Failure to Properly Label, Date, and Store Food Items
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures in the facility's food storage and handling practices during their review of the kitchen. In the dry food pantry, a large plastic container of rice was found without a label or date, and opened bags of potato and tortilla chips were wrapped in plastic wrap but not dated or properly stored according to facility policy. In the refrigerator, two opened bags of bread were not labeled, dated, or properly stored; a container of white gravy was covered with plastic wrap that had a large hole; chopped meat and an opened pack of deli meat were not labeled or dated; and a large bowl of chocolate pudding was uncovered and not labeled or dated. In the walk-in freezer, an opened bag with meat patties, two opened packs of hamburger buns, and a large roll of ground beef were all found without labels or dates. Interviews with dietary staff and the dietary manager confirmed that all kitchen staff were responsible for labeling and dating food items, and that opened or unused products should be placed in sealed containers or bags, labeled, and dated. The dietary manager, who had only been at the facility for three days, acknowledged the need for staff education on proper labeling and dating. Facility policies reviewed by surveyors required that all perishable and bulk foods be covered, labeled, and dated, and that leftover and refrigerated foods be stored in covered containers, clearly labeled and dated, and used within specified timeframes. These requirements were not followed, as evidenced by the observations and staff interviews.