Surveyors found multiple food storage and labeling deficiencies in the kitchen and dry storage areas, including open deli meat, frozen vegetables, and chicken stored without labels or open dates, and spoiled mushrooms left in the refrigerator. In dry storage, dented cans of beans, pumpkin, and peaches were stored on regular use racks instead of being segregated as damaged goods. The Dietary Manager acknowledged that all stored food items were expected to be labeled and dated, that produce should be rotated on a first‑in, first‑out basis, and that dented or bulging cans should be kept on a damaged goods shelf, consistent with facility policies on food labeling, dating, and storage.
Opened salsa was found in dry storage instead of being refrigerated after opening, with two different dates on the container and no clear explanation for the labeling. The KDM and another staff member stated the salsa should have been dated and placed in the walk-in refrigerator after opening, and the facility policy required TCS foods to be kept at or below 41 degrees F.
Surveyors found that kitchen dry storage contained multiple open packages of seasonings, gravies, and breadcrumbs that were sealed only with binder clips and lacked required opened-date labeling. Staff interviews confirmed that facility policy requires dry food items to be dated upon delivery, labeled with an open date when first used, and stored in sealed containers or Ziploc bags. The dietary manager acknowledged that the facility had previously used binder clips on opened items but that this no longer met current expectations, and that undated, improperly sealed food items were inconsistent with the facility’s written food receiving and storage policies.
Food items in the kitchen and nourishment refrigerators were found unlabeled, undated, and improperly stored. Observations showed opened whipped cream without visible dates, bacon and frozen burger patties left exposed in partially closed boxes, and multiple resident food items in nourishment fridges with no room numbers or dates. Staff also found staff lunch items mixed with resident food, unidentifiable food in containers, and dirty refrigerator surfaces with food residue.
Surveyors found that dietary staff did not consistently follow sanitation and food storage standards. A cook was observed preparing vegetables without a required beard net, despite facility policy and staff statements that hairnets and beard guards must be worn upon entering the kitchen to prevent hair from contaminating food. Inspectors also found expired food items, including pickled beets and processed Swiss cheese, stored in the refrigerator past their labeled use-by dates. Dietary staff, including the Director of Nutritional Services, confirmed they are responsible for labeling and checking food twice weekly and that food must be discarded by the use-by date to prevent foodborne illness, acknowledging that the observed practices did not meet facility expectations.
A kitchen manager with a bandaged hand, showing a visible red spot, handled and served food without wearing gloves during a tray line and test tray temperature check. The staff member later explained the bandage covered a skin tear sustained earlier that day and acknowledged that facility practice required gloves when serving food with an open skin tear. Facility policies stated that staff with skin lesions were not permitted direct contact with residents or their food and that food service employees must follow sanitary and safe food-handling procedures.
Surveyors found multiple failures in food storage, labeling, and hot holding practices, including dented canned goods not segregated, canned items with crusted food and debris on top, bread and cookies in dry storage without clear expiration or use-by dates, and opened, undated items such as jelly and breaded steak fritters exposed to air in refrigeration and freezer areas. An opened, undated bag of pretzel sticks was also found in a unit nourishment area, despite expectations that resident food be labeled with room number, open date, and use-by date. During a tray line observation, several TCS foods on the steam table, including noodles, meatballs, vegetables, and pureed items, were held below the required 135°F hot-holding temperature. Dietary staff and leadership acknowledged that staff are expected to label food with received, opened, and discard/use-by dates and that the dietary director is responsible for ensuring food service follows facility policies and regulatory requirements.
Surveyors found that kitchen staff failed to follow facility food safety policies requiring proper labeling and dating of stored food items. During a walkthrough of refrigerators, freezers, and dry storage, multiple items—including grapes, pepperoni, vegan burger patties, cod fish patties, potatoes, bananas, and tortilla chips—were observed without required received dates, open dates, or use-by dates. In interviews, the Food Services Director and Dietary Manager confirmed that policy mandates all stored and opened foods be labeled with these dates and, when repackaged, placed in sealed, labeled containers, but the observed practices did not meet these standards.
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to maintain sanitary conditions in the main kitchen and unit nourishment refrigerators, including dirty floors with accumulated debris, wet black matter under the dish sink, soiled walls and vents near food preparation and tray lines, and rusted, peeling surfaces adjacent to food service areas. Nourishment refrigerators on two halls contained resident food items such as milk, frozen tacos, and ice cream that were open and undated, with visible spills and debris inside the units. CNAs acknowledged that items should be dated and used within a limited time and that the refrigerators and freezers appeared dirty, while the kitchen manager admitted there was no established cleaning schedule, was unsure of cleaning responsibilities for some equipment and vents, and confirmed that the observed conditions did not meet expectations despite existing documentation stating that food storage areas should be kept clean at all times.
Surveyors identified a failure to follow food safety standards when multiple opened food items in the kitchen, including liquid eggs, frozen chicken tenders, frozen tilapia, and hot dog buns, were found without labels indicating when they were opened. The facility’s policy required all foods to be labeled and dated, and both the Dietary Manager and the RD confirmed that all products should be labeled upon delivery, storage, and opening so that staff know when items were received, stored, and opened.
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