Failure to Serve Palatable and Properly Tempered Food and Drink
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food and drink were served at palatable, flavorful, and appetizing temperatures during two observed lunch meals. During meal observations, food items such as baked chicken breast, fried potatoes, pork cutlet, zucchini, and rice were served below the required hot holding temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit, with some items measured as low as 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold items such as applesauce, water, and milk were served at temperatures above the required 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Residents reported that the food was not palatable, with specific complaints about food being cold, bland, dry, and tough to chew. Interviews with staff revealed that food was cooked in the kitchen and held in hot holding boxes or refrigerators before being distributed to the units. Food service aides were responsible for measuring and recording food temperatures prior to serving, and were instructed to notify supervisors if temperatures were not within the required range. Despite these procedures, food was served at improper temperatures, and residents expressed dissatisfaction with the palatability and temperature of their meals. The facility's policy required hot foods to be maintained at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or greater and cold foods at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below, but these standards were not consistently met during the survey period.