Failure to Maintain Sanitary Kitchen Conditions and Follow Food Service Cleaning Policy
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s failure to maintain sanitary conditions and proper food handling practices in the kitchen cooking area. During a kitchen tour on 2/17/26 at 10:15 a.m., they observed food residue on equipment and cookware, grease buildup, accumulated debris, and grime on the kitchen floor in and around the cooking area, with photographic evidence obtained. A follow-up tour at 3:27 p.m. the same day revealed the same unsanitary conditions, indicating that the issues had not been addressed during that time frame. These conditions were inconsistent with the FDA Food Code 2022 requirements that equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils be clean to sight and touch, free of encrusted grease deposits and soil accumulations, and that nonfood-contact surfaces be free of dust, dirt, food residue, and other debris. Interviews with dietary staff and review of facility policies further demonstrated a breakdown in implementation of the facility’s Food Safety/Sanitation policy. A dietary aide stated that cooks are responsible for cleaning the kitchen and food service equipment daily or after each use, and that dietary aides clean the microwave and ice machine in nourishment rooms. The Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) reported that cooks are responsible for cleaning the cook area, that she is responsible for ensuring daily cleaning is completed, and that the last deep cleaning of the kitchen occurred in January 2025, with a goal to schedule another by the end of the current month. Another dietary aide described daily cleaning routines for tray lines, carts, belts, and floors, while a cook reported that the scheduled cook is responsible for cleaning the cook area but that not all staff participate as expected, prompting him to inform the CDM when this occurs. Despite these stated responsibilities and the written comprehensive cleaning schedule, the observed persistent grease buildup, food residue, and floor grime in the cooking area showed that the facility did not follow its own sanitation policy or professional standards for food service cleanliness.
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