Failure to Maintain Safe and Palatable Food Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food and drink were served at palatable and safe temperatures for all residents receiving meals from the kitchen. Multiple residents reported that their meals were not served hot, with one resident stating the food is not always served hot, another stating the food is usually barely warm, and another stating the meals are usually not served hot. One resident reported that when she requested staff to reheat her food, she was told they could not do so and would not obtain a new tray from the kitchen, leaving her to eat the food cold. The DON confirmed that all residents in the facility at the time of the survey received services from the Dietary department. During a meal service observation with the Dietary Director and a cook, several hot food items were found to be held below the facility’s stated standard of 135°F, including broccoli at 100°F, sweet and sour pork (carbohydrate-controlled, low concentrated sweets) at 95°F, plain rice at 100°F, and grilled cheese sandwiches at 90°F, while some pureed items and carrots were at 120°F. A test tray contained chili, carrots, crumbly cornbread, and cookies served on a Styrofoam plate. The Dietary Director stated that due to budget constraints, the facility uses Styrofoam instead of real plates, acknowledged that Styrofoam affects the maintenance of food temperatures, and reported there is no plate warmer and the delivery carts are not insulated. He also stated that there have been occasions when meal trays remained unpassed on the units for up to 20 minutes after leaving the kitchen. The facility’s undated policy stated that foods meant to be held for a long time require elevated temperatures and should be held at 135°F or above.
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