Deficient Food Service Practices and Infection Control
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple deficiencies in the facility's food service operations, including improper labeling and dating of food products. During inspections of the main kitchen and satellite kitchens, opened food items such as pancakes, waffles, half and half, liquid egg mix, and milk were found without use-by dates or proper labeling. Some food items were left uncovered or unsealed, and expired foods were not discarded as required. The Certified Dietary Manager confirmed that all opened food products should be labeled and discarded according to policy, but this was not consistently followed. The facility also failed to ensure that high-temperature dish machines were routinely tested for proper sanitizing of food contact surfaces. Review of the dishwasher temperature log revealed multiple missing entries for meal services over the past month, indicating that required temperature checks were not consistently performed. Additionally, the kitchen area was not adequately restricted to food service staff during meal service, as an unidentified staff member entered the kitchen without a hair net, and another staff member was observed with loose hair hanging out of a hair net while working on the service line. Hand hygiene practices were not consistently followed by staff. Observations included staff members picking up items from the floor, coughing into their hands, and then handling food or utensils without performing hand hygiene. Sanitation buckets used for cleaning meal preparation countertops and dining room surfaces were not properly tested or maintained at the correct concentration, as indicated by test strips showing out-of-compliance results. Staff responsible for these tasks demonstrated a lack of understanding of proper testing procedures, and the facility's own policies and manufacturer guidelines for sanitizing solutions were not adhered to.