Deficient Food Storage and Unsanitary Kitchen Conditions
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures in the facility's kitchen related to food storage, labeling, and cleanliness. During an inspection, it was found that several food items in the walk-in cooler, including a spiral ham, chopped onion, diced turkey, butter, bacon bits, and beef fat, were either not labeled or not dated. In the walk-in freezer, beef slabs were left exposed on a cardboard box, showing significant freezer burn, and cookie dough bites were stored in an open plastic bag. These findings were confirmed by a dietary aide at the time of discovery. Further inspection of the kitchen revealed unsanitary conditions, including multiple light fixtures containing dust, debris, and dead bugs. The six-burner cooktop had a thick layer of black food buildup around and underneath the burners, and the microwave used for resident food was extremely dirty with brown residue. The facility's policy on food preparation and storage was reviewed and found to be undated, but it stated that food items should be kept free of harmful organisms and substances. The observed deficiencies had the potential to affect all 104 residents in the facility.