F0812

E

Failure to Maintain Sanitary Food Preparation and Storage Practices

Artesia, New Mexico Survey Completed on 02-26-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

Surveyors identified a deficiency in food service sanitation when kitchen staff failed to follow required hair restraint and food labeling practices. During a kitchen observation, a dietary aide was seen working without a beard net, and the dietary assistant manager confirmed that this staff member was not properly wearing required facial hair protection, stating that her expectation was for all staff to wear hairnets and beard nets while in the kitchen or serving food. In the same observation period, surveyors noted multiple opened frozen food items, including what appeared to be tater tots, meatballs, and French fries, stored in bags that were not labeled or dated. The dietary aide confirmed that these freezer items were not labeled and dated and acknowledged that they should have been. These practices were determined to affect all 51 residents on the census and were described as likely to lead to foodborne illnesses if safe food handling and proper food storage were not followed.

No specific resident medical histories or individual conditions were described in the report beyond the total number of residents potentially affected.