Unsanitary Food Preparation Equipment in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to maintain sanitary conditions in the kitchen, specifically regarding the cleanliness of food preparation equipment. During an inspection, multiple items were found with brown colored buildup, including baking sheets, muffin pans, steam table lids, and saucepans. These items were observed to have buildup on both the inside and outside edges, and some were stacked together while still dirty. Staff interviews confirmed that efforts were being made to clean the equipment, but the buildup remained present at the time of the survey. A review of the facility's Sanitization Policy indicated that all equipment, food contact surfaces, and utensils are to be cleaned and sanitized using heat or chemical solutions. The FDA Food Code was also referenced, which requires food-contact surfaces of cooking equipment and pans to be free of encrusted grease deposits and other soil accumulations. Despite these policies, the facility did not ensure that the kitchen equipment was properly cleaned and sanitized, as evidenced by the observed buildup on multiple items.