Deficient Food Service Safety and Sanitation Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain professional standards for food service safety, as evidenced by multiple observations of unclean kitchen equipment and improper food handling. During a kitchen tour, clean utensil bins were found to contain utensils with dried food debris, and clean pots and pans had stuck-on food and faded date stickers that should have been removed during washing. Large sheet pans stored under a preparation table were observed with encrusted grease, and the Dietary Manager acknowledged that staff often rely solely on the dish machine rather than scrubbing by hand. Additionally, the seal gasket on a refrigeration unit was not properly attached, compromising its ability to maintain a good seal. Improper storage and handling of ice and ice scoops were also noted. An ice chest used for water pass was found full of ice with no drainage for melted water, and ice scoops in two pantries were stored right side up in their holders, contrary to best practices for air drying and contamination prevention. The facility did not regularly log cooling for food saved from service, and sausage patties from breakfast were left in a tightly covered container on a preparation table before being moved to a cooler, where their temperature was found to be 88°F, indicating improper cooling procedures. Further deficiencies included a kitchen chemical closet with a four-way splitter on the faucet, causing constant back pressure on the internal vacuum breaker, and two spray bottles of quaternary ammonium sanitizer in the dish machine area with concentrations around 500 ppm. These findings demonstrate a lack of adherence to FDA Food Code requirements for equipment cleanliness, food cooling, utensil storage, plumbing maintenance, and chemical sanitizer use.