Deficient Food Storage, Preparation, and Equipment Sanitation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in both the kitchen and nutrition room. Observations revealed that dinnerware, including clear plastic drinking glasses and plastic plate covers, were not properly cleaned or dried, with a thick removable whitish substance present and glasses left wet on racks without drainage mats. Additionally, cooking equipment such as non-stick pans and large cooking pots were found to be in poor condition, with flaking coatings, dents, pitting, and dark discoloration. Utensils in the clean bin were dirty, damaged, or chipped, and some were deemed unsafe for use by the dietary manager (DM). Food storage practices were also deficient. Items in the refrigerator and freezer, such as trays of beverages and pitchers, were not labeled or dated, and some food items, including apple juice containers, were found to be expired. Opened boxes and bags of frozen foods were not tightly sealed, and there was a significant accumulation of ice in the walk-in freezer, with boxes stacked to the ceiling. The DM was unaware of several food safety requirements, including the need for labeling, dating, and proper sealing of food items, and acknowledged that expired and improperly stored food could pose a risk to residents. Sanitation of equipment was inadequate, as evidenced by the presence of a flaking, yellow/white substance in all steam table wells. The DM was unable to confirm how often these wells were cleaned. The facility's policies and training records indicated requirements for proper food handling, storage, and equipment maintenance, but these were not consistently followed. The DM admitted responsibility for the kitchen and acknowledged lapses in staff training and oversight. The registered dietician was not available for interview, and ongoing issues with the walk-in freezer were documented in repair records.