Unclean Tray Line Cooler With Damaged Door Gasket: The tray line cooler was observed with excessive moisture, greenish-black buildup, and a black substance on the lower door gasket, which was dangling and preventing a proper seal. Dietary staff stated the substance looked like mold, said the unit should be cleaned weekly, and confirmed the condition could contaminate food and affect refrigerator temperatures. The Dietary Mgr also confirmed the unclean condition and improper door seal.
Improper Food Labeling, Dating, and Storage in Dietary Department: Surveyors found opened refrigerated and frozen food items that were undated, improperly stored, or expired in the dietary area, including wilted coleslaw, chopped cabbage, frozen meats, onion rings, and dated juice pitchers. The DM and NHA acknowledged that opened foods should be labeled and dated, vegetables should not be stored in the milk refrigerator, and staff were expected to monitor food items for expiration.
Spoiled produce was found in Walk-in Refrigerator #1 when surveyors observed a box of cucumbers with molded, deteriorating items and three bags of grapes with molded grapes stored inside a cardboard box. The DM acknowledged the produce was deteriorated and removed it, and later stated dietary aides were responsible for checking fresh produce daily and that staff had not consistently completed the food storage checklist. The Administrator stated dietary staff were expected to routinely monitor produce and remove any moldy, spoiled, or deteriorating items when identified.
Ice machine contamination was identified when black substance was observed on the underside of the lid and across the interior ledge of the machine used for all residents. The DM confirmed the buildup should have been removed during routine weekly cleaning and acknowledged the machine had not been cleaned properly.
Food storage and handling practices were not sanitary when dietary observations found moldy and deteriorating produce in the refrigerator, on a snack cart, and in service areas, including strawberries, lemons, tangerines, tomatoes, and romaine lettuce. The DM confirmed staff were responsible for inspecting produce, and the RD identified the DM as responsible for supervising dietary staff and monitoring food storage practices. The DM also used the same alcohol wipe to clean a thermometer between multiple food temp checks without changing wipes.
Improper Storage of Frozen Food: Surveyors observed nine frozen food items in the freezer that were not properly sealed, including sausage, dinner rolls, cobbler crust, bread sticks, lima beans, and frozen cookies. The DM confirmed bags in the freezer and cooler should be sealed to prevent freezer burn and stated the cook was responsible for ensuring food was sealed; the NHA also confirmed dietary staff should have closed the bags to keep food fresh and prevent spoilage.
Improper thermometer calibration and food storage practices were observed in the kitchen. A cook calibrated the thermometer to 40 degrees instead of the required 32 degrees, even though staff had been trained on proper calibration. Surveyors also found opened and refrigerated food items that were not labeled or dated, along with sandwiches left unattended on a prep table with no date, and the DM could not state how long they had been there.
Improper food labeling and unsanitary refrigerator conditions were observed in the kitchen. Open food items in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry were found undated or unlabeled, including cheese spread, boiled eggs, liquid eggs, fish fillets, grits, and sliced onions. One refrigerator also had black fuzzy spots described by staff as mold, and the DM confirmed the unit was not clean.
Kitchen Food Items Not Labeled, Dated, or Discarded When Expired: During a kitchen tour, the DM found multiple refrigerated food items without required labels or dates, including shredded carrots and salad mix with no open date. Other items were also observed past or near expiration, including cottage cheese, lime juice, coleslaw, and milk. Staff stated that opened foods should be dated and discarded after four days, and the DM confirmed that all foods should be labeled, dated, and discarded when expired.
Expired cabbage was found in a refrigerator with an odor consistent with decay, and several resident sandwiches were stored in a cooler without labels or dates. The ADM confirmed dietary staff were responsible for checking dates and removing expired items, and the DM stated all food items were expected to be properly dated, labeled, and rotated.
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