Failure to Properly Label, Date, and Store Food Items in Kitchen and Freezer
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple deficiencies in the facility's food storage and handling practices during a kitchen tour. In the walk-in cooler, an open container of liquid eggs was found without a date indicating when it was opened, and an open container of potato salad was present with an open date of 12/25/25, which was expired and had not been discarded. Additionally, an open bag of white chocolate chips was found in an open plastic bag inside a box, with neither the bag nor the box labeled with an open date. The Dietary Manager confirmed that these items should have been labeled and expired items discarded, but this had not occurred. Staff interviews revealed that the cook had opened the liquid eggs that morning and forgot to label them, and there was uncertainty about when the white chocolate chips had been opened. In the walk-in freezer, frozen hashbrowns were found in an open box without a date, and the bag containing the hashbrowns was open to air. An open box of bagged frozen bread was stored under the freezer compressor, which was dripping condensation directly onto the box, and the bread inside was also open to air. The Dietary Manager was unaware of the compressor dripping and acknowledged that the food should have been properly secured. The Dietary Manager reported that daily checks for expired foods were typically performed but had not been completed prior to the survey due to returning from vacation. The Administrator stated that monthly inspections had not previously identified these issues and was not aware of the compressor problem.