Failure to Properly Store, Label, and Discard Food Items in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures in the facility's kitchen regarding food storage, preparation, and sanitation. During inspections of the coolers, pantry, and freezer, several food items were found either undated, improperly labeled, or past their use-by dates. Examples included sausage, cheese, cabbage, and avocado in sealed bags without dates, lunch meats with missing or incomplete discard dates, and pico with an expired use-by date. The pantry contained dented cans and expired or undated dry goods, while the freezer had items with missing years or unreadable dates. Additionally, a drawer containing serving utensils was found to be dirty and contained debris. Interviews with dietary staff and management confirmed that the facility's policy required all food items to be sealed, labeled, and dated upon storage, and that expired or dented items should be removed. However, staff acknowledged that these procedures were not consistently followed, as evidenced by the surveyor's findings. The facility's own food storage policy outlined specific requirements for date marking, discard timelines, and regular checks, but these were not adhered to, resulting in the presence of expired, undated, and improperly stored food items, as well as unsanitary kitchen equipment.