Failure to Maintain Food Service Equipment and Properly Date Mark Perishables
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to effectively clean and maintain food service equipment and did not properly date mark all potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food products. During a tour of the food service areas, two unopened half-gallon containers of milk with expired manufacturer's use-by dates were found in a satellite kitchenette refrigerator. Additionally, the ice dispensing spout of an ice machine was found with accumulated and encrusted mineral deposits, and a coffee machine was observed to have accumulated and encrusted food residue on its dispensing spouts, undersplash, backsplash, and drip tray assembly. The Director of Food and Beverage confirmed that the coffee machine was supposed to be cleaned daily. Record reviews of facility policies revealed that kitchenettes and equipment such as juice, cocoa, coffee makers, and ice machines were to be cleaned and sanitized regularly by staff, and that all perishable items were to be labeled with item name, employee initials, date and time of preparation, and use-by date. The policies also required that perishables be stored in a manner that maintains safety and freshness, and that date marking should follow a 'day of plus six' system. These practices were not consistently followed, as evidenced by the observations of expired milk and unclean equipment.