Failure to Date and Discard Expired Food Items in Kitchen Storage
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to ensure that opened food items in the walk-in refrigerator and freezer were properly dated and labeled, and did not discard food items that were past their best if used by date. During an observation, several food items, including pies, French toast, bread products, hashbrowns, and bananas, were found without open or use-by dates, and some were expired. Additionally, a box of bananas was observed with some bananas peeled and flies present. Interviews with the Dietary Manager, National Director of Dining, and Certified Dietitian confirmed that all food items should have been labeled with open and use-by dates, as required by the facility's Food Receiving and Storage policy. The failure to follow these procedures was directly observed and acknowledged by staff, affecting the food provided to 101 residents receiving oral diets from the kitchen.