Failure to Maintain Safe Holding Temperature for Mechanical Soft Chicken
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that mechanical soft chicken was held at a safe temperature during lunch service, potentially affecting 18 residents who required a mechanical soft diet. Observations revealed that while most food items were initially cooked to safe internal temperatures, the mechanical soft chicken was found to be at 123.0°F during tray line setup, below the required holding temperature of 135°F. Despite other food items being reheated after low temperatures were identified, the mechanical soft chicken was not reheated and remained on the steam table. Subsequent temperature checks showed the mechanical soft chicken had dropped further to 109.2°F and then 108.7°F, still below the safe threshold, before it was finally reheated after surveyor intervention. Interviews with dietary staff and consultants indicated that several wells of the steam table and the steamer were not fully operational, which had been an ongoing issue for approximately a week and a half. The lack of functioning equipment hindered the facility's ability to maintain safe food temperatures. Documentation from equipment repair companies showed that repairs had not been promptly requested or completed, and there was no evidence that parts were unavailable as previously claimed by staff. The facility's policy required hot foods to be held at or above 135°F, but this standard was not met for the mechanical soft chicken during the observed meal service.