Failure to Label and Date Stored Food Items in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to store, label, and date food items in accordance with professional standards and facility policy. During a kitchen inspection, a 1-gallon ziplocked bag of frozen premade waffles and four individually wrapped waffles were found in the freezer without any labeling or dating. The Dietary Manager (DM) confirmed that the waffles had been served for breakfast two days prior and acknowledged that it was the responsibility of the kitchen staff to label and date food items before storage. The DM also stated the importance of labeling to track shelf life and prevent serving expired food. Staff interviews revealed confusion about who was responsible for the unlabeled waffles, with one staff member denying involvement and stating that all kitchen staff had access to the freezer and shared responsibility for proper food storage. The facility's policy requires that leftover and opened food items be labeled, dated, and used within 2-3 days or discarded. Review of in-service training records showed that staff, including the involved personnel, had received training on labeling and dating food. The Director of Nursing (DON) stated that the DM was responsible for ensuring food storage policies were communicated and followed, and emphasized the importance of labeling to prevent serving spoiled food. Despite these policies and training, the failure to label and date food items was observed, constituting a deficiency in food storage practices.