Failure to Follow Sanitary Food Handling and Serving Procedures
Penalty
Summary
Dietary staff failed to follow proper food handling and sanitation procedures during meal service. One dietary aide was observed using a dish cloth to dry silverware, rather than allowing them to air dry as required by facility policy, and then placed the dried silverware into a holder. The aide confirmed she was unaware that this method was not permitted. Additionally, during lunch tray preparation, another staff member was seen assembling sandwiches by handling bread, deli meat, lettuce, and tomato with the same pair of gloved hands, without using serving utensils as expected. The dietary manager confirmed that serving utensils should have been used. The facility's policy specifies that all food service equipment should be cleaned, sanitized, air-dried, and that tongs or other utensils should be used to avoid direct hand contact with food. Two residents were identified as receiving nothing by mouth per physician orders, and thus were not affected by the meal service.