Expired Food Items Found in Nourishment Room Refrigerators
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that expired food items were stored in three out of four nourishment room refrigerators, specifically in Units 1, 2, and 3. During inspections with the Dietary Manager, an unopened pack of chicken breast strips and green beans with a use by date of 5/13/25 was found in Unit 1, a half-full box of prepacked sandwiches with a best if used by date of 4/27/25 was found in Unit 3, and two bottles of nutritional shake with an expiration date of 5/6/25 were found in Unit 2. The Dietary Manager discarded all expired items upon discovery. Interviews with the Dietary Manager, DON, and Administrator confirmed that both dietary and nursing staff were expected to routinely inspect and remove expired food from nourishment refrigerators, but this was not done, resulting in the presence of expired food items.