Failure to Maintain Sanitary Food Handling During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
During the midday meal service, a staff member was observed handling food and food service items in a manner that did not comply with sanitary standards. The staff member used gloved hands to retrieve scoops, metal containers, and other kitchen items, and then, without removing the gloves or performing hand hygiene, used the same gloved hands to lift pieces of cornbread from a tray and place them onto residents' plates. The Certified Dietary Manager confirmed that tongs should have been used for this task. Additionally, the staff member was seen touching the interior food surfaces of bowls and plates with her fingers and thumb while preparing meal plates for residents. Further observations revealed that after doffing gloves, the staff member donned a new pair without performing hand hygiene and resumed preparing meal plates. The Certified Dietary Manager acknowledged that the staff member should not have touched the interior surfaces of the serving dishes. Review of the facility's policy on maintaining a sanitary tray line indicated that staff are required to use utensils to handle food, perform hand hygiene before and after glove use, and change gloves when switching activities or food types. These procedures were not followed during the observed meal service.