Deficient Food Storage and Sanitation Practices in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures in the facility's kitchen regarding food storage and preparation practices. Leftover tuna was found stored in the refrigerator past its used-by date, and a plate of salad was present without any used-by or expiration date. Several food items, including a large container of dry spaghetti and sour cream, were found with expired dates, and some items had no expiration or used-by dates at all. Additionally, a staff member's personal water bottle was stored in the residents' kitchen refrigerator, and a leaking pipe under the sink was being managed with a green bucket to catch water. The kitchen also contained a container of sour cream that was curdled with clear liquid, and a container of prepared tuna without an expiration date. Dietary staff interviewed were unaware of proper storage times for prepared tuna and did not know the location of the maintenance log. Further inspection revealed that multiple food items were not labeled with expiration or used-by dates, and expired items were not disposed of as required. The kitchen environment was also found to be unsanitary, with debris collecting on the paper towel dispenser, an unclean handwashing/eye washing station sink, and six cutting knives that were not clean. Eight out of seventeen resident trays were noted to be cracked and chipped. The facility's policy requires all refrigerated and frozen foods to be covered, labeled, and dated, and for foods to be monitored and discarded by their used-by dates, but these procedures were not followed.