Deficient Kitchen Sanitation and Food Safety Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain proper sanitation and food safety practices in the main kitchen, as evidenced by multiple observations during a kitchen tour. Surveyors found that the kitchen was not clean or sanitary, with greasy and dusty vents, a yellow puddle of unidentified liquid under a shelf, and used aprons stored next to clean dishes. Additional issues included shelves covered in dust and sticky residue, an uncovered trashcan with food splatters, greasy and dirty equipment, a leaking sink, and various appliances with caked-on food and grime. The ice machine, coffee machine, and juice machine were also found to be dirty, and there was a buildup of dark substances on baseboards and drains throughout the kitchen. Further deficiencies were noted in the storage and handling of food items. Surveyors observed two dented cans of tuna and one dented can of mushrooms stored on a shelf in the dry storage area, rather than being removed and segregated as required by food safety regulations. Staff interviews confirmed that these cans should have been removed from storage and either discarded or returned to the vendor, but this procedure was not followed. Additionally, the facility failed to ensure that food items were properly labeled and dated. Several opened or repackaged food items, including a container of dark brown food, a jar of jalapenos, a bag of pancake mix, a plate of carrots, a container of taco shells, a package of pepperoni, and a tray of lettuce, were found without labels or dates in the dry storage and refrigerators. Staff acknowledged that all food should be labeled with the name and date, and that unlabeled items should be discarded, but this was not consistently done.