Incomplete Food Temperature Documentation in Dietary Services
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety, as evidenced by incomplete food temperature logs for multiple meals over several days. Specifically, documentation was missing for lunch meals from 7/9/25 to 7/21/25 and 7/23/25 to 7/31/25, breakfast meals from 7/24/25 to 7/31/25, and dinner meals from 7/30/25 to 7/31/25. The Food Service Supervisor (FSS) confirmed the lack of documentation and was unable to provide an explanation for the missing records. The Dietician was also aware of the incomplete logs and noted the deficiency in the Sanitation Report, which resulted in an unsatisfactory rating for the facility's food service safety. Further review revealed that the facility did not have a policy on documenting food temperatures on a daily basis for each meal prepared. When requested by the surveyor, the Administrator was unable to provide such a policy during the survey period. The facility's existing Food Preparation and Service policy, dated 2001, referenced the 'danger zone' for food temperatures but did not address documentation requirements. These findings were based on observation, interview, and record review, and affected all residents who consumed meals from the kitchen during the period in question.