F0804

E

Failure to Provide Palatable Food at Safe and Appetizing Temperatures

Prospect Park, Pennsylvania Survey Completed on 03-19-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The facility failed to ensure that food was served at a palatable taste and appropriate temperature, as identified during a test tray evaluation of a lunch meal. Review of the facility’s undated Test Tray Evaluation form showed that acceptable delivery temperatures for starches and vegetables should be 135–165°F. During a lunch meal service test tray conducted on March 18, 2026, at 12:25 p.m. with the food service employee and the Nursing Home Administrator, three pureed items—intended to be pureed mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables—were evaluated. The measured temperature of the food was 110°F, which was below the facility’s stated standard, and the items were described as bland with an unfamiliar taste; the pureed vegetables in particular tasted more like pureed meat. The Nursing Home Administrator also tasted the food and agreed with the surveyor’s findings regarding the temperature and taste deficiencies.