Failure to Maintain Sanitary Kitchen and Food Storage Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen environment as required by professional standards and facility policy. Observations revealed the use of expired quaternary ammonia sanitizer test strips, with an expiration date of December 2023, and accumulations of dust and dirt on the hood above the oven, the grate below the front door of a reach-in refrigerator, and on four fans located on two condenser units in the walk-in cooler. Dietary staff were unable to confirm the last cleaning date for the hood, and acknowledged that the test strips should not be expired and that the dust and dirt should be cleaned from the equipment. Additionally, on the Prairie Unit, two resident cold packs intended for use on the body were found stored next to food items in the freezer. An administrative nursing staff member confirmed that resident cold packs should not be stored in the food freezer and identified a separate refrigerator designated for these items. These failures were identified through observation, review of facility policy, and staff interviews.