Multiple Food Service Safety and Sanitation Deficiencies Identified
Penalty
Summary
Surveyor observations, record reviews, and staff interviews revealed multiple deficiencies in food storage, preparation, distribution, and service within the facility's main kitchen and two kitchenettes. Chemical containers were not properly labeled according to OSHA standards, as evidenced by a spray bottle marked only with handwritten text. The kitchen hood and screens had visible grease accumulation, and there was no documented cleaning schedule. Dietary staff were observed not wearing appropriate hair restraints or beard coverings, and the Food Service Director (FSD) could not provide evidence of compliance with these requirements. Additionally, breadcrumbs were stored in a single-use container that was being reused, and the FSD could not confirm its appropriateness for reuse. Equipment and utensils, such as a wooden butcher block and scratched lip plates, were not made of durable, nonabsorbent materials as required. Further deficiencies included the improper labeling of thawed nutritional shakes, as none of the observed products in the kitchenettes had use-by dates to indicate when they were thawed, contrary to manufacturer instructions. The FSD acknowledged this lapse. The facility also lacked an irreversible thermometer to verify that dish machine cycles reached the required sanitizing temperature, as required by the Rhode Island Food Code. These findings collectively demonstrate a failure to adhere to professional standards for food service safety and sanitation.