Improper Food Labeling, Dating, and Discarding Practices in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to properly label, date, and discard food items in accordance with its own policies and professional standards. During a kitchen observation, the Kitchen Supervisor stated that all food items are to be labeled with delivery, opened/prepared, and use-by dates, and that manufacturer “use by” dates are followed when present. However, surveyors observed an opened package of orange cheese slices labeled only with an open date and no use-by date, despite a facility guideline that opened sliced American cheese is good for only two weeks. The Kitchen Supervisor indicated staff did not add a use-by date because they relied on the manufacturer’s best-by date printed on the product, which extended far beyond the facility’s recommended storage time. Surveyors also found an opened jar of pureed Gefilte Fish labeled only with an open date and no use-by date, while the Kitchen Supervisor again stated they were following the manufacturer’s best-by date on the unopened product. The Consultant RD later confirmed that once opened, high-acid canned products such as Gefilte Fish should be used within 5–7 days per the facility’s use-by guidelines, and that manufacturer dates apply only to unopened items. In addition, an opened container of white pepper was found with a manufacturer best-by date that had already passed, and the Kitchen Supervisor acknowledged it should have been discarded. The Consultant RD emphasized that opened and prepared foods must be labeled with open and use-by dates so staff know when to discard items and prevent serving food that has gone bad. The facility’s own policies and use-by date recommendations require opened dry storage and refrigerated items to be labeled with open and discard/use-by dates and to be discarded per those guidelines. The facility census included 110 residents receiving food from the kitchen, with two residents documented as NPO.
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