Failure to Maintain Sanitary Food Storage and Preparation Standards
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures to maintain sanitary dietary standards in the facility's kitchen and dining area kitchenette. The dietary manager was not wearing a hair net, and dishes were not stored inverted as required. The steam table and refrigerator had visible dried food and sticky, dirty handles. Inside the refrigerator, several food items, including goulash, mixed vegetables, Cool Whip, sour cream, cucumbers, and cut-up lettuce, were found undated and open. The freezer contained undated and unlabeled hamburger patties, French fries, and chicken strips, all open to air. Sugar and flour bins on the floor were open, undated, and had old food particles and sticky substances. The ice machine in the dining area kitchenette had a dark brown substance along the spout and drain, and a bucket under the kitchen cabinet contained a black substance surrounded by dead bugs. The refrigerator temperature log was outdated, and food items in the refrigerator and freezer were undated and unlabeled. Flies were observed on plates and bowls, and dried eggs were present on the steam table. Interviews with dietary staff revealed a lack of knowledge regarding proper dating and labeling of food, as well as uncertainty about cleaning responsibilities for certain areas and equipment. Staff admitted to being short-staffed and behind on cleaning and temperature logging. The facility's policies required head coverings, regular cleaning, and clear assignment of cleaning tasks, but these were not being followed. These actions and inactions resulted in unsanitary food storage, preparation, and serving conditions, placing residents at risk for food-borne illness.