Deficient Food Handling, Storage, and Sanitation Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper handling, storage, and monitoring of food and dairy products, leading to multiple deficiencies. Opened milk was observed being served to residents well beyond the recommended seven-day usage period after opening, with one instance of milk being used ten days after opening and another instance where the milk was past its commercial 'best by' date. Staff members were unclear about the correct procedures for dating and discarding milk, and the contracted dietary manager confirmed that milk should be used or discarded within seven days of opening. Additionally, the facility's labeling and dating policy required all time/temperature control for safety foods to be labeled and dated, but this was not consistently followed. The unit refrigerator was inadequately monitored for temperature and food quality. The temperature log had not been updated for over two weeks, and the refrigerator contained expired, undated, and moldy food items, including gravy, stew, rice, and biscuits. Staff interviews revealed a lack of clarity regarding responsibility for monitoring the refrigerator, with both dietary and nursing staff expressing uncertainty. The refrigerator was used for resident food items, some of which were brought in by family members, but there was no consistent process for checking dates or discarding expired items, as required by facility policy. During kitchen observations, staff were found not wearing required hairnets or beard nets while preparing and serving food. There were also issues with food storage, such as scoops being left in flour bins, personal water bottles stored in freezers with resident food, and opened cheese packages not being dated or properly sealed. Additionally, metal pans were stacked while still wet, with condensation observed between them, contrary to the facility's warewashing policy. These actions and inactions directly contributed to the deficiencies identified during the survey.