Failure to Maintain Sanitary Kitchen and Proper Food Storage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen environment and did not store food items appropriately, as observed during two separate kitchen inspections and reviews of two snack refrigerators. Surveyors found the main kitchen door propped open, food service areas unattended, and significant accumulations of crumbs and unknown substances on floors, carts, and equipment. Food items, including cabbages and milk crates, were stored directly on the floor in the walk-in refrigerator, and dry storage areas had bags of food placed on the floor with visible debris around the shelves. The reach-in refrigerator contained undated and opened food items, sticky residue on handles, and spilled substances inside. Cleaning schedules were missing at the time of inspection, and the Dietary Manager could not provide them when requested. In the Main Hallway Nourishment Room and Dementia Unit Nourishment Room, snack refrigerators contained undated and expired food items, including sandwiches, salads, chicken strips, and yogurts. Some items belonged to specific residents and were past their labeled dates, while others were unmarked and undated. The refrigerators also had visible spills and residue, and staff interviews confirmed that kitchen staff were responsible for cleaning but had not maintained proper cleaning records or schedules. The Dietary Manager and Administrator acknowledged the lack of cleaning documentation and the presence of unclean surfaces and improperly stored food. Facility policies required all food contact and non-food contact surfaces, equipment, and utensils to be kept clean and free of residue, and for all leftovers and opened foods to be labeled and dated. However, these policies were not followed, as evidenced by the observations of unclean conditions, undated and expired food items, and missing cleaning schedules. The deficiencies had the potential to affect nearly all residents receiving food from the kitchen.