Failure to Label and Date Food Items in Main Kitchen Refrigerator
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to adhere to professional standards of food safety and sanitation in the main kitchen. Specifically, multiple food items stored in the walk-in refrigerator—including ham salad, cubed chicken, halved tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and diced onions—were found to be unlabeled and undated. These observations were made during a walkthrough with the Food Service Director (FSD), who confirmed that all food items should have been labeled and dated according to facility policy and FDA Food Code requirements. The facility's policy and the FDA Food Code both require that prepared and ready-to-eat foods stored for more than 24 hours be clearly marked with the date of preparation or opening, and that such foods be discarded after a specified period. The FSD acknowledged during the interview that the undated food items should have been discarded, indicating a lapse in following established food storage protocols. No information about specific residents or their conditions was provided in the report.