Multiple Food Safety and Sanitation Failures in Kitchen Operations
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to adhere to food safety and sanitation guidelines in several critical areas, as observed and documented by surveyors. The cool down process for time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods was not monitored or documented, and previously cooked foods were kept beyond recommended time limits. Staff interviews confirmed that cooling logs did not include required entries for both cooked and ambient temperature TCS foods, such as tuna and egg salad, and that staff were unaware of proper monitoring procedures. Additionally, food items in the refrigerator were found with missing or outdated labels, and some foods were stored longer than recommended by USDA guidelines. Hand hygiene practices among kitchen staff were inadequate. Two of three cooks failed to wash their hands after activities that could cause contamination, such as retrieving items from storage, touching their clothing, or picking up utensils from the floor. These lapses were observed during food preparation and confirmed in interviews with the Registered Dietitian (RD), who acknowledged that staff must wash hands when changing tasks or after contamination. Furthermore, food preparation surfaces were not properly sanitized, as the concentration of sanitizing solution in use was below the effective level required for food contact surfaces. Staff and management confirmed that the sanitizer was not at the correct concentration and that this issue was not being consistently addressed. The physical environment and equipment in the kitchen also failed to meet sanitation standards. The kitchen floor in front of a freezer was unfinished concrete, making it uncleanable, and a food preparation sink lacked an air gap, creating a risk of backflow contamination. Equipment such as drying racks and meal trays were found to be rusted, chipped, and cracked, and a container in dry storage had a cracked lid. Goods in dry storage were not protected from possible pest contamination. Additionally, two dietary aides were observed wearing large false eyelashes during food preparation, which is not recommended due to the risk of physical contamination. These deficiencies affected a highly susceptible population of 156 residents who consumed food prepared in the facility's kitchen.