Improper Food Handling During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
Staff G, a cook, was observed handling food items in a manner inconsistent with professional food safety standards. While wearing gloves, Staff G touched various surfaces including the meal cart, meal tickets, and preparation table, and then used the same gloves to place fresh parsley on the plates of multiple residents. Later, after washing hands and donning new gloves, Staff G again touched several surfaces, including a bag of bread, before continuing to place fresh parsley on additional residents' plates without using a serving utensil. These actions were directly observed during a meal service and involved a total of 32 residents. Interviews with Staff G and the Dietary Supervisor confirmed that the expected procedure was to use serving utensils for food items and not to handle garnishes like fresh parsley with gloved hands after touching other surfaces. Both staff members acknowledged that the proper protocol was not followed during the observed meal service. The facility's policy required adherence to professional food safety standards, including the use of proper sanitation and food handling practices to prevent foodborne illness.