Quick answer
Protect affected food immediately, establish the food’s time/temperature history and arrange suitable alternative storage where possible. Keep uncertain stock from use while the safe decision is made. Follow the business’s assessed method and obtain authority advice where needed. A repaired fridge or a new cold reading does not show whether food was safe during the failure.
The fault and the food decision are separate tasks
Getting the unit cold again solves an equipment problem; the affected food still needs assessment. The time staff notice a fault may be later than when control was lost.
SFBB cold-storage guidance addresses breakdowns, alternative storage and authority advice. CookSafe requires appropriate monitoring and corrective action.
Protect food and gather evidence
| Action | Information or decision needed |
|---|---|
| Stop affected use | Identify the equipment and food involved. |
| Check conditions | Actual relevant readings and what they represent. |
| Establish history | Last acceptable check, alarms, loading, door/power information and uncertainty. |
| Alternative storage | Suitable capacity and required conditions without cross-contamination. |
| Food decision | Product instructions, risks and assessed method; obtain competent/authority advice. |
| Repair/verification | Competent repair and proof of restored performance. |
| Record/review | Food disposition, actions, responsible people and prevention. |
Use the actual food requirements
Assess the product, required temperature, duration and handling history. Some foods need stricter conditions or extra care, so a generic fridge limit does not settle every decision.
SFBB says refrigerated food not kept chilled for more than four hours should be discarded, and advises local Environmental Health input where food cannot be moved suitably or the breakdown duration is unknown. This is not a guarantee that every item is safe for four hours after any failure.
Transfer only into suitable conditions
Move food into equipment or a protected cold area capable of maintaining its required conditions. Preserve identity, dates and raw/ready-to-eat separation; avoid overloading the alternative.
Keep suspect stock clearly identified and out of normal use. Cooling it again does not reverse microbial growth or remove toxins that may have developed. Do not use smell or appearance to fill a missing history.
Worked example: the fault was found after the last check
Hypothetical example: the kitchen finds a warm fridge after an earlier acceptable check, but cannot establish exactly when conditions changed.
The manager gathers the available evidence, protects the food and follows the escalation/food-decision procedure. They do not assume the failure began only when it was noticed, or restart the food’s shelf life after transfer.
Verify repair and improve the contingency
Use competent support to correct the fault and confirm suitable operation before relying on the unit. Record the evidence and the decision for each affected food group.
Review check frequency, alarms, door use, loading and alternative capacity. Test that staff know who can make the food decision when the usual manager is absent.
Next steps
Keep the contingency procedure and authority contact accessible. Connect temperature monitoring and corrective-action review with a clear food disposition record.
Read official cold-storage failure guidance — Follow the assessed method and seek local Environmental Health advice when duration or safe storage is unresolved.