Deficient Food Handling and Sanitation Practices in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure safe food handling procedures were practiced in the kitchen, as observed during multiple instances involving dietary staff. One dietary aide was seen wearing the same gloves while handling both dirty and clean dishes, including moving between the dirty and sanitized sides of the dish machine and rinsing gloved hands without soap. The Food Service Director confirmed that staff should remove gloves and wash hands after handling soiled items and before handling clean items, in accordance with facility policy. Additionally, there were no soap dispensers available at the sink where the aide rinsed their gloved hands. Further observations revealed that kitchen staff did not properly cover or clean serving utensils between uses. A cook's helper repeatedly placed uncovered scoops back onto the warmer or into clean pans after use, and a cook stored portion cups inside soup base containers, returning them after use. The Food Service Director acknowledged that these practices were not in line with facility food handling policies, which require food to be stored, prepared, handled, and served to minimize the risk of foodborne illness. These deficiencies had the potential to affect all residents receiving food from the kitchen.