Unsanitary Food Storage and Kitchen Practices
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the sanitary storage, preparation, and service of food in the facility kitchen based on observations, interviews, and record review. During a kitchen tour, multiple opened dry goods, including cocoa powder, buttermilk pancake mix, brownie mix, chocolate instant pudding mix, and a bag of crispy cereal, were found partially used, closed with clips, and lacking open-on dates. A plastic container without a lid contained loose pretzels and an open sandwich bag of pretzels with a prior date. Three large bins stored under a counter near the toaster were not labeled in a readable manner, and their lids had visible particles and crumbs and appeared dirty; one bin had a ladle hanging in it. The drawer holding measuring cups and spoons had crumbs along one side, the backsplash behind the counter was gritty with visible particles, and the windowsill above the counter, which held spices, had spilled spices scattered across it. Two pans on a rack near the toaster held a total of 27 pieces of cake that were left uncovered. Additional unsanitary conditions were observed under the clean dish counter, where the floor had black and gray residue and was moist and grimy. When interviewed, a dietary staff member stated she had not been trained to place open dates on food items and confirmed that the bin lids, identified by her as containing flour, sugar, and chicken batter, were not clean or labeled. She also confirmed the presence of crumbs in the measuring utensil drawer, the dirty and gritty condition of the backsplash and windowsill, and acknowledged that the uncovered cake pieces should have been covered and that the area beneath the dish counter should not be grimy. Review of facility policies showed existing policies for sanitation of dining and food service areas and for sanitizing equipment and food contact surfaces, but the facility was unable to provide a requested policy for food storage.
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