Failure to Serve Palatable and Properly Heated Food
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food and drink were served to residents at palatable, attractive, and safe temperatures, as required by both facility policy and federal regulations. During the survey, a cognitively intact resident reported that her only concern was that the food was always cold, stating that it would be good if it wasn't consistently served at a low temperature. The surveyor confirmed this concern by receiving a test tray with scrambled eggs at 88.3°F, bacon at 77.5°F, toast with unmelted butter at 74.8°F, and oatmeal at 124°F, all of which were below the required serving temperatures. The milk was served at 34.5°F, which is within an acceptable range for cold beverages. The surveyor found the hot foods to be cold, tasteless, and unappetizing. Interviews with staff confirmed the expectation that hot foods should be served at appropriate temperatures, with the Dietary Manager acknowledging that the test tray foods were not at the required temperatures. The Dietary Manager noted that the facility uses insulated carts and heated plates but identified that the lack of warmers in the carts and delays in tray delivery by nursing staff contributed to the issue. The Dietary Manager was aware of ongoing complaints about cold food and had offered residents options to eat in the dining room or request replacement trays, but the deficiency persisted at the time of the survey.