Staff Food Improperly Stored in Resident Refrigerator
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety, as evidenced by the presence of staff food in a refrigerator designated for resident snacks and nourishment. During an initial kitchen observation, a plastic bag containing an unlabeled and undated quart-sized bowl of spaghetti and meatballs was found in the snack/nourishment refrigerator. The Food Service Director confirmed that this food item belonged to a dietary staff member and acknowledged that staff food should not be stored in resident food refrigerators, as per facility policy. The facility's policy specifically prohibits the storage of staff food in patient food refrigerators to ensure proper storage and infection control practices.