Deficient Food Storage, Sanitation, and Cross-Contamination Prevention
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure safe food storage, preparation, and sanitation practices in accordance with professional standards. During a kitchen inspection, a container of turkey labeled with a use-by date nearly two months past was found in the reach-in cooler, and the Dietary Manager confirmed it should have been discarded. Additionally, the sanitizing solution in the pot/pan sink was tested and found to be below the required concentration for effective sanitation, with the Dietary Manager acknowledging the deficiency. Further observations revealed improper handling of wiping cloths during meal service. In both the dining room kitchenette and the main kitchen, cooks used wiping cloths to clean plates and then placed the soiled cloths on the counter instead of in a sanitizing solution, as required by facility policy. The Dietary Manager confirmed these practices and stated that the cloths should have been kept in sanitizing solution between uses to prevent cross-contamination.