Failure to Monitor and Document Safe Food Temperatures and Maintain Food Coverage During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure food was stored and served in a safe and sanitary manner, as required by its own Food Storage and Handling policy. Review of food temperature logs from 01/10/26 through 02/26/26 with the Dietary Manager (DM) showed that temperatures were recorded for only a limited number of meals on specific dates, while all other required meal service times lacked documented food temperatures. In an interview, the DM confirmed that kitchen staff did not routinely check food temperatures as required and that she could not provide consistent daily food temperature logs for each meal. During observation of a lunch meal service in the satellite kitchen, food arrived from the main kitchen and was placed on a steam table set at maximum heat, but no temperature log was present. The food remained uncovered for the duration of the observation period until service began, and although a thermometer was available and briefly handled by a staff member, no food temperatures were taken or documented. In interviews, staff in the satellite kitchen confirmed that no food temperatures were taken upon arrival from the main kitchen prior to meal service and stated they were unsure whether the food had been held at safe temperatures. The DM later confirmed that food temperatures should be taken upon arrival and prior to meal service and that food should remain covered, consistent with the facility’s written policy requiring temperature checks and documentation before serving.
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