Failure to Properly Store and Label Food Items
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to store and prepare food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. Specifically, partially used and undated food items were found in both the walk-in cooler and the resident floor main kitchen refrigerator. Open food packages, such as dinner rolls and sausage, were found in the kitchen walk-in freezer without labels or use-by dates, and some packages were torn open and only wrapped with saran wrap. Yogurt containers in the resident dining area refrigerator were also found without labels or dates. These observations were confirmed by interviews with the Director of Dining and Kitchen Director, who acknowledged that food items are supposed to be dated after opening, and that the lack of labeling was not in compliance with facility policy. The facility's own policy requires that all refrigerated and frozen foods be covered, labeled, and dated, and that foods be checked to ensure they are consumed by their safe use-by dates or discarded. Despite this, surveyors found multiple instances where these procedures were not followed, potentially affecting all 20 residents who consume food prepared by the facility. The deficiency was identified through direct observation, interviews with staff, and review of facility policy and procedures.