Improper Food Storage and Labeling: Surveyors observed multiple opened food items in the kitchen, including milk, salads, dressing, and powdered sugar, that were not labeled with an open or use-by date and were not consistently stored in sealed containers or bags. Dietary staff stated that opened foods should be labeled and stored properly.
Unsanitary Food Preparation and Storage Conditions: Surveyors observed multiple sanitation issues in the kitchen and two kitchenettes, including a food prep cart with melted areas, debris on a refrigerator rack, rust on a rack holding clean pots and pans, wet meal trays put away, uncovered dry rice and oatmeal containers, and microwaves with dried food buildup on all inside surfaces. Dietary Staff BB confirmed the conditions, and the facility policy required sanitation of dining areas according to a written schedule.
Improper Food Labeling, Dating, and Dish Storage: Kitchen and food storage areas contained multiple unlabeled and undated items, including cooked bacon, sauces, a deli sandwich, frozen cookies, cheese, and bologna. In the west hallway kitchen area, dishes were stored upright and uncovered, and staff stated that food and clean dishes were expected to be labeled, dated, covered, or stored inverted as appropriate.
Unsanitary Food Storage and Preparation Practices: During a kitchen tour, staff observed stained cookware, open and undated ice cream, thawing turkey, numerous pantry items with dates ranging from old stock to expired juice, and a cooler where liquid egg was stored below an unsealed turkey loaf dripping liquid onto it. An LPN-equivalent dietary staff member stated that potentially hazardous foods should be stored separately to prevent cross-contamination and that food should be dated with the month, day, and year.
The facility failed to maintain a sanitary kitchen for resident meal preparation. Surveyors found three Hydrion PH sanitizer paper testing strips stored above the 3-compartment sink that were expired, and Dietary Staff BB stated he was unaware the strips had an expiration date. The facility also did not provide a policy on kitchen sanitation.
Food service staff failed to maintain sanitary food handling practices by leaving multiple opened food items undated in kitchen refrigerators, documenting incomplete meal temperature logs, and transporting room trays without covering the food and beverages. Dietary leadership and admin staff acknowledged the ongoing issues, and staff verified that plated meals and drinks were taken to residents’ rooms uncovered.
Surveyors found multiple food items in the walk-in cooler, snack cart, and a separate refrigerator that were unlabeled and undated, including desserts, beef tips, rice, ham slices, juices, buns, ice cream, and an open drink. The food temperature log also had missing entries for multiple supper meals, and dietary staff acknowledged the evening shift was not recording food temperatures and that some foods were being stored without proper dating and labeling.
Unsanitary Kitchen Equipment and Food Service Surfaces: Surveyors observed dried-on food inside a microwave, food and liquid residue on a trash can, spilled syrup on a shelf, debris on a clean pan shelf, rust on food carts, dried-on food on hot carts, a sticky substance on a bread cart, and heavily gauged cutting boards. An LTC dietary staff member confirmed the areas needed to be added to the cleaning list, despite the facility policy requiring food to be stored, prepared, distributed, and served under professional food safety standards.
Food storage and kitchen sanitation practices were deficient when unlabeled and undated food items were found in dry storage and refrigerators, scratched and cracked food-contact equipment was observed, and uncovered dishes were left exposed in the dish storage area. The dishwasher was also run below the manufacturer’s stated minimum wash and rinse temperature, and staff reported documenting average temperatures rather than actual readings.
Unsanitary food storage, preparation, and serving practices were observed in the dietary dept. A steam table leaked water onto the floor, a power cord above served food had grey fuzzy buildup, shelving and piping had sticky and black/brown debris, and bug debris was seen in fluorescent lights. Dietary staff handled cup and glass drinking surfaces without hand hygiene or gloves between residents, wore a hairnet that did not fully contain hair, and prepared sandwiches and plated food without gloves while touching food-contact surfaces.
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