Food Storage and Sanitation Deficiencies
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store food in a sanitary manner in both the dietary department and on one of the nursing units. During a kitchen tour, it was observed that multiple food items in various reach-in coolers were not dated, including chef salads, bags of cheddar cheese, lettuce, shredded carrots, diced tomatoes, diced potatoes, parmesan cheese, crushed pineapple, cinnamon rolls, cottage cheese, and whole milk. Additionally, there was dried food debris in the coolers, and in dry storage, an opened bag of dried breadcrumbs was found on top of a file cabinet with breadcrumbs on the floor. The food preparation area had bulk containers with food debris on the lids, and a scoop was found in the flour bin. The dish machine's chemical solution was below the required federal regulation level, and there was no documented evidence of tray line holding food temperatures being recorded since a specified date. On Nursing Unit 2, the resident pantry contained a beef patty in the freezer and various items in the refrigerator, such as an opened jar of pickles, mustard, pasta with red sauce, soup, a sandwich, soda, a bag with an opened bottle of dressing, salad containers, chocolate pudding, and dishes of pineapple, all of which were not labeled or dated. Interviews with the Dietary Manager and the Administrator confirmed the lack of proper labeling and removal of expired items, as well as the absence of documented tray line temperature records. The facility's failure to adhere to its food handling policies and federal regulations resulted in these deficiencies.
Plan Of Correction
1&2. The food items identified that were not dated or expired were discarded; dried food debris on the bottom of the cooler, and top of bulk containers in the food prep area were immediately cleaned when identified; the scoop was removed from the flour container. Ecolab visited when the problem was identified and observed that the sanitizer solution was being diluted by water from the dish machine, which was immediately remediated. The cook was verbally educated when the problem was identified; nursing staff discarded all food that was not properly labelled. 3. Dietary staff was re-educated on dating/labeling of all food and discarding expired food; properly cleaning food debris daily; removing scoop/utensils from food containers; monitoring the dish machine sanitizer level of 50ppm; timely recording of food holding temperatures on the trayline; nursing staff re-educated on properly labelling of food in resident's pantry refrigerators. 4. The NHA and/or designee will conduct weekly random audits for 90 days of food being stored in coolers to ensure dating is being completed; cleanliness of coolers and food prep areas; containers to ensure utensils aren't left in them; sanitizer logs and random tests; trayline food temperature logs are completed; and resident's pantry refrigerators for properly labelled food. Results of the audit will be reported to the Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Committee monthly.