Deficient Food Storage, Sanitation, and Equipment Maintenance in Kitchen
Summary
The facility failed to maintain food storage, preparation, and kitchen equipment in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. During a kitchen tour, an open bag of grits was found unsealed and undated in dry storage, contrary to facility policy requiring opened dry food items to be tightly closed, labeled, and dated. The Registered Dietitian (RD) confirmed the lack of proper sealing and dating, acknowledging the risk of contamination. Additionally, several kitchen environment issues were observed, including a worn and damaged walk-in refrigerator floor, walls and ceilings with missing paint, texture, and signs of water damage, and a fruit and vegetable sink lacking an air gap for backflow prevention. The Maintenance Supervisor stated that maintenance needs should be logged by kitchen staff, but no requests for repairs had been made according to the facility's work history report. Further deficiencies included improper storage of kitchenware, with five metal bowls and nine steam table pans stacked and stored while still wet, which the RD confirmed was not compliant with air-drying requirements. Damaged small wares were not discarded as required by policy; a fry pan with extensive markings and scratches, a discolored and deeply scored cutting board, beverage pitcher lids with cracks and chips, and a can opener with missing metal were all found in use or storage. The RD and facility policies confirmed these items should have been discarded or replaced due to their condition, which could harbor bacteria or introduce foreign objects into food. Additionally, a large mixer was found with hardened, crusted build-up and rust-colored debris behind the mixing bowl, indicating inadequate cleaning. The RD confirmed the mixer was dirty and needed cleaning. These findings, based on direct observation, interviews, and record review, demonstrated a failure to adhere to both facility policies and FDA Food Code requirements for food safety, sanitation, and equipment maintenance. The deficiencies had the potential to cause foodborne illness for the 91 residents consuming facility-prepared meals.
Plan Of Correction
04/07/2025. b) The rough textured scratch was repaired by Maintenance Supervisor on 05/07/2025. c) The walk-in refrigerator floor was repaired by Maintenance Supervisor on 05/07/2025. d) The fruit and vegetable cleaning sink was repaired by Maintenance Supervisor on 05/07/2025. e) The ceiling cracks above the food service area were repaired by Maintenance Supervisor on 04/11/2025. f) The fruit and vegetable cleaning sink was repaired to have an airgap by Maintenance Supervisor on 05/07/2025. g) The wet metal bowls and steam table pans were removed, washed and left to air dry on 04/07/2025. h) The discolored fry pan and cutting board were removed and thrown away on 04/07/2025. i) The can opener was removed and thrown away on 04/07/2025. j) The discolored and cracked beverage lids pan and cutting board were removed and thrown away on 04/07/2025. k) The large mixer was removed and cleaned on 04/07/2025. How the facility will identify other residents having the potential to be affected by the same deficient practice and what action will be taken: I) All residents have the potential to be affected by this deficient practice. No other areas were identified as having this same deficient practice. What measures will be put into place or what systemic changes you will take to ensure that the deficient practice will not recur: m) In-Service was provided by the Registered Dietician to the dietary staff on 04/11/2025 through 04/15/2025 regarding the importance of labeling and dating food items, ensuring that staff are monitoring properly air drying items before placing them for storage. In-Service was provided by the Administrator to the Maintenance Department staff on 05/07/2025 regarding the importance of making rounds in all of the necessary areas in the kitchen and that there is no buildup on equipment that items needing repair are reported immediately in an effort to avoid foods becoming affected. n) Dietary Manager and/or designee to conduct random audits of the kitchen to look for food that may be unlabeled or undated and checks that equipment is stored properly, clean and not discolored along with items requiring to be reported for repair/replacement. Any issues identified will be reviewed, validated and immediately corrected. How the facility plans to monitor its performance to make sure that solutions are sustained: The facility must develop a plan for ensuring that correction is achieved and sustained. This plan must be implemented, and the corrective action must be evaluated for its effectiveness. The plan of correction is integrated into the quality assurance system. o) Dietary Manager and/or designee to conduct random audits of the kitchen to look for food that may be unlabeled or undated and checks that equipment is stored properly, clean and not discolored along with items requiring to be reported for repair/replacement. Any issues identified will be reviewed, validated and immediately corrected. Dietary Manager and/or designee will do trending/analysis and will report to the quarterly QAPI Committee for further evaluation and/or recommendations until negative trends resolve. F 812 F880 Infection Prevention & Control How the corrective action(s) will be accomplished for those residents found to have been affected by the deficient practice:
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Failure to use beard restraints during food prep and meal service was observed when two cooks with visible facial hair handled and checked food without beard coverings. One cook said he was unsure a beard restraint was required, and the other said staff never wore them. The KL stated beard restraints were required, but none were available on the hygiene supply shelf, which contained gloves, hair restraints, and aprons.
Food Storage and Personal Hygiene Deficiencies: A Cook was observed preparing food without required hair or beard covering, and multiple food items in the freezer, refrigerators, and kitchenette were found without open dates. Surveyors also found expired Greek yogurt in the walk-in refrigerator. The CDM stated items should be labeled with open dates and expired items discarded, while the facility policy required food service staff to wear a hair net or appropriate hair covering during food production and clean-up.
Improper Thawing of Frozen Chicken: Staff thawed frozen breaded chicken in a 3-compartment sink without cold running water instead of using an approved defrosting method. A Cook said she removed the chicken from the freezer about an hour earlier, and the DM confirmed the chicken was thawed in the sink after staff forgot to remove it from refrigeration earlier. The facility's policy required thawing in refrigeration, under running water, in a microwave under specific conditions, or as part of the conventional cooking process.
Unlabeled refrigerated food items were observed in the kitchen, including red gelatin, sausage patties, and two pitchers of tea. The DS confirmed the items were not labeled and stated the tea was not labeled before being served at lunch, while the ADM stated all food in the refrigerator should be labeled and dated per facility policy.
Dietary staff failed to store, prepare, and serve food in a sanitary manner. Observations showed lemonade left on top of an ice machine, oatmeal placed on a serving area, sausage links without a date or label, chicken stored above potatoes without a date, and a refrigerator without a thermometer. During meal service, staff touched the inside of bowls and handled grilled cheese sandwiches and other food items with gloved hands without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene.
Ice Machine and Water Filter Not Properly Cleaned: An observation found black and brown substance on the ice machine's water curtain guard and a dark brown water filter behind the machine. The dietary manager was unsure when the ice machine was last cleaned or how often the filter was changed, while the ADM believed it had been checked and cleaned within the prior week. The maintenance supervisor said he was responsible for cleaning and maintaining the machine, changed the filter monthly, visually inspected it weekly, and deep cleaned it in July, but may have missed part of the guard.
Failure to Use Beard Restraints During Food Preparation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the proper use of beard restraints during food preparation and meal service. During observation and interview, one cook was seen taking the temperatures of oatmeal and scrambled eggs while having gray whiskers covering his chin and lower cheeks, and he was not wearing a beard restraint. When asked about beard restraints, he stated he was not sure he was supposed to wear one and said no one in the kitchen wore beard coverings and he would not know where to find one if required. A second cook was observed stirring separate pots of vegetables and chicken to be used in soup while having black whiskers covering his chin and cheeks and not wearing a beard restraint. He stated kitchen staff never wore beard coverings and the facility had never required this, adding that they probably should be wearing them. The kitchen lead stated he thought beard restraints were required and identified a shelf for hygiene supplies, but the shelves contained disposable gloves, hair restraints, and aprons and did not contain beard restraints. He stated the facility did not appear to have any beard coverings and that he would include them on his next order. A policy dated 6/19/19 directed staff to wear hair coverings and keep mustaches, sideburns, and beards neatly trimmed.
Food Storage and Personal Hygiene Deficiencies
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to meet professional standards for food storage and personal hygiene during observations of the kitchen and refrigeration areas. On 8/10/26 from 8:10 AM to 9:30 AM, Staff B, the Cook, was observed not wearing a hair or beard net while working. During the same observation, Freezer #1 contained multiple food items without open dates, including cheese ravioli, salmon patties, onion rings, sweet potato fries, wings, and chicken strips. The double-door refrigerator also contained numerous undated items, including several dressings and sauces, lettuce, lime juice, stuffed queen olives, banana pepper rings, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and red hot wing sauce. The walk-in refrigerator contained additional items without open dates, including strawberry yogurt, lettuce, almond frosting, pepperoni slices, ice cream, and tilapia. The walk-in refrigerator also contained five 32-ounce containers of Greek yogurt that had expired on 7/29/26. On 8/11/26 at 10:36 AM, Staff B was observed wearing a baseball cap and beard net while preparing food. Later that day at 11:25 AM, the refrigerator in the small kitchenette contained undated whole milk, fat-free milk, and 2% milk. Staff A, the Certified Dietary Manager, stated that items were expected to be labeled with an open date and expired items were to be discarded once expired, and she said she would need to review the facility policy regarding hair and beard nets because she believed short hair did not require a hairnet. The facility’s personal hygiene policy required food service staff involved in food production and clean-up to wear a hair net or appropriate hair covering, and the labeling and dating policy required all prepared, opened, stored, or repackaged food items to be properly labeled and dated, with improperly labeled, undated, expired, or unidentifiable items not served and discarded.
Improper Thawing of Frozen Chicken
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to thaw frozen chicken using an approved method of defrosting. During an initial kitchen walkthrough, surveyors observed 3 bags of frozen breaded chicken leg drums sitting in a 3-compartment sink without cold running water. A later observation showed the same chicken bags placed in a basin inside the 3-compartment sink, again without cold water. Staff A, Cook, stated she had removed the chicken from the freezer about an hour earlier and was thawing it in the sink. The lunch menu for that day documented chicken drumsticks. The Dietary Manager acknowledged that Staff A thawed the frozen breaded chicken in the 3-compartment sink. The DM stated kitchen staff had forgotten to remove the chicken from the refrigerator earlier and reported that staff were expected to thaw chicken in the refrigerator or under cold running water. The DM also noted a small hole in the chicken bag and stated staff did not want the breaded chicken to get wet. The Administrator stated dietary staff were expected to thaw frozen chicken in the refrigerator or under cold running water. The facility's Food Preparation Policy required frozen meats and leftovers to be thawed only by approved methods, including refrigeration, running water, microwave under specific conditions, or as part of the conventional cooking process.
Unlabeled refrigerated food items
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in 1 of 1 kitchen reviewed for dietary services. During the initial kitchen tour on 08/11/2026 at 09:35 a.m., surveyors observed a bowl of red gelatin with no label, a bag of sausage patties with no label, and two pitchers of tea with no label in the refrigerator. During interviews, the DS confirmed that the gelatin and sausage patties were not labeled and stated she did not know the tea needed to be labeled before being served at lunch in about an hour and a half. She stated the gelatin, sausage patties, and tea were not labeled when placed in the refrigerator and that all items should be labeled when placed there. The ADM also stated that all food in the refrigerator should be labeled and dated, and the facility policy titled Storage of Frozen and Refrigerated Foods required cold or frozen foods in the refrigerator to be labeled with the date opened or prepared, time, and expiration or use-by date.
Unsafe Food Storage and Improper Food Handling
Penalty
Summary
The dietary department failed to store, prepare, and serve food in a sanitary manner during kitchen observations. During an initial tour, a pitcher of lemonade was observed sitting on top of the ice machine, a bowl of oatmeal was placed on top of the serving area for plates, and a clear bag of sausage links was sitting on a plastic cart without a date or label. Staff stated the sausage had been opened the day before and should have been dated and stored in the refrigerator when not in use. In the walk-in refrigerator, a plastic container covered with aluminum foil and labeled chicken had no date and was stored inside another pan with ice on the second shelf above potatoes. Staff stated the chicken would be used the next day and should have been stored on the bottom shelf and dated before being placed in the refrigerator. A refrigerator in [NAME] Hall did not have a thermometer, and staff confirmed none could be located. During meal service, staff were observed touching the inside of bowls while grabbing multiple bowls at a time, and another staff member touched grilled cheese sandwiches with a gloved hand while flipping them and then returned to food handling after touching a cooler and handling cheese without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene. The assistant dietary manager stated the lemonade should have been stored in the cooler, the sausage should have been labeled and dated, the chicken should have been dated and stored on the bottom rack, the refrigerator should have had a thermometer, and staff should have handled bowls by the outside and washed hands or changed gloves when handling food.
Ice Machine and Water Filter Not Properly Cleaned
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in the kitchen reviewed. During an observation on 08/10/2026 at 9:30 AM, the ice machine in the dining area had a black and brown substance on the white plastic water curtain guard above the ice, and the water filter behind the machine was dark brown in color. The dietary manager stated she was responsible for the kitchen area but was not sure of the cleaning timeframe or when the ice machine was last cleaned, and she did not know how often the water filter was changed. The administrator stated the maintenance supervisor was responsible for maintaining the ice machine and water filter and believed it had been checked and cleaned in the last week, but she needed to ask for the cleaning schedule and filter change dates. The maintenance supervisor stated he had been responsible for the ice machine for over a year, changed the water filter monthly and as needed, visually inspected it weekly, and deep cleaned the ice machine in July 2026. He stated he may have missed the small section of the guard with the dark substance. The facility policy required cleaning and disinfecting ice machines and ice storage chests according to the manufacturer's instructions, and the Manitowoc service manual stated the ice machine should be cleaned and sanitized every six months, or more often if needed based on water quality.
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