Improper Food Storage and Handling Practices Identified
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple instances where food was not stored in accordance with professional standards. During a kitchen tour, open bags of lettuce with expired dates, undated open bags of hard-boiled eggs, and expired yogurt containers were found in refrigerators. Additionally, cheese was found in a container with an outdated open date. In dry storage, several open bags of food items, including gravy mix, lemonade mix, gluten free flour, egg noodles, tri-colored noodles, and cake mix, were found undated. Staff interviews confirmed that the facility's expectation was for all open food items to be dated and expired food to be discarded, which was not followed in these instances. Further observations during meal service revealed improper food handling practices. A Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) was seen using metal tongs to serve bread and then using bare hands to replace the lid, touching both the tongs and the lid handle throughout the service. Another CDM was observed handling sandwiches with bare hands after performing hand hygiene, removing them from the refrigerator, and placing them on a plate for a resident. The Registered Dietitian (RD) acknowledged witnessing bare hand contact with food and expressed concerns about cross-contamination due to improper use of tongs and bare hands. Facility policy required all foods to be covered, labeled, and dated, which was not consistently followed.