Expired Food and Improper Labeling of Opened Supplement Drink
Penalty
Summary
During a kitchen inspection, surveyors observed a one-gallon container of lemon juice stored in the kitchen refrigerator that was labeled with an expiration date that had already passed. The container was half full and had not been discarded as required by facility policy, which mandates that expired foods are not to be used in food production or served to residents. The kitchen manager acknowledged the oversight when questioned and confirmed that the expired product should have been removed from storage. Additionally, in a resident-accessible refrigerator on the fourth floor, surveyors found an opened supplement drink that was not labeled with the date it was opened. When asked, a registered nurse confirmed that the supplement should have been labeled with the opened-on date in accordance with facility procedures. These findings indicate that staff did not consistently follow established protocols for food labeling and storage.