Failure to Properly Label and Discard Expired Food Items in Food Service Department
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store food in safe and sanitary conditions within the food service department. During an observation in the kitchen's walk-in fridge, surveyors found an opened bag of parsley with a date of 7/20/2025, a container with eight red onions with an expiration date of 7/12/2025, and two boxes of fully cooked bacon with no date. The Dietary Manager confirmed that the parsley and red onions were expired and should have been discarded, and that the bacon was not labeled. In a separate observation in freezer number 3, a bag of gluten free white bread was found with a use-by date of 7/6/2025, which was also expired. The Kitchen Aide acknowledged that this item was expired and should have been discarded. Interviews with the Registered Dietitian revealed that kitchen staff had not been labeling the received date and expiration date of food items, as they expected the Dietary Manager to perform this task. The Registered Dietitian stated this was not acceptable and that kitchen staff were also responsible for labeling and dating food products. Review of the facility's policy and procedure on Food Receiving and Storage confirmed that all foods stored in the refrigerator or freezer are required to be covered, labeled, and dated, and that refrigerated foods must be monitored and used by their use-by date or discarded.