Food Safety and Sanitation Deficiencies in Dietary Services
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure food was prepared and stored in a sanitary manner, as observed during a kitchen inspection. Dietary staff were seen with hair not fully covered by hair nets, with hair hanging out and down the back and shoulders. Multiple food items in the refrigerators were either past their use-by dates, unlabeled, or undated, including milk, gelatin, bacon grease, ham, and ground beef. The walk-in refrigerator had a visibly dirty floor with food debris and a leaking juice container, while the walk-in freezer had visible mold-like substances on the door. Additionally, a scoop was stored inside a flour bin in the dry goods area, and dirty linens were found inappropriately stored in a trash bag on the floor. Food safety records for temperature checks were incomplete for the morning shift. Interviews with the Dietary Manager and Administrator confirmed that these practices were not in accordance with facility policy, which requires proper hair restraints, labeling and dating of food, clean storage areas, and regular temperature checks. The observed deficiencies had the potential to affect nearly all residents in the facility, as the unsanitary conditions and improper food handling could compromise food safety for 52 of 53 residents.