Widespread Kitchen Sanitation and Hand Hygiene Failures During Food Preparation and Service
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to store, prepare, and serve food in accordance with professional standards and its own policies over multiple days of observation. Surveyors observed that the designated kitchen handwashing sink did not produce hot water despite being allowed to run for approximately two minutes on several occasions. Staff, including dietary personnel, were unaware of whether the water ever became hot. Handwashing signage posted at the sink specified that hands should be washed with hot running water and outlined proper handwashing steps, but staff did not consistently follow these procedures. The facility’s Administrator and Dietary Manager (DM) later stated that they had not been informed of the hot water issue until the survey, and the Maintenance Supervisor reported he was only told about the problem on the day of the survey. During breakfast meal preparation, surveyors observed multiple instances of staff failing to wash their hands at appropriate times and handling food after contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. One dietary staff member began meal preparation after only donning gloves, without first washing hands. This staff member handled a dirty blender in the 3‑vat sink, then, without washing hands, entered the walk‑in cooler, retrieved a box of individual butter servings, and placed butter on resident trays. After picking up a butter container that had fallen on the floor, the staff member discarded it but again did not wash hands before resuming food handling, instead only changing gloves. The same staff member repeatedly changed gloves without handwashing between tasks, including after washing equipment in the sink and before preparing pureed foods and handling other meal components. Another dietary aide arrived carrying a personal cell phone and wearing a face mask, placed the phone on a serving cart, and later moved it to a food preparation station. After answering the kitchen phone, pulling the face mask down, and handling trays and condiments, this aide did not wash hands or don gloves before continuing to handle resident trays and food items. Although the aide did wash hands at one point, the water at the handwashing sink was noted to be cold. The aide was also observed adjusting a face mask and then continuing to handle syrup containers and cups, and later placing gloves on without washing hands. The DM later stated that staff were expected to wash their hands when they first arrive, when changing gloves, and after touching masks or phones, and that phones should not be placed on food preparation stations. The facility also failed to maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen environment as required by its Nutritional Services Sanitation and Ware Washing policies and its daily, weekly, and monthly kitchen checklists. On multiple days, surveyors observed kitchen floors with dirt and debris, dried and sticky spills, and food items such as a juice cup and tater tot left on floors and carts. In the dry storage room, a single‑serve juice cup lay on the floor surrounded by dried liquid, and oily and sticky spills remained under and near storage racks and the doorway over several days. Dirty dishes with caked‑on food debris from the prior day were left in the dishwashing area. Under the 3‑vat sink, the floor was sticky, with wet cardboard, an opened butter container, and food debris present. The 3‑vat sink’s sanitize basin contained dried, caked‑on meat and food debris, and a baby roach was seen crawling across the shelf above the sink. Additional unsanitary conditions included flour and sugar bins stored on the floor, with exteriors covered in drips and greasy smears and dried puree‑like drips on the sugar bin lid. A two‑tier stainless‑steel table in the back serving area had rusty spots where the finish was missing and dried food drips and greasy spills on the bottom tier, where clean muffin pans and a cutting board were stored. Behind the ice machine, surveyors observed a large amount of debris and trash, a build‑up of a black, thick substance, a leak causing a puddle, and a swollen, wet wall with a hole and dark, fuzzy material. Under the dishwashing sink, an opened single‑serve peanut butter container and crumpled plastic wrap were on the floor. The dishwashing sink contained dried food debris including pickles, onions, strawberries, greens, and other items, and a floor drain near the 3‑vat sink had food debris caked around the edges, with a roach seen crawling out of the drain. Evidence of pest activity was repeatedly documented. Surveyors observed a baby roach near the 3‑vat sink, a large roach crawling from under the stove to under the steam table, and dead roaches on the steam table shelf next to clean dishes and on the floor in front of the steam table. A greasy paper towel was stuck to the bottom shelf of the steam table, and there was a build‑up of debris under the serving station/steam table. The DM acknowledged seeing roaches and stated there was a daily cleaning list that staff were supposed to sign when tasks were completed. Dry goods and seasonings were not properly covered or stored. On multiple observations in the back preparation station, containers of fajita seasoning, ground thyme leaves, rotisserie seasoning, black pepper, and salt were left open on shelves or counters, and a large tub of parsley flakes had no lid. The sugar bin on the floor had its lid propped open. The DM later stated she was unsure where the parsley lid was and acknowledged that seasoning containers and the sugar and salt bin lids should be closed when not in use. Review of the facility’s daily, weekly, and monthly kitchen checklists showed numerous items either left blank or not documented as completed, including cleaning of dishes, sinks, work counters, steam tables, floors, storage areas, ovens, stainless‑steel surfaces, deep fryer, and deep cleaning under prep stations and cook’s areas. These observations and records showed that the facility did not consistently follow its own sanitation and ware washing policies or complete required cleaning tasks, affecting the kitchen environment from which food was prepared and served to all residents.
Penalty
Resources
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Failure to use beard restraints during food prep and meal service was observed when two cooks with visible facial hair handled and checked food without beard coverings. One cook said he was unsure a beard restraint was required, and the other said staff never wore them. The KL stated beard restraints were required, but none were available on the hygiene supply shelf, which contained gloves, hair restraints, and aprons.
Food Storage and Personal Hygiene Deficiencies: A Cook was observed preparing food without required hair or beard covering, and multiple food items in the freezer, refrigerators, and kitchenette were found without open dates. Surveyors also found expired Greek yogurt in the walk-in refrigerator. The CDM stated items should be labeled with open dates and expired items discarded, while the facility policy required food service staff to wear a hair net or appropriate hair covering during food production and clean-up.
Improper Thawing of Frozen Chicken: Staff thawed frozen breaded chicken in a 3-compartment sink without cold running water instead of using an approved defrosting method. A Cook said she removed the chicken from the freezer about an hour earlier, and the DM confirmed the chicken was thawed in the sink after staff forgot to remove it from refrigeration earlier. The facility's policy required thawing in refrigeration, under running water, in a microwave under specific conditions, or as part of the conventional cooking process.
Unlabeled refrigerated food items were observed in the kitchen, including red gelatin, sausage patties, and two pitchers of tea. The DS confirmed the items were not labeled and stated the tea was not labeled before being served at lunch, while the ADM stated all food in the refrigerator should be labeled and dated per facility policy.
Dietary staff failed to store, prepare, and serve food in a sanitary manner. Observations showed lemonade left on top of an ice machine, oatmeal placed on a serving area, sausage links without a date or label, chicken stored above potatoes without a date, and a refrigerator without a thermometer. During meal service, staff touched the inside of bowls and handled grilled cheese sandwiches and other food items with gloved hands without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene.
Ice Machine and Water Filter Not Properly Cleaned: An observation found black and brown substance on the ice machine's water curtain guard and a dark brown water filter behind the machine. The dietary manager was unsure when the ice machine was last cleaned or how often the filter was changed, while the ADM believed it had been checked and cleaned within the prior week. The maintenance supervisor said he was responsible for cleaning and maintaining the machine, changed the filter monthly, visually inspected it weekly, and deep cleaned it in July, but may have missed part of the guard.
Failure to Use Beard Restraints During Food Preparation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the proper use of beard restraints during food preparation and meal service. During observation and interview, one cook was seen taking the temperatures of oatmeal and scrambled eggs while having gray whiskers covering his chin and lower cheeks, and he was not wearing a beard restraint. When asked about beard restraints, he stated he was not sure he was supposed to wear one and said no one in the kitchen wore beard coverings and he would not know where to find one if required. A second cook was observed stirring separate pots of vegetables and chicken to be used in soup while having black whiskers covering his chin and cheeks and not wearing a beard restraint. He stated kitchen staff never wore beard coverings and the facility had never required this, adding that they probably should be wearing them. The kitchen lead stated he thought beard restraints were required and identified a shelf for hygiene supplies, but the shelves contained disposable gloves, hair restraints, and aprons and did not contain beard restraints. He stated the facility did not appear to have any beard coverings and that he would include them on his next order. A policy dated 6/19/19 directed staff to wear hair coverings and keep mustaches, sideburns, and beards neatly trimmed.
Food Storage and Personal Hygiene Deficiencies
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to meet professional standards for food storage and personal hygiene during observations of the kitchen and refrigeration areas. On 8/10/26 from 8:10 AM to 9:30 AM, Staff B, the Cook, was observed not wearing a hair or beard net while working. During the same observation, Freezer #1 contained multiple food items without open dates, including cheese ravioli, salmon patties, onion rings, sweet potato fries, wings, and chicken strips. The double-door refrigerator also contained numerous undated items, including several dressings and sauces, lettuce, lime juice, stuffed queen olives, banana pepper rings, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and red hot wing sauce. The walk-in refrigerator contained additional items without open dates, including strawberry yogurt, lettuce, almond frosting, pepperoni slices, ice cream, and tilapia. The walk-in refrigerator also contained five 32-ounce containers of Greek yogurt that had expired on 7/29/26. On 8/11/26 at 10:36 AM, Staff B was observed wearing a baseball cap and beard net while preparing food. Later that day at 11:25 AM, the refrigerator in the small kitchenette contained undated whole milk, fat-free milk, and 2% milk. Staff A, the Certified Dietary Manager, stated that items were expected to be labeled with an open date and expired items were to be discarded once expired, and she said she would need to review the facility policy regarding hair and beard nets because she believed short hair did not require a hairnet. The facility’s personal hygiene policy required food service staff involved in food production and clean-up to wear a hair net or appropriate hair covering, and the labeling and dating policy required all prepared, opened, stored, or repackaged food items to be properly labeled and dated, with improperly labeled, undated, expired, or unidentifiable items not served and discarded.
Improper Thawing of Frozen Chicken
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to thaw frozen chicken using an approved method of defrosting. During an initial kitchen walkthrough, surveyors observed 3 bags of frozen breaded chicken leg drums sitting in a 3-compartment sink without cold running water. A later observation showed the same chicken bags placed in a basin inside the 3-compartment sink, again without cold water. Staff A, Cook, stated she had removed the chicken from the freezer about an hour earlier and was thawing it in the sink. The lunch menu for that day documented chicken drumsticks. The Dietary Manager acknowledged that Staff A thawed the frozen breaded chicken in the 3-compartment sink. The DM stated kitchen staff had forgotten to remove the chicken from the refrigerator earlier and reported that staff were expected to thaw chicken in the refrigerator or under cold running water. The DM also noted a small hole in the chicken bag and stated staff did not want the breaded chicken to get wet. The Administrator stated dietary staff were expected to thaw frozen chicken in the refrigerator or under cold running water. The facility's Food Preparation Policy required frozen meats and leftovers to be thawed only by approved methods, including refrigeration, running water, microwave under specific conditions, or as part of the conventional cooking process.
Unlabeled refrigerated food items
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in 1 of 1 kitchen reviewed for dietary services. During the initial kitchen tour on 08/11/2026 at 09:35 a.m., surveyors observed a bowl of red gelatin with no label, a bag of sausage patties with no label, and two pitchers of tea with no label in the refrigerator. During interviews, the DS confirmed that the gelatin and sausage patties were not labeled and stated she did not know the tea needed to be labeled before being served at lunch in about an hour and a half. She stated the gelatin, sausage patties, and tea were not labeled when placed in the refrigerator and that all items should be labeled when placed there. The ADM also stated that all food in the refrigerator should be labeled and dated, and the facility policy titled Storage of Frozen and Refrigerated Foods required cold or frozen foods in the refrigerator to be labeled with the date opened or prepared, time, and expiration or use-by date.
Unsafe Food Storage and Improper Food Handling
Penalty
Summary
The dietary department failed to store, prepare, and serve food in a sanitary manner during kitchen observations. During an initial tour, a pitcher of lemonade was observed sitting on top of the ice machine, a bowl of oatmeal was placed on top of the serving area for plates, and a clear bag of sausage links was sitting on a plastic cart without a date or label. Staff stated the sausage had been opened the day before and should have been dated and stored in the refrigerator when not in use. In the walk-in refrigerator, a plastic container covered with aluminum foil and labeled chicken had no date and was stored inside another pan with ice on the second shelf above potatoes. Staff stated the chicken would be used the next day and should have been stored on the bottom shelf and dated before being placed in the refrigerator. A refrigerator in [NAME] Hall did not have a thermometer, and staff confirmed none could be located. During meal service, staff were observed touching the inside of bowls while grabbing multiple bowls at a time, and another staff member touched grilled cheese sandwiches with a gloved hand while flipping them and then returned to food handling after touching a cooler and handling cheese without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene. The assistant dietary manager stated the lemonade should have been stored in the cooler, the sausage should have been labeled and dated, the chicken should have been dated and stored on the bottom rack, the refrigerator should have had a thermometer, and staff should have handled bowls by the outside and washed hands or changed gloves when handling food.
Ice Machine and Water Filter Not Properly Cleaned
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in the kitchen reviewed. During an observation on 08/10/2026 at 9:30 AM, the ice machine in the dining area had a black and brown substance on the white plastic water curtain guard above the ice, and the water filter behind the machine was dark brown in color. The dietary manager stated she was responsible for the kitchen area but was not sure of the cleaning timeframe or when the ice machine was last cleaned, and she did not know how often the water filter was changed. The administrator stated the maintenance supervisor was responsible for maintaining the ice machine and water filter and believed it had been checked and cleaned in the last week, but she needed to ask for the cleaning schedule and filter change dates. The maintenance supervisor stated he had been responsible for the ice machine for over a year, changed the water filter monthly and as needed, visually inspected it weekly, and deep cleaned the ice machine in July 2026. He stated he may have missed the small section of the guard with the dark substance. The facility policy required cleaning and disinfecting ice machines and ice storage chests according to the manufacturer's instructions, and the Manitowoc service manual stated the ice machine should be cleaned and sanitized every six months, or more often if needed based on water quality.
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