Unsanitary Meal Distribution in Memory Care Unit
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to distribute meals in a sanitary manner in the memory care unit, affecting all 20 residents who eat there. During lunch service, meals were served from a plastic table set up in the hallway outside the dining area. Utensils, plates, cups, and pitchers were placed directly on the table, which was not sanitized before meal service began. The table, located in a hallway accessible to staff, residents, and visitors, had last been cleaned after breakfast, several hours prior. Food was brought to the hallway in a heated carrier, but metal pans containing food were set directly on the unsanitized table, and there was no equipment present to maintain food temperatures during service. No food temperatures were taken before serving, and food was served using utensils that had been placed directly on the table. When a resident requested more food, a used lunch plate was brought back and additional food was served onto it without using a clean plate. Staff interviews confirmed that the table was not sanitized immediately before meal service and that food temperatures were not checked upon arrival or before serving. Facility policy requires food to be handled and served in a manner that minimizes the risk of foodborne illness, but these procedures were not followed.