Deficiencies in Food Storage, Preparation, and Sanitation
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple deficiencies in the facility's food service operations. In the dish room, plastic cups and bowls were observed stored face-down on damp trays without air-drying nets, preventing proper air circulation and drying. This practice was acknowledged by the Dietary Manager (DM) as incorrect, noting that staff had been trained to use air-drying nets, which were missing at the time of observation. The facility's policy and the FDA Food Code require air-drying of utensils and equipment to minimize contamination risk. In the kitchen, the tabletop can opener was found with sticky, black and brown grime covering the blade, adjustable bar, and base. The DM confirmed that the can opener should have been cleaned after each use, as per facility policy, and that cooks were responsible for maintaining its cleanliness. The presence of grime on food-contact surfaces was in direct violation of both facility policy and the FDA Food Code, which require such surfaces to be clean to sight and touch. Additional deficiencies included a sealed bag of salad mix in the reach-in cooler that was past its use-by date and contained brown and rotted leaves, and an opened bag of grits in the dry storage room that was not properly sealed, with loose grits spilled inside the storage case. The DM stated that all dietary staff were responsible for discarding expired food and ensuring proper storage of dry goods. These findings were supported by facility policies and federal food safety codes reviewed by surveyors.