Multiple Food Safety and Sanitation Deficiencies in Dietary Services
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. Observations revealed that tuna and chicken salad sandwiches did not reach safe internal serving temperatures, with measurements showing temperatures well above the required 41°F for cold foods. The sandwiches were prepared hours before serving and attempts to cool them down were unsuccessful, as internal temperatures remained above safe levels. Additionally, the kitchen environment was excessively warm, with thermometer readings as high as 90°F, and food items such as bread were stored in these conditions. Staff were observed not following proper hygiene and food safety protocols. Food preparers and dishwashers were not wearing required aprons, and there was no touch-free garbage can by the handwashing sink, leading to potential hand contamination. Internal food temperatures were not consistently monitored prior to transporting meals to residents, and logs for cold storage and kitchen temperatures were not completed as required. Wet pots and pans were stacked without air drying, and the three-compartment sink manual dishwashing process was not performed correctly, with items not being fully submerged in sanitizer for the required time. Further deficiencies included improper use of the food production sink, where a dietary aide rinsed dirty pans instead of using the designated three-compartment sink. The facility's policies and procedures outlined correct practices for food cooling, dishwashing, sanitation, and storage, but these were not followed. These failures placed the majority of residents who received facility-prepared foods at risk for foodborne illness, as stated in the report.