Food storage and kitchen sanitation were deficient when surveyors found undated leftovers and chicken cutlets, spill puddles in the refrigerator, a dirty standing mixer, sticky kitchen floors, dented cans used as a door stop, and wet pots stacked for storage. The Kitchen Manager confirmed the observations, and repeat visits showed the same dirty conditions remained, with the facility policy requiring food to be dated and labeled and equipment to be cleaned, sanitized, and dried after use.
Food Items Stored Without Required Dates: The facility failed to store food in accordance with professional standards. A dietary staff member and the kitchen manager confirmed multiple items in dry storage, the refrigerator, and the freezer had no expiration or use-by dates, including milk that had already expired, along with corn muffins and pie crust without dates. The facility policy required refrigerated, frozen, and repackaged dry foods to be covered, labeled, and dated with a use-by date.
Improper Food Storage and Date Marking: During a kitchen tour, expired seasonings and spices were found in the prep area, including items dated years earlier. In the walk-in refrigerator, pancakes and two bags of fruit were not dated, and in the freezer an open sleeve of frozen hamburgers was not dated. The Dietary Mgr confirmed the items were expired or improperly stored, and the facility policy required perishable food to be clearly date marked.
Surveyors found that one unit kitchenette contained expired dairy products and unlabeled frozen baked goods, in violation of the facility’s food storage policy. During inspection of the kitchenette refrigerator, a can of whipped topping and two large bottles of milk were discovered past their expiration dates, and the freezer contained multiple packs of donuts without any labels or dates. The Kitchen Manager confirmed the items were expired or unlabeled and that he did not know the origin of the donuts, contrary to the written policy requiring checks for spoilage and labeling with name and date for partially used food items.
Surveyors found multiple food storage and temperature control deficiencies, including opened and unlabeled sausages, smart dogs, hot dog buns, and hamburger buns in the kitchen freezer and storage areas, as well as expired instant grits and cheese queso in dry storage. Kitchen staff confirmed the items were expired or should have been discarded. Review of freezer temperature logs showed repeated elevated temperatures in two wing freezers, and the Food Service Coordinator acknowledged the temperatures were elevated but did not submit required work orders as outlined in the facility’s dietary food storage policy.
Surveyors found that the facility did not follow professional food service safety standards, including improper storage and labeling of dry and frozen food items and failure to use required hair restraints. Open and undated items, such as baking mix, tortilla strips, fish sticks, and pie crusts, were stored in dry storage and the freezer, some exposed to air and lacking use-by or open dates. A dietary staff member was observed preparing and plating food without a hair restraint, and both that staff member and the Dietary Manager reported that staff with hair considered short enough were not required to wear hair coverings, despite a facility policy mandating hair restraints for dietary staff.
Surveyors found that kitchen staff did not consistently follow required food labeling and discard practices, including unlabeled loaves of bread on the counter, a box of hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator with an outdated discard-by date, a bag of pancakes without a discard label, and cheese being used for meal preparation past its discard date. These issues involved general food items used in meal service and had the potential to affect all residents.
Dirty and Wet Kitchen Equipment Observed: The facility failed to store and prepare food in accordance with professional standards when wet, greasy, and dirty pans were observed stacked in the kitchen, along with a meat slicer with dry particles on the blade, a floor stand mixer with dried residue and food particles, and a silverware bin containing dirty utensils. On follow-up, wet pans, food debris, grease, crumbs, batter splatter, and crusted meat particles were again observed, and the Kitchen Manager confirmed the findings.
Food items were not stored according to food safety standards. In the kitchen, a dirty bucket of liquid laundry stain remover was found near the walk-in fridge, and an expired balsamic vinaigrette was observed in a kitchenette and discarded by an LPN. In an activity room freezer, staff found undated cookies, unpackaged frozen bananas, and an unidentified bucket of ice with a water bottle, and the cookies remained undated on a later check. Review of personal resident refrigerator logs showed missing entries on multiple dates and several fridges above the required temperature range, with the Housekeeping Director confirming out-of-range temps and the Maintenance Director stating he had not received reports.
Surveyors found that kitchen ventilation systems were not maintained in a clean condition, creating a risk of contamination to food prep and dishwashing areas. A large metal vent located above a rack of clean plate covers was covered in dust and white flaky material, which kitchen staff acknowledged could fall onto clean dishes. Additional ductwork with three vents running over food prep and dishwashing stations was observed with dark substances and dust on the vent registers. The kitchen manager confirmed the vents had the potential to contaminate these areas and could not state when they were last cleaned, and the maintenance supervisor agreed the vents needed cleaning.
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