Failure to Maintain Safe Food Temperatures During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to ensure that food temperatures were maintained at safe levels during meal service, as required by facility policy and professional standards. During observation of the noon meal service, a dietary staff member prepared pureed food items for a resident on a pureed diet, placing the items in small bowls covered with tin foil and setting them on top of the steam table rather than inside it. The staff member did not check the temperatures of these pureed foods prior to serving. When prompted, the temperatures of the pureed peas and carrots, cheesy potatoes, and cornflake chicken were found to be 110°F, 105°F, and 122°F, respectively, all below the required minimum of 135°F for safe service. Interviews with the dietary staff and manager confirmed that the pureed food items were not properly temped before service and were not stored in a manner that would maintain appropriate temperatures. The dietary manager stated that pureed foods should be kept inside the steam table and that temperatures should be checked and documented before serving. The failure to follow these procedures had the potential to affect one resident who consumed food from the kitchen, out of a total census of 34 residents.