Failure to Properly Store, Label, and Handle Food in Facility Kitchens
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to properly store and label food items in both the skilled nursing and main kitchens. Opened boxes of snacks such as nacho chips, cheese crackers, and popcorn packages were found without expiration dates, and unopened frozen orange juice cartons in the walk-in freezer were also missing expiration labels. In the main kitchen, several items including tubs of bacon jam, cream cheese, uncooked eggs, corn tortillas, and an opened package of ham lunch meat were either not labeled with open or expiration dates or were past their labeled expiration date. Additional items in the walk-in freezer and small refrigerator, such as frozen french fries, bagels, chicken quarters, chopped lemons, and butter packets, were also not properly labeled or covered. Mayonnaise packets in dry storage lacked expiration dates as well. Interviews with staff confirmed that facility policy required all food to be labeled with either the manufacturer's expiration date or the date of receipt, and that this was not being consistently followed. Additionally, three kitchen staff members with facial beards were observed preparing food without wearing beard nets, contrary to facility policy requiring facial hair to be restrained to prevent contamination. The Director of Nutrition Systems acknowledged these lapses, stating that all food should be labeled and staff with facial hair should wear appropriate coverings when in the kitchen.