Failure to Properly Store and Date Food Items
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple instances where food items in the facility's kitchen were not stored according to professional standards for food service safety. In the walk-in freezer, several opened food items, including cinnamon rolls, fish sticks, sausage patties, and dinner rolls, were found without expiration dates and were not properly sealed. The Kitchen Manager confirmed that these items should have been sealed and dated after opening. Additionally, an expired quart of basil pesto sauce was found in the freezer. In the walk-in cooler, several containers of horseradish, cream cheese spread, and black beans were identified as expired, and other items such as pizza sauce, cream cheese, various soup bases, bacon, and miso were found without expiration dates. The Kitchen Manager acknowledged these deficiencies during interviews. Further observations in the dry storage area revealed two unopened packages of dried coconut that were expired, as well as opened bags of coconut, macaroni, walnuts, and cashews that were either not dated or not properly sealed. The Kitchen Manager confirmed that these items were expired, improperly sealed, or not dated. These findings indicate a failure to consistently follow professional standards for food storage, including proper dating, sealing, and removal of expired items, which has the potential to impact all residents receiving food from the facility.