Deficient Food Storage, Preparation, and Staff Hygiene Practices
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple deficiencies in the facility's food storage, preparation, and service practices. Observations revealed that temperature logs were not maintained for unit refrigerators and freezers, and there were no thermometers present in these units. Several food items, including ice cream, yogurt, ribeye, fries, onion rings, tamale pie filling, chicken, pork loins, pancakes, potatoes, and beef top round, were found undated in both the kitchen and unit freezers. Additionally, water was observed dripping from the freezer into the refrigerator, and there was no documentation to show that temperatures were being monitored as required by the facility's own policies. Further inspection showed that hand scoops were left inside bins of sugar, flour, and rice flour, with the scoops in direct contact with the food. The bins themselves were dirty on the outside, with dried and sticky food residue present. The facility's policies require scoops to be kept covered and outside the bins, and for bins to be regularly cleaned and sanitized, but these procedures were not being followed. Staff interviews confirmed that there was no regular cleaning schedule for these bins and that responsibility for dating and storing food items was inconsistently assigned between kitchen and nursing staff. Additionally, a kitchen staff member was observed preparing food without a beard guard, despite having visible facial hair. The facility's policy mandates the use of beard covers when around exposed foods, but the staff member and executive chef did not consider a two-day beard growth to be an issue. The staff member was later observed to be clean-shaven, but no explanation was provided for the initial non-compliance. These failures in food safety practices had the potential to affect all residents in the facility.