Widespread Food Safety and Sanitation Deficiencies in Dietary Services
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food was prepared, stored, and served in accordance with professional standards, resulting in multiple deficiencies observed during survey. Staff were observed not following required hygiene practices, such as a CNA assisting with food preparation without wearing a hair net and other staff handling ready-to-eat foods with bare hands instead of gloves. Additionally, clean plates were dried with a rag after being washed, and food preparation utensils, such as spatulas, were found to be burnt and blackened. Sanitation and food storage practices were also deficient. The kitchen and storage areas contained evidence of pest infestation, including mouse droppings and large insects. Food items in both coolers and freezers were found to be unlabeled, undated, unsealed, and in some cases, expired. There was also a foul odor and a puddle of reddish-brown liquid in the walk-in cooler, attributed to meat thawing, with staff unable to confirm how long the liquid had been present. Dry storage areas had food stored directly on the floor and opened items without proper labeling or dating. Physical conditions in the kitchen further contributed to the deficiencies, with open windows and damaged screens allowing potential pest entry, and oven hood vents caked with a fuzzy white substance. These observations were confirmed by staff interviews, and a review of facility policies indicated that the observed practices were not in compliance with established food safety and sanitation requirements. The facility census at the time was 68 residents, with one resident identified as not receiving food from the kitchen.