Cold Food Served Above Safe Temperature
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a palatable diet by serving cold food, specifically fruit salad, at a temperature significantly above the recommended safe range. On the day of observation, the fruit salad was prepared and plated at 11:45 a.m., with the facility's temperature log showing it was 38 degrees Fahrenheit at 11:50 a.m. However, the individual bowls of fruit salad were left on the counter and not refrigerated. When lunch was served to residents in the memory care unit, the fruit salad had reached a temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit. Staff interviews confirmed that the fruit salad was intended to be served cold and should have been kept at or below 41 degrees Fahrenheit, as per facility policy and food safety guidelines. Seventeen residents in the memory care unit were potentially affected by this practice. Staff, including the dietary aide and culinary director, acknowledged that the fruit salad was not refrigerated after plating and that serving it at 60 degrees was inappropriate for a cold item. The director of nursing also stated that cold food should not be left on the counter for extended periods, as it would warm up and could pose a risk. Facility documentation confirmed that cold foods should be maintained at 41 degrees or below, and the observed practice did not meet these standards.