Failure to Properly Store, Label, and Discard Food Items
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to properly store, label, and discard food items in accordance with professional food safety standards. During observations, multiple food items in the walk-in freezer, refrigerators, and dry storage areas were found without labels indicating the open date or use-by date. These items included cut tomatoes, cut melons, shredded carrots, grapes, romaine lettuce, frozen chicken, salad dressing, cut chicken pieces, ground beef patties, frozen pizzas, various spices, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Additionally, an opened jug of tea in the nourishment room refrigerator was found without a label. Expired food items, such as milk, cut vegetables, shredded Parmesan cheese, and vegetable broth, were also found in storage areas. Some opened food packages were not properly sealed, and all expired or improperly stored items were discarded by the Food Service Manager during the survey. Interviews with staff revealed that facility policy requires all opened food items to be labeled with the name, open date, and use-by date, and that items should be stored in NSF-approved containers with tight-fitting lids. Staff acknowledged ongoing issues with labeling and packaging, which were exacerbated by a broken labeling machine, requiring manual labeling. Despite daily audits and monthly training, the deficiency persisted, as evidenced by the survey findings. The failure to follow established food storage and labeling procedures was confirmed through staff interviews and direct observation.