Milk Not Maintained at Safe Temperature During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that 20 cups of milk, including thickened and boxed milk, were maintained at or below the required temperature of 41 degrees Fahrenheit during meal service. During a kitchen observation, the milk was found placed on top of plastic trays at room temperature, with measured temperatures of 57°F for thickened milk and 47.8°F for boxed milk. The milk had been removed from the chiller at 7:00 AM and left out on trays as the meal service began, without being placed on ice. The kitchen staff reported that milk was not placed on ice during breakfast because the kitchen was perceived as not being as hot during that time, despite the kitchen temperature being recorded at 81.5°F during the observation. A review of the facility's policy and procedure indicated that cold foods should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer and only pulled out in small quantities as close to serving time as possible to ensure temperatures remain below 41°F. The policy also required periodic monitoring of food temperatures throughout meal service. The observed practice of leaving milk out at room temperature and not monitoring or maintaining the required cold holding temperature was inconsistent with the facility's established procedures.