Failure to Properly Label, Date, and Store Food Items in Kitchen and Kitchenettes
Penalty
Summary
Surveyor observations, record reviews, and staff interviews revealed that the facility failed to store and distribute food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in both the main kitchen and two kitchenettes. Specifically, multiple food items in the main kitchen freezer, such as fried chicken, chicken patties, hamburger patties, pancakes, and shaved beef, were found without labels or discard dates as required by the Rhode Island Food Code. The Food Service Director (FSD) acknowledged that these items were not labeled or dated per regulations. Additionally, the facility policy requires food brought in by visitors to be labeled with the resident's name and date, and to discard perishable items older than three days, but items in the 1st floor kitchenette were only labeled with resident names and lacked discard dates. Further deficiencies were observed in the 2nd floor kitchenette, where a large bag of tacos and a container of an unidentified food substance were found without labels or discard dates. The oven in this kitchenette also contained residual burnt matter, and the FSD was unable to provide a cleaning schedule for the oven. Both the FSD and the Administrator confirmed during interviews that it was their expectation for all food items to be properly labeled, dated, or discarded according to regulations and facility policy.