Expired Milk and Improper Sanitation Cloth Storage in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to maintain proper food safety and sanitation practices in the kitchen. Specifically, two 8-ounce cartons of skim milk with expired dates and one additional carton with a different expired date were found in the walk-in cooler. The dietary manager from the corporate office confirmed that dietary aides were responsible for checking and discarding expired food items but had not done so in this instance. Additionally, a wet kitchen sanitation cloth was found left on the food preparation counter rather than being stored in the sanitizing solution as required by facility policy. Facility documentation and policies reviewed by surveyors indicated that all towels must be returned to the sanitation bucket after use and that food products must be rotated and discarded by their expiration dates. The observed failures to discard expired milk and to properly store the sanitation cloth were not in accordance with these established procedures and had the potential to affect all 150 residents receiving food from the kitchen.