Failure to Properly Store, Date, and Monitor Food Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors found that the facility failed to ensure proper food storage, dating, and temperature monitoring in the kitchen, affecting all residents. During observation, multiple food items in both the reach-in and walk-in refrigerators were found without dates, including salads, butter, cheese, fruit cocktail, shredded lettuce, turkey breast, pudding cups, and cut watermelon. Some items were past their expiration dates, such as cottage cheese and sour cream. Dietary staff confirmed that undated or expired food should be discarded, and that all foods must be labeled and dated according to facility policy. Additionally, review of refrigerator and freezer temperature logs revealed multiple missing entries for both June and July, with dietary staff unable to locate current temperature records. Food temperature logs for prepared meals also had multiple missing entries, particularly for evening meals. Interviews with residents revealed frequent complaints about the quality and temperature of the food, with several stating that meals were often served cold, overcooked, or inedible. Certified Nurse Aides corroborated these complaints, noting that residents regularly left food uneaten and that staff had to address kitchen errors. Review of facility policies confirmed the requirement for food to be covered, labeled, and dated, and for temperatures to be recorded and monitored. The lack of adherence to these procedures led to the deficiency cited by surveyors.