Failure to Monitor and Record Food and Dishwasher Temperatures in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to monitor and record the internal temperature of foods and did not ensure a sanitary environment in the kitchen. Observations showed that a cook took the temperature of mashed potatoes but did not log it before placing the food into the holding cart, and did not obtain or record the temperature of mixed vegetables and split pea soup before lunch service. Interviews with the cook and the Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) confirmed that food temperatures were not being logged, despite facility policy requiring the use of thermometers to ensure proper temperatures of potentially hazardous foods. The CDM stated that staff were not required to keep a log of food temperatures and expressed uncertainty about the accuracy of such logs. Review of facility policy and the Food Code indicated that records must be maintained to verify that critical limits for food safety are being met. Additionally, the facility did not keep temperature logs for the dishwasher or check sanitizer levels in the dishwasher or 3-compartment sink. The cook and CDM both confirmed that staff did not monitor or record these parameters, relying instead on monthly checks by an external company, Ecolab. However, the CDM was unable to locate Ecolab's records due to communication issues following a staff change. Facility policy required daily monitoring and recording of dish machine temperature and sanitizer levels, with records to be kept for three years. The FDA Food Code specifies that effective sanitization depends on monitoring parameters such as temperature and chemical concentration, which were not being consistently tracked or documented by the facility.