F0812

F

Failure to Maintain Sanitary Practices During Food Preparation

Mattoon, Illinois Survey Completed on 01-29-2026

Penalty

44 days payment denial

Summary

Surveyors identified a deficiency in sanitary food preparation practices when a dietary aide prepared frozen pancakes for a scheduled breakfast meal without following required hygiene and protective measures. The aide was observed pulling apart frozen pancakes with bare hands, placing them on a large sheet pan without wearing gloves, and not washing her hands immediately prior to food preparation. She reported that she had only washed her hands at the beginning of her shift and had not washed them again since arriving at work. At the time of the observation, 94 residents were documented as residing in the facility, and pancakes were listed on the weekly menu for the upcoming breakfast meal.

During the same observation, the dietary aide was wearing an oversized down winter coat while preparing the pancakes, and the sleeves of the coat made direct contact with multiple pancakes. The aide’s hair net did not fully cover all of her hair. When questioned, she asked whether she should be wearing gloves. The facility’s Certified Food Protection Manager later stated that staff who prepare or serve food should always wear hair nets that fully cover all hair, wear gloves when preparing or serving food, and wash their hands prior to food preparation and service. The facility’s written policy on preventing foodborne illness requires employees to wear gloves when directly touching ready-to-eat foods, prohibits bare-hand contact with such foods, and requires hair restraints when cooking, preparing, or assembling food.