aren’t just easier to manage – they’re easier to analyse, share, and defend during inspections

Better visibility and accountability for teams, and improved readiness for Environmental Health Officer (EHO) inspections.

2. Standardise your daily and weekly checklists

Consistency is at the heart of good food safety management. Digital apps allow you to create standardised, EHO-reviewed checklists for all sites and shifts.

With built-in guidance (for example, best-practice temperature recording), you ensure that every task is completed properly and recorded accurately each time.

Reduced human error and data gaps become a key driver for compliance and hygiene ratings.

3. Capture real-time data & corrective actions

Instead of writing down observations and filing them away, digital systems allow teams to log issues as they happen and document the action taken in response.

This level of detail – like noting temperature deviations with comments and photos – not only boosts traceability but shows auditors exactly how your team responded.

Fast, transparent corrective actions that can prevent small issues turning into serious hazards.

4. Centralise documents – store your HACCP/FSMS on one platform

Many food businesses struggle to keep track of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans or Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) when they’re buried in filing cabinets.

Modern digital apps let you store all FSMS/HACCP and safety documentation in one secure, searchable place, accessible to everyone who needs it.

Auditors and EHOs can instantly view your digital documentation during inspections, improving your credibility and simplifying compliance.

5. Use automated alerts and reminders

One of the biggest challenges with manual systems is remembering when to complete a task.

Digital food safety platforms can send automated reminders for daily checks, weekly reviews, or overdue critical control points – so nothing falls through the cracks.

A culture of proactive safety, not reactive paperwork.

6. Train and empower your team with built-in guidance

A good digital tool does more than just record data – it educates. Systems such as Hubl embeds best-practice guidance into their checklists, helping staff understand why they’re doing what they’re doing and training them on the job.

This equals better-trained teams who are confident in food safety practices and more consistent in compliance.

7. Leverage analytics to drive continuous improvement

Digital food safety systems produce a wealth of data that can be monitored by managers, on tools such as Hubl’s reporting dashboard.

By analysing trends over time (e.g., recurring issues), managers can identify patterns, optimise processes, and train staff where needed.

Data-informed decisions that improve performance and help you stay ahead of regulatory changes.

Bonus resolution: embrace sustainability

One often-overlooked advantage of going digital is its positive environmental impact.

The elimination of paper consumption – along with related consumables like printer ink – supports broader sustainability goals while reducing operational costs.

The food industry is competitive and highly regulated – but adopting smart operational changes in 2026 doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Whether you’re a single-site café or a multi-location chain, modern digital tools like Hubl can transform your food safety management by making compliance easier, insights clearer, and teams more confident.

Your 2026 resolution? Think digital first – and watch food safety become less of a burden and more of a strength that differentiates your business.

January 20, 2026
How to choose the right food safety app for your business
Maintaining strong food safety practices is essential for any hospitality business, not just for operational consistency but for meeting legal requirements under UK food safety law.

With digital tools becoming the standard, choosing the right food safety app can make everyday compliance more efficient, organised, and transparent. But with a growing number of platforms available, knowing what to look for is key.

Below are the core elements that define a reliable digital food safety tool – along with how an app like Hubl aligns with these expectations without overcomplicating the process.

Simplicity and usability for all staff

The most effective food safety systems are the ones your team will actually use. A good app should be intuitive enough that staff can complete checks without the need for formal training or technical knowledge.

This supports consistency, reduces user error, and helps you meet the Food Standards Agency’s expectations for clear, accurate, and timely record-keeping.

Hubl has been designed with simplicity at its core. Staff can log in and complete their checks immediately, making it suitable for teams of all experience levels.

Customisable checklists built around your operation

Every operation has slightly different procedures, so the app you choose should allow you to tailor your checklists. This is particularly important when aligning digital processes with your HACCP plan or Food Safety Management System (FSMS).

A good app should let you customise things like:
- Cleaning schedules
- Opening/closing procedures
- Managerial checks
- Operational tasks
- Site-specific workflows
Hubl allows full customisation, supporting the legal requirement to maintain procedures based on HACCP principles.

This flexibility makes it easier to align your digital checklists with your HACCP or Food Safety Management System, helping you meet legal requirements under Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and the FSA’s, Safer Food Better Business, guidance.

Hubl offers this level of customisation, allowing businesses to build checklists that suit their exact workflows.

Deliveries, allergens & temperature checks: essential for UK compliance

In the UK, accurate temperature monitoring, allergen documentation and delivery checks are critical elements of food safety law.

The FSA requires businesses to:
- Check deliveries for temperature and conditions
- Provide allergen information for customers
- Monitor hot holding, cold holding, and storage temperatures
- Record all of this information accurately and consistently
A reliable food safety app should make these checks easy to complete and store.

Hubl includes dedicated tools for:
- Hot and cold temperature checks (meeting all UK laws)
- Fridge/freezer monitoring
- Delivery records and acceptance checks (including temperatures for ambient, chilled and frozen foods)
- A full allergen matrix with the 14 major allergens for customer and staff reference
All data is timestamped and stored automatically, helping you maintain the legally required evidence of safe food handling accurately.

This ensures that, during an inspection, you can demonstrate for example that chilled and hot foods have been stored and handled within safe limits.

Multi-user access without restrictions

Food safety is a shared responsibility, so the system you choose should allow multiple staff members to log in and complete tasks without additional charges or account limitations.

This ensures every team member can play their part in maintaining daily compliance.

Hubl supports unlimited users per site, enabling full team accountability and smoother operations.

A central space for your food safety compliance documentation

A well-designed app should double as a digital filing system for essential food safety documents such as:
- HACCP/FSMS paperwork
- Staff training certificates
- EHO inspection reports
- Policies and risk assessments
Digitally storing these documents on the app not only keeps them secure but also ensures they are available when needed – particularly during an inspection.

Hubl allows you to upload and store all key files within the app so nothing is misplaced or forgotten.

Notifications and prompts for consistent record-keeping

Checks must be carried out at the right times and recorded accurately, therefore built-in notifications help staff stay on track by prompting them to complete tasks throughout the day.

Hubl uses scheduled reminders to support consistent completion of checks, reducing the risk of missed records or non-compliance.

Quick, transparent access for EHO visits

An Environmental Health Officer will expect to see clear, organised records covering all your food safety activities. A good app should make this easy, ideally with a simple calendar view that allows anyone to pull up records for any given day.

With Hubl, EHOs can tap on a date and view all activity instantly, which helps demonstrate compliance and reduces the stress of inspections.

Oversight and reporting for management

For managers – especially those overseeing multiple sites – visibility is crucial. Reporting tools should highlight gaps, trends, and areas requiring attention, helping you maintain consistent standards across locations.

Hubl includes a reporting dashboard that offers an overview of checks, allows customisation of checklists, and sends a weekly summary directly to management.

Choosing the right food safety app is ultimately about finding a tool that supports your legal obligations, strengthens consistency, and fits naturally into your operation.

Prioritising usability, customisation, strong documentation storage, and clear reporting will help you select a system that enhances both compliance and daily workflow.

Ready to compare? See our honest, sourced comparison of the best food safety apps for UK hospitality — verified pricing, real trade-offs, and who each one genuinely suits.
December 11, 2025
Top tips for recording temperatures in food safety
Temperature control is one of the most important aspects of food safety. Recording temperatures accurately and consistently protects customers from foodborne illness, helps businesses stay compliant with the law, and provides clear evidence during inspections.

Below, we’ll cover the legal requirements, some expert tips that often get overlooked, and how digital apps such as Hubl can make the process easier and more reliable.

The legal requirements in the UK for recording temperatures

Food businesses are legally required to monitor and control temperatures at key stages of food handling. The main regulations include:
- The Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations 1995 – makes it an offence to keep high-risk food outside safe temperatures.
- Regulation (EC) 852/2004 – requires food businesses to have HACCP-based procedures, including temperature monitoring.
- Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 (and equivalents across the UK) – sets limits such as keeping chilled food at or below 8 and hot-held food at or above 63.
In practice, Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) will expect to see accurate, up-to-date records of these checks during inspections.

Expert tips you might not know
1. Core vs air temperature
Checking the air temperature of a fridge is not always enough. Core food temperatures matter most, particularly for cooking, cooling, reheating, and hot holding.
1. Frequency of checks
“Once a day” is a minimum. For chilled storage, checks at the start, middle, and end of the day can prevent issues going unnoticed.
1. Short exemptions exist
Some foods can be held outside the usual limits for short, controlled periods (e.g. chilled food for preparation). These allowances must be documented and justified.
1. Corrective actions are key
Recording that a fridge was too warm is only half the story. You also need to note what you did about it (moved the food, called maintenance, discarded unsafe items).

Probe use and care for hot checks

Robert Morris, CEO of Complete Food Safety, shares the following advice for getting the most accurate and reliable results from hot food temperature checks:
- Allow time for accuracy – give the probe enough time to settle before recording. Fast-response probes can deliver readings quickly, but most insertion probes need a few seconds to stabilise.
- Insertion vs Infrared – where possible, use insertion probes over infrared. They provide more accurate and reliable readings.
- Multiple points for larger items – when checking joints of meat or larger dishes, measure in several places, including the core, to ensure a true reading.
- Clean and protect your equipment – always wipe probes with sanitising wipes before each use, and store equipment properly to prevent damage.
- Calibration – regularly calibrate probes so you can trust the readings.
- Invest in fast response probes – these can help teams check efficiently without risking inaccurate, rushed readings.
Review trends, don’t just store data

Looking back at records helps spot problems early, such as a fridge that runs warm at certain times or hot-holding equipment that drops after long periods.

Training and culture

Even the best system fails if staff don’t understand why they are doing the checks, or how to do them properly. Regular training and spot audits help.

Using digital apps to improve recording temperatures

Traditional paper logs are still common, but they come with risks: misplaced sheets, illegible writing, missed entries, and no easy way to see patterns over time.

Digital apps designed for food safety help by:
- Prompting staff to complete checks on time.
- Flagging issues immediately, so corrective actions can be taken away.
- Storing records securely, making them easy to access during audits or inspections.
- Allowing trend analysis, so managers can identify recurring issues and act before they become serious.
One example is Hubl, which provides digital food safety checklists, including temperature logs. By centralising checks in one place, apps like Hubl reduce paperwork, minimise errors, and make compliance more straightforward.

Key takeaways
- Recording temperatures is a legal requirement and a critical food safety practice.
- Pay attention to details that are often overlooked: core food temps, probe care, corrective actions, and regular calibration.
- Digital apps are increasingly becoming the standard way to manage food safety records. They save time, reduce errors, and provide reliable evidence for inspections.
October 20, 2025
How digital food safety diaries saved these businesses during inspections
Running a food business today means more than serving great food. Behind every plate is a responsibility to keep customers safe and to meet strict food hygiene regulations.

Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) want to see that businesses aren’t just meeting the basics, but that they’re managing food safety consistently and effectively.

For many restaurants, cafés, pubs, and hotels, this can feel like a challenge. Paper records pile up, tasks get missed, and inspections become stressful.

That’s why more and more operators are turning to digital food safety diaries like Hubl.

At Hubl, we’ve seen first-hand how our platform helps businesses stay compliant while saving valuable time. Below are just a few real-world examples.

Itihaas Restaurant – Achieving a 5-star hygiene rating

Raj Rana, owner of the award-winning Itihaas Restaurant in Birmingham, achieved a five star food hygiene rating after implementing Hubl into their business.

“We are thrilled to have received the highest possible food hygiene rating of five stars. This is a testament to our commitment to providing our customers with the highest quality food and service. We are grateful to the Hubl app, the FSMS document they created, and the audit from Complete Food Safety for helping us achieve this rating.”

Raj explained that Hubl transformed the way his team managed food safety records, making processes easier and more efficient than ever before.

Alongside a tailored Food Safety Management System (FSMS ) document, the restaurant could demonstrate full compliance with legal requirements.

When inspectors arrived, everything they needed was clear, accessible, and up to date. For Raj and his team, it meant peace of mind – and confidence for customers dining at Itihaas.

Matonie Hospitality / Bull & Bear – Streamlining compliance

For Matt Spencer, Executive Chef at Matonie Hospitality/Bull & Bea r, the challenge was slightly different. Running a large, busy kitchen means that food safety tasks must always be managed seamlessly, even during peak service times.

“The Hubl app has been a game-changer for us at Matonie Hospitality and Bull & Bear. Managing food safety in a busy environment like ours can be challenging, but Hubl has streamlined the entire process. From temperature monitoring to allergen tracking, everything is now organised and accessible in one place.”

Matt has seen how Hubl has saved his team valuable time while giving them the confidence that they are always compliant.

Tasks that once felt like a burden now run in the background, supported by a smart digital tool.

When the Environmental Health Officer visited, the results spoke for themselves:

“He said it was the best one of these apps that he’s seen and was really happy with it. From our point of view, it was so much easier to have everything in one place to show him. It really instilled confidence that we knew what we were doing and how seriously we take it.”

Why digital food safety diaries work

These testimonials show the real benefit of moving away from paper-based systems.

Digital food safety diaries:
- Keep all records organised and accessible in one place.
- Make inspections less stressful by ensuring everything is ready to show.
- Save time on routine checks and admin.
- Provide confidence to EHOs, teams, and customers alike.
Food safety will always be at the heart of hospitality. But with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be complicated.

For Itihaas and Matonie Hospitality/Bull & Bear, and numerous others, Hubl has made inspections easier – and helped them achieve and maintain the highest standards.
September 15, 2025
Build your FSMS & HSMS with Hubl – custom-built compliance for food businesses
At Hubl, we understand that managing food safety and workplace health isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s about keeping your team, your customers, and your business protected every day.

That’s why we offer fully tailored Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) and Health and Safety Management Systems (HSMS), designed specifically for food businesses.

Your Food Safety Management System (FSMS), done properly

A Food Safety Management System—also known as HACCP—is a legal requirement, but too often these systems become overly technical or generic. FSMS documents should be bespoke, clearly structured, and easy for your team to follow.

Our FSMS is fully digital and interactive, meaning you can jump between sections, search for keywords, and update it easily as your business evolves.

It’s built around the full scope of your food operations and is structured in a way that reflects how your team actually works—from receiving goods and prepping food, right through to cooking, chilling, and serving.

Each FSMS is divided into six core sections:
- Management & Monitoring focuses on responsibilities, training, supplier checks, allergens, and daily record keeping.
- Cross Contamination addresses hygiene, hand washing, separation of raw and ready-to-eat foods, and pest control.
- Cleaning sets out your schedules, chemical use, and clean-as-you-go practices.
- Chilling helps manage cold storage, defrosting and safe cooling of hot food.
- Cooking covers preparation, cooking times and temperatures, reheating and hot-holding.
- And finally, High Risk Methods includes more advanced procedures such as sous vide, ceviche, raw or partially cooked meats and seafood, vacuum packing, and even specialist areas like BBQ or smoking.
Because every food business is different, your FSMS will reflect your specific menu, kitchen layout, team structure, and processes. It’s a living document, designed to grow with your business.

Learn more about our Food Safety Management System.

A proactive approach to Health & Safety (HSMS)

Food safety is just one piece of the puzzle. Equally important is how your workplace operates day to day.

Whether you’re dealing with sharp equipment, hazardous cleaning products, hot surfaces or heavy lifting, you need a robust Health and Safety Management System that keeps your team protected—and your business compliant.

Our HSMS is also completely tailored to your operation and is designed around four key pillars: Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, and Corrective Actions.

In the planning stage, we define your health and safety policy, outline responsibilities, and put in place the training required to make it all stick.

Implementation then covers the everyday risks your staff face—from fire safety and manual handling to COSHH, temperature exposure and working at height. Everything is clearly documented with practical procedures and risk assessments.

We don’t stop at setting the system up. Monitoring is built into your HSMS so you can carry out regular checks and audits to ensure your safety standards are being followed.

And when things go wrong—or almost go wrong—your Corrective Actions framework will guide your team through how to report, review and learn from incidents or near misses.

Like the FSMS, your HSMS is delivered in an interactive format, making it easy to navigate, update, and search. It’s not just a document—it’s a tool your whole team can rely on.

Explore our services to see how we can support every aspect of your compliance journey.

Why work with Hubl for FSMS and HSMS documents?

We’ve worked with hundreds of food businesses—restaurants, food groups, and production kitchens —helping them bring their food safety and workplace safety documentation up to standard.

We understand the challenges and pressures in the industry, and we’re here to make safety simple, accessible, and effective.

Whether you need a full HACCP rebuild or you’re starting from scratch, we’ll work alongside you to create documentation that not only ticks the legal boxes but actually helps your business run more smoothly.

Ready to take the stress out of compliance? Visit www.hublapp.co.uk or get in touch here to get started.
August 26, 2025
New FSA food allergen guidance: what every food business needs to know
Food allergen management is not just best practice – it can be lifesaving. Mismanagement of allergens can lead to severe health consequences, and that’s why the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has released updated guidance specifically for the out-of-home (OOH) sector.

This includes any food business that prepares and serves food outside the home, such as:
- Restaurants & cafes
- Market stalls & food trucks
- Canteens & leisure venues
- Schools, hospitals, care homes
- Online food providers
What is the Food Standards Agency allergen guidance?

The 2025 Food Standards Agency allergen guidance recommends all out-of-home food businesses providing non-prepacked or “loose” food share allergen information in writing providing information of the 14 allergens to consumers. This applies to both in-person and online food sales.

This should not replace staff asking about allergies – verbal communication is still key.

Instead, the goal is to enhance food safety by making allergen information clearer, more accessible, and more consistent. This supports people with food allergies or intolerances in making safer dining decisions.

Though not legally required, this best practice is a strong step toward safer, smarter allergen management.

Is your allergen matrix up to date?

See what an allergen matrix must contain, how UK allergen law applies to your menu, and how Hubl keeps one live matrix across every site you run.
Read the allergen matrix guide

How this benefits your food business

Following Food Standards Agency allergen best practice can directly benefit your business by:
- Supports compliance with UK food safety laws such as Natasha’s Law
- Showcasing your due diligence in allergen management
- Build trust and transparency with customers – vital for loyalty and reputation
- Enabling staff confidence in handling allergy-related queries, reduce errors in allergen communication
- Providing consistency in allergen communication across the industry
Food Standards Agency resources

Food Standards Agency have free tools available such as printable posters to help support business with the implementation for this new allergen best practice.

Ready to make allergen management effortless?

Correctly managing food allergens is a conscience for any food related business, discover how Hubl’s allergen feature can help you manage this with ease, keeping your business – and your customers – safe and confident.
May 13, 2025