Failure to Serve Palatable and Appropriately Heated Food
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food served to residents was palatable, attractive, and maintained at a safe and appetizing temperature for four of five residents reviewed for food palatability. Multiple residents reported dissatisfaction with the meals, citing issues such as food being too salty, cold, unrecognizable, dry, lacking sufficient gravy, and not being served hot. These concerns were expressed by residents with varying levels of cognitive function, as indicated by their BIMS scores, and were documented during interviews conducted by surveyors. Observations of meal service revealed that while food items on the steam table were initially at appropriate temperatures (ranging from 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit), the temperatures of the food on a test tray prepared for residents had dropped to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The evaluation of the test tray further confirmed that the food was cool to the palate, bland, unseasoned, and in some cases, did not taste as expected. Dietary staff interviewed stated that food should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving, indicating a failure to maintain appropriate food temperatures from preparation to service.