Failure to Maintain Safe and Sanitary Food Preparation and Handling
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to prepare and handle food in a safe and sanitary manner, as observed during the preparation of puree diets. A staff member was seen cleaning a food processor in a three-compartment sink, then immediately assembling it and adding sandwiches without allowing the processor to air dry. The staff member confirmed that the inside of the food processor was still wet with sanitizer when food was placed inside. Additionally, ham and cheese sandwiches stored on the steam table were found to be at 125 degrees Fahrenheit, below the required minimum hot holding temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The staff member verified the temperature was below standard and later checked the sandwiches again, finding them at 132.8 degrees Fahrenheit, still not meeting the minimum requirement. Further observations revealed another staff member placing silverware on residents' lunch trays without wearing gloves and touching the mouth-contact surfaces of other spoons while removing a spoon from an unorganized container. This was confirmed by another staff member, who then reorganized the spoons to prevent contamination. The facility's policy on food preparation and handling requires food to be kept free of harmful organisms and substances, which was not followed in these instances.