Failure to Maintain Safe and Palatable Food Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure foods were served at safe and palatable temperatures for multiple residents when the dishwasher became inoperable and remained unrepaired for an extended period. Facility policy, consistent with 42 CFR 483.60(i)(2), required hot foods to be held at or above 135°F and cold foods at or below 41°F. The dishwasher malfunctioned and became inoperable on November 21, 2025, and the Food Service Director reported it had been broken for approximately one month at the time of survey observation, resulting in the use of disposable paper products and plastic silverware for meal service. Resident Food Committee meeting minutes from late December 2025 and mid-January 2026 documented resident concerns that the dishwasher had not been repaired and that food was being served cold, with specific requests that hot foods be served on plates rather than Styrofoam. Multiple residents reported dissatisfaction with meal temperatures and palatability, stating that meals were frequently cold or not hot enough. During a test tray evaluation on the third floor lunch meal, hot items including a hotdog on a bun, corn, and pork and beans were measured after meal service and found to be below the required 135°F, with temperatures of 111°F, 106°F, and 122.6°F respectively; these items tasted only lukewarm and were not palatable. The Food Service Director acknowledged that these temperatures did not meet facility policy or regulatory requirements. Review of prior test tray audits by the Registered Dietitian on multiple dates from November 2025 through January 2026 showed repeated documentation that hot food items were not being served at palatable temperatures, and the RD confirmed that complaints about cold food had increased since the dishwasher became inoperable. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed the facility failed to ensure meals were consistently served at temperatures that were palatable and in accordance with regulatory requirements.
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