Expired and Moldy Food Found in Kitchen Due to Lack of Oversight
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. During a kitchen inspection, expired and moldy food items were found in the refrigerator, including a gallon of milk past its expiration date, a container of green beans dated over a week prior, and cucumbers and red onions with visible mold. Staff present at the time acknowledged that expired and spoiled foods should have been removed and admitted to not checking the refrigerator for such items. It was also noted that the facility had been without a Dietary Manager for approximately one to one and a half months, and staff were not consistently checking for expired foods. Interviews with the Travelling Certified Dietary Manager (CDM), Registered Dietician, and Administrator confirmed that the responsibility for checking and removing expired foods should fall to the Dietary Manager, or in their absence, the Administrator and kitchen staff. The facility's policy indicated that any product with a stamped expiration date should be discarded once that date passes, and foods showing spoilage should not be eaten. The lack of oversight and adherence to these procedures led to the presence of expired and spoiled food in the kitchen.