Failure to Document and Monitor Food Temperatures in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in the kitchen. Specifically, there were multiple instances where food temperatures were not checked or documented as required for food safety. Review of temperature log forms revealed numerous days where no logs were provided or where temperatures were not documented for various meals, including breakfast, lunch, and supper. Additionally, the temperature logs that were available did not include staff names or signatures to indicate who was responsible for checking the temperatures. The Dietary Manager (DM) confirmed that cooks were responsible for checking food temperatures before serving and acknowledged that logs were missing or incomplete, indicating that temperatures were not checked or documented for those meals. Interviews with the DM and the Administrator confirmed that the responsibility for ensuring food temperatures were checked and documented fell on the DM and the cooks. The DM stated that thermometers were provided for staff use and that missing documentation meant the checks were not performed. The Administrator acknowledged the risk to residents if food was not cooked and served at appropriate temperatures. The facility's policy required that temperatures of all hot and cold food be taken prior to every meal service and recorded on the temperature log, but this was not consistently followed. All residents, except for two who were tube fed, received food from the facility kitchen.