Failure to Maintain Sanitary Food Handling Practices
Penalty
Summary
During meal service, staff failed to maintain sanitary conditions in the kitchen by not wearing facial hair coverings and by handling food with bare hands. Specifically, one staff member was observed preparing a cheeseburger for a resident on a mechanically altered diet by placing bread and cheese on the plate using bare fingers, rather than gloves or utensils. This was confirmed by another staff member who witnessed the incident. Additionally, two staff members were observed behind the steam table preparing trays and serving food without covering their facial hair, despite beard covers being available in the kitchen. The affected resident had diagnoses including dementia, weakness, and indigestion, required assistance with activities of daily living, and was on a mechanically altered, soft-textured diet due to having no teeth. The facility's food handling policy required food to be stored, prepared, handled, and served in a manner that minimized the risk of foodborne illness. All residents in the facility received food prepared in the kitchen, indicating the potential for widespread impact.