Deficient Food Safety and Sanitation Practices in Kitchen and Ice Handling
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper food safety and sanitation practices in the kitchen and food service areas. During observations, undated food items such as shredded lettuce and English peas were found in the walk-in cooler, and the Dietary Manager confirmed these items were not labeled or dated. The kitchen environment was noted to be unclean, with dust and grease accumulation on a portable air conditioning unit, vents, and behind cooking equipment. Ceiling tiles throughout the kitchen were discolored and stained, with one tile sagging above the vent hood. Additionally, temperature logs for the dish machine were incomplete, with no records for two consecutive days prior to dishwashing. The kitchen was also found to be excessively warm due to a non-functioning air conditioner, with a thermostat reading of 84 degrees, and a large fan used for cooling was covered in sticky dust. Maintenance issues, including the broken air conditioning, were not documented in the facility's maintenance request system. Further deficiencies were observed in the handling and storage of ice. An uncovered and visibly dirty ice scoop was found in a cracked and broken container on the ice chest cart. The Assistant Director of Nursing acknowledged the condition of the scoop and container, noting that the scoop should be covered and the container replaced. The Administrator later confirmed awareness of the issue and stated that new ice scoops and containers had been ordered. These deficiencies had the potential to affect all 77 residents receiving oral diets from the kitchen, as they could be exposed to foodborne illness due to improper food storage, unsanitary kitchen conditions, and inadequate ice handling practices.