Deficient Food Storage, Sanitation, and Staff Hygiene in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain sanitary conditions in food storage, preparation, and service areas, as evidenced by multiple observations and record reviews. In the kitchen's dry storage and refrigerator, numerous food items such as granulated garlic, fruit cups, pizza slices, bread, seasonings, cereals, and prepared foods were found opened, undated, and in some cases unsealed or exposed to air. The facility's own food safety policy required all food items to be labeled, dated, and stored in a manner that protects them from contamination, but these procedures were not followed. The Dietary Manager confirmed that all food items should be labeled, dated, and protected from air and contamination. The kitchen environment was observed to be unclean, with stains and spatters on the walls, food particles on the microwave, black debris around stove burners, white splashes on the oven, buildup on baseboards, and crumbs and splatter on food preparation surfaces. A sugar container was found with a lid that did not fit and brownish debris inside. The facility's cleaning schedule required daily cleaning of these areas, but these tasks were not completed as required. Additionally, single use items such as cloth napkins and Styrofoam plates were left exposed and unprotected near the hand washing sink, contrary to the Dietary Manager's statement that such items should be protected and stored away from potential contamination sources. Staff were also observed not adhering to personal hygiene standards, with one staff member not wearing a hairnet properly and another with facial hair not wearing a beard guard while working in the kitchen. The facility's food safety policy addressed the risk of physical contaminants such as hair but did not specifically require hairnets or beard guards. Furthermore, the ice machine was not properly drained through an air gap, with the drain pipe discharging below the floor surface and the hand washing sink draining onto the ice machine drain pipe, resulting in a black substance around the pipe. The Dietary Manager was unaware of these drainage issues, which were not addressed in the facility's policy.