Food Safety and Sanitation Deficiencies in Kitchen and Storage Areas
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain food safety and sanitation practices in the kitchen as required by facility policy and professional standards. One kitchen staff member entered the kitchen without performing hand hygiene and proceeded to handle both dirty and clean items, including trays and cups, without washing her hands. This was observed by the Food and Dietary Manager, who confirmed that handwashing should have occurred upon entering the kitchen and between handling soiled and clean items, as outlined in both the facility's policy and the 2022 US FDA Food Code. Another deficiency was observed when a different kitchen staff member used an improper method to clean and sanitize a thermometer probe after checking the temperature of cooked fish. Instead of using thermometer wipes or a sanitizer specifically intended for thermometer probes, the staff member dipped the probe into a sanitizer bucket meant for cleaning kitchen surfaces and wiped it with a towel. Both the Registered Dietitian Operations Manager and the staff member acknowledged that this was not the correct procedure and could lead to cross-contamination, as the sanitizer in the red bucket was not intended for food-contact equipment. Additional issues were found in the storage and labeling of food items. Several dry storage food items were not labeled or dated, and dented canned goods were not removed from storage. There were also expired food items present in both the dry storage and refrigerator areas. The Food and Dietary Manager confirmed that all stored food should be labeled, dated, and that expired or damaged items should be discarded according to facility policy and the FDA Food Code. These failures in food storage and handling practices exposed residents to the risk of consuming contaminated or unsafe food.