Failure to Serve Food at Safe and Palatable Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food was served at a palatable and safe temperature for all 14 residents reviewed. Multiple residents reported that their food was delivered cold, including one resident with cellulitis and another with hypertension. Resident council meeting minutes from three consecutive months documented repeated concerns from several residents about food being served cold. A test tray delivered after all residents on one hall received their meals showed food temperatures below the required holding temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit, with pizza ranging from 110 to 134.9 degrees Fahrenheit and cobbler from 99.4 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The Dietary Resource Manager confirmed that holding temperatures should be at least 135 degrees. Facility policy stated that trays should be delivered promptly to ensure food is served at a preferable temperature and to preserve quality, but this was not followed.