Food Storage, Sanitation, and Staff Hygiene Deficiencies Identified
Penalty
Summary
Surveyor observations and staff interviews revealed that the facility failed to store and distribute food in accordance with professional standards and the Rhode Island Food Code. Specifically, multiple food items in the main kitchen's walk-in refrigerator, such as opened butter, bowls of pudding, plates and bowls of lemon meringue pie, opened cheese, sliced tomatoes, cut lettuce, and ricotta cheese, were found without proper labeling or dating. Similar deficiencies were observed in the second- and third-floor kitchenettes, where resident food containers and other items were not labeled or dated as required by facility policy. Additionally, an opened butter was found stored in a biohazard bag in one kitchenette. The Food Service Director acknowledged these failures during interviews. Further deficiencies included a kitchen fan with visible dust accumulation blowing towards food being prepared, which was confirmed by the Food Service Director. Additionally, a dietary aide was observed not wearing a hair net that fully covered his hair while working, in violation of the food code's requirements for hair restraints. These findings collectively demonstrate a lack of adherence to food safety and sanitation standards in the facility's food service operations.