Failure to Maintain Sanitary Kitchen Conditions and Follow Food Service Sanitation Procedures
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s failure to maintain the kitchen in a clean and sanitary condition and to follow its own sanitation policies. During an early morning kitchen tour, they observed dried food inside a microwave and food crumbs on the table beneath it, as well as undated containers of various cereals on a shelf. In a reach-in refrigerator, five shelves were rusty, shredded cheese was not labeled or dated, and butter stored in a hotel pan was not properly wrapped, labeled, or dated. In the serving area, there was grease on the table under the toaster, food splatter on the plate warmer and pellet warmer, and dried food in seven of ten steam table wells with five dirty lids containing dried food and gravy. In the dish area, floor tiles were cracked, and the clean side of the dish machine drain board had dried food and a salt packet on it. In the cooking area, the slicer had dried meat near the blade, the robot coupe had dried food around its base, and there were cracked tiles and a hole in the wall where food carts were stored. These conditions were verified by a staff member. Further observation showed that a dietary staff member rinsed the robot coupe in the three-compartment sink without following proper washing and sanitizing procedures, stating that she only rinses it out. Review of the facility’s “Operation and Sanitation” policy indicated that operating instructions and cleaning procedures are developed for all dining services equipment, and the closing checklist required that all equipment be cleaned and all food wrapped, labeled, and dated. The facility’s failure to follow these established procedures and checklists resulted in multiple areas and pieces of equipment in the kitchen not being properly cleaned, sanitized, labeled, or maintained, affecting food storage, preparation, and service for nearly all residents who received meals from the kitchen.
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