Unsanitary Food Storage, Preparation, and Temperature Control in Dietary Services
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s failure to store and prepare food in a sanitary manner consistent with its own policies and professional standards. During kitchen observation, the soda gun nozzle was found dirty with a red buildup, and a white cutting block attached to the steam table had black residue on its surface. In the food prep area, five dirty knives were stored in a case designated for clean knives. The Dietary Manager confirmed each of these items was dirty despite facility policies stating that all kitchen equipment, counters, and utensils should be kept clean. Additional observations showed multiple food storage and temperature control issues. In the walk-in cooler, vanilla pudding, several types of cheese, bologna, and opened raw eggs were undated, and the raw eggs were stored on the top shelf above potatoes, contrary to policy requiring food to be dated and raw eggs to be stored on the bottom shelf. The walk-in freezer registered 25°F, and food inside was soft rather than frozen solid, despite policy requiring frozen food to be maintained in a solid state; an icicle was also observed hanging from the condenser above an open box of peas. In dry storage, opened bags of spaghetti and egg noodles were undated. The ice machine in the kitchen was leaking due to overfilling, and during a lunch meal service, broccoli on the steam table was held at 123°F while part of the steam table was not working, even though facility policy required hot foods to be held above 135°F. These conditions had the potential to affect all 84 residents in the facility.
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