Failure to Label and Date Food Items in Kitchen and Storage Areas
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple food storage and labeling deficiencies in the facility's kitchen and dining areas. Approximately 20 salad dressing packets were found in a cooler without expiration dates, and the Dietary Manager confirmed there was no written record of product rotation to verify their freshness. In the walk-in cooler, open boxes of assorted cheesecake slices, carrot cake, a container of cupcakes, and cookie dough were found without any labels or dates. An open bag of shredded cheese was observed with an expired discard date, and the Dietary Manager acknowledged it should have been discarded. Additionally, in the reach-in freezer, open boxes containing hamburger patties and hot dogs were found exposed to air, covered in frost, and lacking labels or dates. Nine eggs were also found in a container in the salad cooler without any labeling or dating. Interviews with the Dietary Manager and the DON confirmed that all residents in the facility were served food prepared in the kitchen where these deficiencies were observed. The facility's current policy, provided by the Administrator, requires all food to be labeled, dated, and discarded appropriately, with specific instructions to label and date food as soon as original packaging is broken. The observed practices did not align with this policy, resulting in the cited deficiency.