Expired and Unlabeled Food Items Found in Facility Storage
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to properly store and discard food items in accordance with professional standards and facility policy. During a kitchen inspection, expired food items were found, including 38 cartons of one percent milk past the expiration date, two unopened thickened orange juice containers with an expiration date several months prior, and an unopened thickened apple juice with an expiration date in the future. The Dietary Manager confirmed the presence of these expired items. In the east pantry, food brought in by residents or visitors was found unlabeled or past the date, including a fast-food bag and a container of potato salad, as well as food debris on the floor. The Licensed Practical Nurse verified these findings and stated that dietary staff maintained temperature logs and cleaned the refrigerator two to three times per month, but all staff were responsible for its maintenance. Further inspection of the west pantry revealed additional issues, such as unlabeled and undated grocery bags of unknown food, undated restaurant boxes, and an expired carton of milk. The Medical Records Clerk confirmed these findings. Review of facility policies showed that all foods should be labeled, dated, and stored according to safe food handling practices, and food brought in by families or visitors must be labeled, dated, and consumed within three days or discarded. The facility failed to follow these policies, resulting in improper storage and retention of expired and unlabeled food items, potentially affecting all residents except those identified as receiving no food by mouth.