Failure to Serve Food and Drinks at Safe and Appetizing Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that foods and drinks were served at safe and appetizing temperatures, as evidenced by multiple resident complaints and direct observation. Several residents reported that their food was consistently cold or lukewarm. During a test tray investigation, it was observed that the last tray was plated and placed on an enclosed meal delivery cart, then delivered to the hallway. Upon removal from the cart, the temperatures of the scrambled eggs, sausage, and orange juice were measured and found to be 101°F, 120°F, and 48°F, respectively. These temperatures did not meet the facility's policy or professional standards, which require hot foods to be above 140°F and cold foods/drinks to be below 41°F. The Certified Dietary Manager confirmed during an interview that the measured temperatures were not within the acceptable range for safe food service. Review of facility policy and the Room Test Tray Evaluation Form further supported that food and beverages must be distributed in a manner that maintains proper temperatures and prevents them from being held in the danger zone (40°F-140°F) for more than four hours. The failure to maintain appropriate food and drink temperatures was substantiated by both resident interviews and direct temperature measurements during meal service.