Houston Temperature Logging & HACCP Requirements for Restaurants

Houston & Harris County Local Temperature Logging Rules

The Houston Health Department enforces temperature monitoring requirements through the Harris County food service rules, which follow the FDA Food Code with local amendments. Restaurants must log cold storage temperatures (41°F or below) and hot holding temperatures (135°F or above) at least twice daily—typically at opening and closing. The Houston code requires written documentation of these temperatures, including the date, time, food item, temperature reading, and staff member's initials. Records must be retained for a minimum of 30 days and made available during health inspections. Equipment failures or temperature excursions must be documented with corrective actions taken immediately.

Texas State Health Department (DSHS) HACCP & Temperature Standards

Texas DSHS aligns with the FDA Food Code but adds specific enforcement for high-risk facilities including catering operations and retail seafood markets. All potentially hazardous foods in Texas must be stored and maintained within the proper temperature range, with written logs kept for a minimum of 7 days beyond the date of use. Texas requires HACCP plans for facilities handling foods like seafood, sous-vide preparations, and foods made for extended refrigerated storage. Temperature calibration records—showing that thermometers are accurate within ±2°F—must be maintained. DSHS inspectors in Harris County use these logs to assess compliance and determine if Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) are needed.

Federal FDA Standards vs. Houston Local Requirements

The FDA Food Code, while not federal law, is the model adopted by Texas and Houston. It specifies that cold foods must be held at 41°F or below and hot foods at 135°F or above, with written time-temperature logs as a best practice for HACCP compliance. However, Houston's local ordinance is slightly stricter in requiring twice-daily documented checks versus the FDA's recommendation-based approach. The FDA also allows alternative time-as-a-public-health-control procedures (e.g., 4-hour service windows) for certain foods, but Houston Health Department typically requires documented temperature logs over these alternatives. Federal FSIS (for meat facilities) and FDA standards emphasize pathogen monitoring and critical control points; Houston enforces these through its inspection authority and can mandate corrective actions.

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