Unsanitary Food Preparation and Storage Conditions Identified
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures in the facility's kitchen and kitchenette regarding the preparation and serving of food under sanitary conditions. During an initial tour, they found a stationary can opener covered in a sticky, thick substance, two machines used for pureeing food with dried food and liquids, and a microwave oven with dried food and liquids both inside and outside. Four cutting boards had deep grooves, making them unsanitizable, and cabinet doors and handles throughout the kitchen had dried food, liquids, and a sticky buildup. Inside the cabinets, kitchen supplies rested on surfaces with a sticky, unknown substance. A three-tiered metal cart holding clean dishes and utensils had food debris on all layers, and eight plastic containers for utensils had sticky substances on the lids. Carts used to transport fluids to residents also had food debris, and containers of dry cereal had dusty lids. In the reach-in freezer, a five-gallon container of sherbet ice cream was uncovered and undated, an empty gallon container of vanilla ice cream was undated, and the freezer doors had dried food and liquid. Additionally, one freezer had three boxes of food with heavy ice buildup. In the kitchenette, the hand-washing sink was visibly dirty with a brown substance and trash, and the microwave had dried food and liquid inside and out. The trash can was covered in dried food and liquid, and the freezer contained three open containers of ice cream that were unlabeled and undated, with food debris and hair on the bottom shelf. The two-door cabinet also had dried food and liquids. Dietary staff confirmed these concerns. Facility policies required proper labeling of foods stored for more than 24 hours and regular cleaning of kitchen equipment and surfaces, but these were not followed as observed during the survey.