Unsanitary Food Storage and Service Practices Identified
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain proper food storage and sanitary conditions in both the dietary department and resident pantry areas, as observed during facility tours. In the dishwashing area, there was visible brown and white splatter on ceiling tiles and light fixtures above the dish machine, and a dirty mop was left soaking in a bucket alongside a broom in the janitor's closet. In the kitchen, a bulk container of flour had an unsecured, soiled lid with debris inside. The second-floor resident pantry contained a utility cart with a dirty ice chest and breakfast trays, standing water with flies in the ice chest, and a sticky, black-coated floor. The third-floor pantry had visible dirt, dried food, paper, and plastic debris on the floor, stained baseboards and walls, a missing metal threshold with accumulated dirt, soiled cabinets, a dusty air vent, and a ceiling tile with a red substance. The ice chest in this pantry contained stagnant water with hair and dead insects, and the freezer and refrigerator held unlabeled, undated, and expired food items, as well as containers emitting a strong odor. Employee interviews confirmed a lack of awareness regarding food storage practices, such as residents filling cups with water and storing them in the freezer due to a broken ice machine. The pantries contained multiple food items without proper labeling, dating, or resident identification, including open containers of juice, potato salad, takeout food, cold cuts, cheese, and mayonnaise. The presence of dead insects, offensive odors, and visibly unclean surfaces throughout the dietary and pantry areas demonstrated a failure to follow facility policy and professional standards for food safety and sanitation.