Cross Contamination Risk from Contaminated Meal Tickets and Kitchen Condensate
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in food service practices related to cross contamination during meal service. The facility census documented 58 residents residing in the facility. During observation of the kitchen, the air conditioning unit mounted inside the kitchen was found to be dripping water onto the dishwashing area and onto the floor, with splashing extending approximately three to four feet into the food service area. This condition was present during active meal service. Later the same day, during meal service, the Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) accidentally knocked resident paper meal tickets off the counter, causing them to scatter over a three to four foot area on the kitchen floor. The CDM, wearing gloves, picked up the paper tickets from the floor and placed them back on the corner of the warmer counter. Another staff member assisted in picking up the tickets and then placed the pile of contaminated meal tickets on resident meal trays to be served. The CDM acknowledged that the air conditioner had broken earlier that morning and was dripping condensate throughout the kitchen, and further acknowledged that the meal tickets became contaminated when they touched the floor and that there was a good chance all of the trays would have been contaminated because the tickets stay with the trays.
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