Failure to Maintain Sanitary Kitchen and Adhere to Food Safety Standards
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen environment and did not adhere to professional standards for food storage, preparation, and service. Observations revealed that food items in the pantry, such as an open bag of penne pasta, were not labeled with an open date as required. Staff were observed not wearing appropriate hair restraints, including beard restraints, while preparing food, and it was confirmed that beard restraints were unavailable at the time. Additionally, the kitchen's air conditioner vents were found to be unsanitary, covered in a black substance, and there was uncertainty regarding the last time they had been cleaned. Further deficiencies were identified in the dish sanitization process. A dietary aide was observed failing to properly sanitize dishes using the 3-compartment sink, with the sanitization strip being non-reactive on two attempts and the sanitization hose placed in the wrong compartment. The chemical sanitizer was not mixed to the proper concentration, and there was no evidence that water temperature or sanitizer levels were checked or recorded as required. Review of dishwasher temperature logs also revealed missing entries for multiple dates. These failures had the potential to affect all 115 residents who received meals from the kitchen.