Failure to Maintain Sanitary Kitchen Practices and Food Safety Standards
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple unsanitary practices in the facility kitchen affecting all 52 residents who received food prepared there. The hand sink area was found to be soiled with unknown grime and contained used scrub pads, which were reportedly used for prewashing dishes due to limited space. The kitchen's two-door steel refrigerator had visible grime and smears on its handle and surface, and a pan of stagnant water was placed inside to catch drips from an unresolved leak that had been previously identified in the last annual survey. Additional observations included a prep station drawer and shelves beneath a workstation that stored cooking utensils and pans, all of which had accumulated dust, food debris, and grime. The ice scoop was stored on a dusty workstation with unknown debris, and staff were unclear about proper storage procedures for the scoop. Further, an LPN was seen entering the kitchen, taking the ice scoop from the unclean workstation, and using it to get ice for a water pitcher without washing hands or wearing gloves. During meal service, the cook was prompted to check food temperatures, revealing that pureed spaghetti and garlic bread were below the required 135 degrees Fahrenheit, necessitating reheating. The facility's own policies require clean and sanitized storage of utensils and equipment, proper handling and storage of ice and scoops, and monitoring of food temperatures to prevent foodborne illness, all of which were not followed as observed during the survey.