Failure to Maintain Sanitary Food Preparation and Storage Practices
Penalty
Summary
Dietary staff failed to follow safe and sanitary food preparation practices in the kitchen. One dietary aide was observed rinsing soiled dishes and loading them into the dish machine while wearing gloves, then removing the soiled gloves and immediately handling clean, sanitized dishes without washing hands. The aide acknowledged not washing hands could contaminate clean dishes, and the dietary supervisor confirmed that proper hand hygiene was not followed due to a second staff member being late. Facility policy and FDA Food Code require handwashing after handling soiled equipment and before touching clean items. The kitchen environment was not maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. The coffee machine's glass gauge pipe was found to be stained with dark brown residue, and neither the dietary supervisor nor the cook could locate the special brush required for cleaning it. The cleaning schedule did not specify cleaning the gauge and pipe, and the cook was unaware of how to clean this part of the machine. Additionally, the dry storage area had a dirty floor with food particles, and an open, unsealed bag of pasta was found on the shelf. The dietary supervisor confirmed these conditions and stated that all packages should be sealed and storage areas kept clean to prevent contamination. During tray line service, several serving plates were observed to be dirty with dried food stains. The cook did not notice the dirty plates before service, and the dietary supervisor confirmed the plates were not clean and should have been scrubbed and rinsed before being loaded into the dish machine. Facility policy and FDA Food Code require that food only contact surfaces that are cleaned and sanitized, and the presence of dirty dishes and equipment in the kitchen was directly observed by surveyors.