Improper Cleaning of Food Thermometers in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that kitchen staff properly cleaned food thermometers before and after use, resulting in a deficiency related to food safety and sanitation. During observation of a lunch meal service, the cook was seen cleaning the thermometer by poking it through the middle of an alcohol wipe and its packaging, then running the wipe and packaging up and down the probe. This method was repeated multiple times for different food items, including beans, pureed quesadillas, and sour cream. The alcohol wipe was not fully opened, and the packaging was in contact with the thermometer probe during cleaning, which does not meet professional standards or the facility's own policy for cleaning food-contact equipment. Interviews with the cook and the dietary manager revealed that both staff members had been taught to clean thermometers in this improper manner, using the alcohol wipe and its packaging rather than opening the wipe and cleaning the probe without the packaging touching it. The dietary manager demonstrated the same incorrect technique during the interview. The facility's policy and state regulations require that food-contact surfaces and utensils, including thermometers, be cleaned to sight and touch, and that thermometers be cleaned, rinsed, sanitized, and air-dried before and after use. These requirements were not followed, as observed and confirmed through staff interviews.