Dietary Staff Failed to Follow Sanitizer Testing Instructions
Penalty
Summary
Three dietary staff members failed to follow the manufacturer's instructions for testing the Quaternary Ammonium (Quat) sanitizer solution used for sanitizing food contact surfaces and equipment. Observations and interviews revealed that the Dietary Aide dipped the test strip in the solution for 10 seconds, the Cook for eight seconds, and the Dietary Supervisor for five seconds, instead of the required one to two seconds as specified by the manufacturer's instructions. Each staff member acknowledged during interviews that they did not follow the correct procedure and recognized the importance of adhering to the manufacturer's guidelines to ensure proper sanitizer concentration. The Registered Dietitian confirmed that the test strips should be dipped for one to two seconds to ensure proper sanitation, and not following these instructions could compromise disinfection. The review of the USDA Food Code 2022 and related professional references further supported the requirement to use sanitizer solutions according to the manufacturer's directions. The failure to follow these procedures had the potential to create unsafe and unsanitary kitchen conditions.