Failure to Properly Store and Label Dehydrated Milk in Food Storage Area
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to follow its own policy and professional standards regarding food storage, preparation, distribution, and serving. During an inspection of the dry food storage area, an opened plastic container was found containing an unsealed bag of dehydrated milk. The bag was not labeled or dated to indicate when it was opened or its expiration date. The Dietary Supervisor confirmed the presence of the unsealed, unlabeled, and undated bag during the observation and interview. A review of the facility's policy and procedures on Food Receiving and Storage, revised in November 2022, indicated that dry foods stored in bins should be removed from their original packaging, labeled, and dated with a use-by date. The Dietary Supervisor acknowledged that the bag of dehydrated milk should have been sealed, labeled, and dated to prevent contamination and spoilage, and stated that the product needed to be discarded due to the risk of contamination.