Improper Food Storage in Kitchen and Nourishment Pantry: The facility failed to store food and utensils properly in the kitchen and nourishment room. Surveyors found an opened box of bacon left exposed to air, a ketchup container with a damaged lid exposing the condiment, utensils stored inconsistently in drawers, and a nourishment room refrigerator reading 48 degrees. The DM, FA, DON, and CRN acknowledged the findings.
Food storage and kitchen sanitation failures were observed throughout the kitchen, dry storage, and refrigeration areas. Surveyors found soiled cloths, debris on food contact surfaces and equipment, improper cutting board use, unlabeled and outdated food items, chemicals stored near food, ice buildup and refrozen ice cream, and multiple sanitation issues in the dish room and food prep areas, including improperly stored dishware, wet meal trays, and unlabeled spray bottles.
Food service staff failed to follow sanitary practices during kitchen and meal service observations. Surveyors found dirty meal delivery carts, debris on kitchen equipment and surfaces, wet nesting of hotel pans and soup bowls, dietary aides without beard guards, and chipped plastic bases with sharp edges still in use. The Dietary Manager verified multiple items needed cleaning or were not being handled in accordance with policy.
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food according to professional food safety standards and did not follow proper kitchen sanitation practices. Surveyors found missing dish machine temperature log entries, debris in the handwashing sink, a package of shredded cheese not tightly sealed in the walk-in refrigerator, and a Dietary Aide working in the kitchen without proper facial hair restraint.
Improper handwashing and glove use were observed during meal service when a cook plated lettuce, tomato, cheese, and a pickle with gloved hands without washing hands, changing gloves, or using utensils to prevent cross-contamination. The District Manager stopped the tray line after observing the practice, and the cook confirmed she did not use tongs or other utensils because she had gloves on.
Food items were found improperly labeled or dated, and multiple kitchen surfaces and equipment were soiled, including refrigerators, ovens, microwaves, can openers, handwashing sinks, and a drip pan. The dish machine also had missing temperature logs, and the three-compartment sink water temperatures were not being recorded, showing failures in food safety and sanitation practices.
Expired Glucerna supplements were found in a resident nutrition room cabinet accessible to residents during a surveyor walkthrough. An SW confirmed the items were expired, showing a failure to store food in accordance with professional standards for food safety.
Unsanitary glove use and food prep surface contamination were observed during meal service. A staff member removed gloves, left the work area to get items, and put on new gloves without witnessed hand washing; the staff member said changing gloves or using alcohol rub was enough. Kitchen observations also found food debris and sticky residue on prep and tray line surfaces, and the same staff member later handled food, discarded gloves, and donned new gloves without washing hands first.
Improper handling of beverages during meal service. A red liquid and a pitcher of koolaid were observed on meal carts without ice, and one pitcher was not labeled or dated. An LPN confirmed the drinks were not kept cold during tray service, and a resident stated the koolaid was room temperature.
Food storage and sanitation practices were not maintained in accordance with policy. Surveyors observed multiple opened and unlabeled foods, expired items, iced-over freezer storage, dirty dry storage conditions, water in clean adaptive cups on a lunch cart, dirty carts with spills and crumbs, and dirty snack coolers with a sticky substance. A utensil storage container also had handles not all facing the same direction, and the facility policy required foods to be labeled and dated and freezers to be kept clean and organized.
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