Inadequate Food Temperature, Quality, and Portion Sizes During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide palatable, adequately portioned food at safe and appetizing temperatures during meal service. During a kitchen observation, meatloaf on the steam table was noted to have blackened areas across the top and along the edges, and the portion size being served measured approximately 3 inches by 1 inch by 1 inch. Multiple residents reported that soup bowls at supper and dinner were only filled a quarter of the way, and that meatloaf portions were equivalent to two or three bites. Several residents stated that after every meal they were still hungry because the portion sizes were so small and described the quantity of food as what would be served to a young child. Residents also reported and observations confirmed that food was frequently served cold, particularly breakfast items and meals delivered to rooms. One resident stated that the previous night’s soup and the morning’s hash brown and sausage links were cold when served. Another resident reported that food served in rooms, especially eggs, was always cold. A random tray temperature check showed scrambled eggs at 98.8°F and sausage links at 86.4°F, while oatmeal measured 149.2°F. Residents described the food as generally cold, overcooked or undercooked at times, and of poor quality, with one resident stating the meatloaf was way overcooked and another reporting that twice they had been served undercooked food. The facility had a written policy requiring TCS foods to be held at 135°F or above and temperatures to be recorded before service, but the observed temperatures and resident reports showed this was not consistently achieved.
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