Failure to Properly Label and Discard Expired Food Items
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to properly label and discard expired food items in the main kitchen, as observed during a survey. In the main cooler, there was a 1-gallon Ziplock bag of shredded cheese not in its original packaging, unlabeled, and marked with a date of 9/17. Additionally, a 5-lb bag of sundried tomatoes was opened with no open date, two 5-lb bags of shredded carrots had a use-by date of 09/04/2025, and six 5-lb bags of coleslaw mix had a use-by date of 08/25/2025. In the salad/bar cooler, a metal pan of spinach was covered but not labeled, and a 1-gallon bag of shredded cheese was present with no label. In the dry storage closet, a Ziplock bag of croutons was not in its original packaging and not labeled. All these findings were confirmed by the Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) and the CDM in Training. Interviews with the CDM revealed that all dietary staff are responsible for inspecting food storage areas and ensuring leftover items are properly labeled and stored, with monthly in-service training on food safety practices. The CDM stated that leftovers are stored for no more than three days. The Administrator confirmed expectations that all food items should be free from expiration and properly labeled and dated. The facility's policy requires stock rotation, proper labeling, and dating of food items, but these procedures were not consistently followed, resulting in the observed deficiencies.