Failure to Date Opened Food Items in Kitchen and Storage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food items stored in the kitchen and dry storage room were properly dated once opened, as required by facility policy. During observations, surveyors found an opened 10-pound bag of pasta in the dry storage room that was not labeled with an open date. In the kitchen refrigerator, two opened 5-pound bags of cheese, one containing parmesan and the other a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella, were also found without open dates. Additionally, approximately ten pounds of flour and twenty-five pounds of rice in the kitchen were observed to be opened and not labeled with an open date. Interviews with the Dietary Manager and the DON confirmed that all open food items in the kitchen should be labeled with a date once they are opened, in accordance with the facility's policy. The lack of proper labeling and dating of opened food items was directly observed by surveyors and acknowledged by facility staff.
Plan Of Correction
Opened, unlabeled food items in the dry storage room, the kitchen refrigerator, and the kitchen were immediately discarded. Any resident admitted to the facility who receives a meal has the ability to be affected by this alleged deficient practice. A baseline audit of food stored in the dry storage room and in the kitchen has been completed to ensure any opened food item has been labeled with an open date. The Dietary Manager re-educated dietary staff that food items stored in the dry storage area, in the kitchen, and in the kitchen refrigerator are to be labeled with an open date upon opening of the food item. The Dietary Manager/designee will audit the dry storage area, the kitchen, and the kitchen refrigerator to ensure open food items are labeled with an open date weekly times six weeks and then monthly times four months and then reviewed by the Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Committee for results, areas of improvement, and/or continuation of audits. Results of these audits will be reviewed in Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement times six months or until substantial compliance is noted.