Deficient Food Storage, Labeling, and Temperature Documentation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store and prepare food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. During observations in the main kitchen and unit kitchens, surveyors found multiple instances of expired food items not being discarded, including expired pork loin chops, smoked sausage, and instant oatmeal. Additionally, several food containers and bags were not labeled with expiration or best-by dates, and some containers held unidentified or improperly stored food items, such as brown bread placed on top of brown sugar. The Director of Nutrition Services (DNS) confirmed that some labeling practices were based on when items were placed in containers, and that dry goods were rotated every two weeks, but this did not ensure proper tracking or removal of expired items. In the walk-in cooler, a large bag of shredded mozzarella cheese was found without an expiration date, and the DNS was unable to provide this information. Unlabeled and undated containers of prepared food were also observed. Review of facility policies and position descriptions indicated that all stored food should be labeled and dated, and that staff are responsible for following health department guidelines for safe food handling and storage. However, these procedures were not consistently followed, as evidenced by the presence of expired and unlabeled food items in storage areas. The facility also failed to consistently record the temperatures of cooked potentially hazardous foods after cooking. While staff took temperatures of foods such as chicken after cooking, they did not document these temperatures, following a recent management directive to only record temperatures before food was transported to dining units. Temperature logs were incomplete or missing for several days, and some logs were found discarded in the garbage. Staff interviews confirmed that temperature documentation practices had changed and that there was confusion about where and when to record food temperatures. Facility policies required that potentially hazardous foods be cooked to appropriate temperatures and that these temperatures be documented, but these requirements were not met.