Kitchen sanitation and food handling deficiencies were identified when a cook worked without a hair restraint while preparing food, handled ready-to-eat items with bare hands, and used a taped metal table surface for clean dishes. The Dietary Director acknowledged the improper handling of ready-to-eat food, and the Regional Dietary Director stated hair restraints were required at all times and that the taped surface could not be adequately cleaned.
Unsanitary food storage was observed in a communal freezer when an opened ice cream bar was left uncovered and unlabeled, a small ice cream container was not labeled or dated, and dried and spilled substances were present on the freezer walls and shelf. The Administrator and Dietary Manager observed the findings with the surveyor and stated the items needed to be discarded and the spills cleaned.
Improper Storage of Opened Food Items: A kitchen tour found several opened food items stored without labels or dates, including cereal, ranch dressing, boiled eggs, and cheese. A Cook confirmed the items were undated, and an RD later stated food products were to be dated immediately when opened.
Failure to Ensure Kitchen Staff Wore Hair Restraints: A Cook was observed prepping food with her hair not fully covered and without a required hair restraint, despite the facility policy requiring food and nutrition service staff to wear hair restraints. The Cook acknowledged the issue, and the Dietary Mgr confirmed staff were to wear hair restraints.
Improper Hand Hygiene and Food Handling in Kitchen: Staff were observed washing hands incorrectly by using a paper towel to turn off the faucet and then drying with the same towel, changing gloves and resuming tasks without re-washing, and handling juice and dish covers without proper hand hygiene. A Dietary Aide, Cook, Culinary Manager, and Dietary Manager were involved in observations showing repeated lapses in sanitation and food handling practices, and staff reported they had not received recent hand hygiene training.
Improper Food Storage and Inadequate Dish Sanitization: Food items in both kitchen areas were found undated, expired, or improperly stored, including dairy, produce, condiments, and frozen items. In one kitchen, the dishwasher sanitizer and sanitizing bucket tested below required ppm levels, and staff reported the dishwasher sanitizer dispenser was not functioning properly and had not been checked before dishwashing.
Kitchen sanitation, hair restraint, and ice drainage deficiencies: The Dietary Mgr was observed in the prep kitchen without a hair restraint while handling food tasks, and kitchen areas showed poor sanitation, including debris on the ice machine drain components, residue on a freezer wall, food on the freezer floor, and an open package of frozen hamburger patties. The facility also had an ice machine drain tube in direct contact with the drain without the required air gap, and the Dietary Mgr, Admin, and Regional President confirmed the condition.
Improper Food Storage and Labeling in Unit Refrigerator and Freezer: The facility failed to properly store food and maintain sanitary conditions in the unit refrigerator and freezer. Multiple food items were found unlabeled and undated, and opened food boxes were stored on the freezer floor. The Dietary Mgr acknowledged the issues and stated food items should be labeled, dated, and stored off the floor.
Kitchen sanitation was not maintained in 1 of 1 kitchen reviewed for food service. A swamp cooler above the stove and food prep area had visible dust buildup, and a black pipe near the cooler appeared greasy with dust accumulation. The DM and Dietary Mgr confirmed the swamp cooler should have been clean.
Expired food was found in 2 unit refrigerators, and temperature logs were not maintained. One refrigerator contained moldy food, salad, milk, and kefir past their use-by or best-by dates, while the snack refrigerator contained expired kefir and thickened food. The DTR acknowledged the items should have been discarded and stated food in unit refrigerators was to be removed after 3 days.
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