Deficient Food Storage, Preparation, and Sanitation Practices
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple deficiencies in the facility's food storage, preparation, and sanitation practices. The walk-in freezer was found to be operating at temperatures above freezing, with the thermometer reading 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and food items such as shrimp, crabmeat, and pasta observed to be soft and not frozen. Despite temperature logs indicating appropriate freezing temperatures, staff confirmed that the food had been soft for some time and that the logs did not match their observations. The Maintenance Director had been monitoring the freezer due to ongoing mechanical issues but did not document repairs, and the Food Service Director was not notified of the problem until the surveyor's visit. In the dry storage area, several food items were found to be improperly labeled, undated, or expired. Open bags of split peas, rice, pasta, and taco shells were not dated when opened or securely stored, and some items, such as food coloring, were significantly past their expiration date. The Registered Dietician confirmed that all food items should be labeled with the date opened, stored securely, and not be expired. Dietary staff were observed failing to follow proper hand hygiene and glove use protocols. One cook was seen touching ready-to-eat food, his clothing, and various surfaces without changing gloves or washing hands between tasks. Diet Aids were observed washing their hands but then turning off the faucet with clean hands, potentially re-contaminating them. Additionally, the dish machine was being tested with expired and incorrect test strips, and sanitation buckets used for cleaning were not being tested to ensure proper sanitizer concentration. The Food Service Director was unaware of these lapses until informed by the surveyor.