Failure to Properly Store, Label, and Cover Food Items in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures in the facility's only kitchen regarding the storage, preparation, and handling of food items. Specifically, frozen French fries in the walk-in freezer were not dated, and frozen southern style biscuit dough was left uncovered in a plastic bag inside an open cardboard box. In the dry storage area, three hamburger buns wrapped in a plastic bag were found without any date or label. These observations were confirmed through interviews with the Dietary Manager, a cook, and a dietary aide, all of whom acknowledged that food items should be dated, labeled, and covered according to facility policy and professional standards. The facility's policy on food safety and the FDA Food Code require that all food items removed from their original packaging be labeled with the common name, open date, and discard date, and be stored in leak-proof, pest-proof containers with tight-fitting lids. Staff interviews revealed that responsibility for proper food storage was shared among all kitchen staff, including the Dietary Manager, cooks, and dietary aides. The staff recognized that failure to properly store food could result in food spoilage and increased risk of illness, and acknowledged that the observed deficiencies did not meet the facility's stated expectations or regulatory requirements.