Deficient Food Storage, Preparation, and Dishwashing Practices
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple failures in the facility's main kitchen regarding food storage, preparation, and dishwashing practices. Observations revealed that food items in the walk-in freezer, including sliced meat, a breaded product, and round patties, were not labeled or dated as required by facility policy. During food preparation, a personal beverage cup was found on the food preparation counter, and the Food Service Director handled food with an ungloved thumb and then donned gloves without performing hand hygiene. The Food Service Director acknowledged that hand hygiene was required when changing gloves and after soiling hands, and admitted to not receiving hand hygiene training. Dishwashing procedures were also found to be deficient. The high-temperature dish machine did not reach the required 180 degrees Fahrenheit for sanitization, with observed rinse temperatures between 150 and 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Logs for dish machine temperatures and three-bay sink sanitizer testing were not completed daily, and staff admitted to forgetting to perform and document these checks on the day of observation. Dishes that were not properly sanitized were used to serve lunch, and there were not enough dishes available to avoid reusing improperly sanitized dishware. Staff interviews confirmed awareness of the importance of proper sanitization and the failure to follow established protocols.