Deficient Food Storage, Labelling, and Sanitation Practices in Dietary Services
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure safe and sanitary food storage and preparation practices in the kitchen, as evidenced by multiple observations and interviews. Surveyors found expired food items, such as pudding and strawberries, in the kitchen refrigerator, as well as unlabelled containers of cooked foods like fish sticks, cream soup, and meatloaf. The ice machine and water dispenser trays were observed to be dirty, and the residents' outside food storage refrigerator and freezer were found to be unclean, with old and dried food present. The refrigerator temperature was above 40 degrees, and some food items, including yogurt and sausages, were not properly labelled with expiration dates or use-by instructions. Interviews with dietary staff and supervisors revealed that the required cooling down method for hazardous foods was not consistently followed. One dietary cook admitted to not using the cool down method for recently prepared meatloaf and tuna, despite having received training on the procedure. Record reviews confirmed the absence of documentation for the cooling process of several cooked items, including meatloaf, soups, and fish sticks. The Registered Dietician confirmed that dietary staff are expected to follow the cool down method and that failure to do so could result in residents consuming unsafe food. Further interviews indicated a lack of clarity and consistency regarding staff responsibilities for food labelling, discarding expired foods, and cleaning equipment. The Maintenance Supervisor stated that he cleans the ice machine and water dispenser daily and the residents' refrigerator every three days, but there were no cleaning logs or policies for the water dispenser. Facility policies required labelling, dating, and timely discarding of food, as well as routine cleaning of the ice machine, but these procedures were not consistently implemented or documented.