HAMMOND, LA - Federal health inspectors cited Heritage Healthcare of Hammond for food safety violations after discovering multiple pieces of meal service equipment coated with food debris and dried substances during a May 2025 inspection, raising concerns about sanitation practices at the 1300 Derek Drive facility.
Soiled Meal Carts and Microwaves Found During Meal Service
During observations on May 18, 2025, at 12:05 p.m., inspectors documented a dietary staff member bringing an enclosed meal cart into the kitchen with a microwave secured to the top. Both the cart surface and microwave were visibly unclean, covered with food debris and dried substances.
The problem extended well beyond a single cart. Inspectors identified four additional enclosed meal carts, each equipped with microwaves, all in a similar unsanitary condition. Food debris and dried substances were found on the tops of the carts as well as both inside and outside the attached microwaves — equipment used directly in the preparation and delivery of meals to residents.
The violation was documented under F-tag 0812, which addresses food safety standards requiring that equipment and utensils used in food service be properly cleaned and maintained. The deficiency was classified at a level indicating minimal harm or potential for actual harm, affecting some residents at the facility.
Staff Confirmed Cleaning Protocols Were Not Followed
In an interview conducted just minutes after the observation, the dietary staff member confirmed that kitchen staff were responsible for cleaning the enclosed meal carts and microwaves after each meal service. She acknowledged that all five enclosed meal carts and their microwaves were not clean "and should have been."
This acknowledgment is significant because it establishes that the facility had an existing cleaning protocol in place but failed to follow it. The gap between written policy and actual practice is a recurring theme in nursing home food safety citations nationwide.
Why Food Equipment Sanitation Matters in Nursing Homes
Food debris and dried substances on meal delivery equipment create conditions where harmful bacteria can multiply rapidly. Common foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria thrive on improperly cleaned surfaces, particularly when organic material is allowed to accumulate over multiple meal cycles.
Nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable populations when it comes to foodborne illness. Many residents have weakened immune systems, chronic medical conditions, or are taking medications that reduce their ability to fight infection. What might cause mild discomfort in a healthy adult can lead to serious complications — including hospitalization or death — in an elderly nursing home resident.
Microwaves present a particular concern. When food particles accumulate inside a microwave, subsequent heating cycles can create warm, moist environments that are ideal for bacterial growth. Food reheated in a contaminated microwave can become cross-contaminated before it ever reaches a resident's plate.
Federal Standards Require Consistent Equipment Sanitation
Under federal regulations governing Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities, kitchens must maintain food service equipment in a sanitary condition at all times. The Food and Drug Administration's Food Code, which serves as the basis for nursing home food safety requirements, specifies that food-contact surfaces must be cleaned after each use and at minimum every four hours during continuous operation.
Enclosed meal carts serve a critical function in nursing homes — they transport prepared food from the kitchen to resident dining areas and individual rooms throughout the facility. When these carts are not properly cleaned between meal services, every subsequent meal delivered through them carries a potential contamination risk.
Proper protocol requires that after each meal service, staff should disassemble removable components, wash and sanitize all food-contact surfaces, and allow equipment to air dry before the next use. The fact that five separate carts were found in unsanitary condition suggests a systemic breakdown in the facility's sanitation routine rather than an isolated oversight.
Facility Required to Submit Correction Plan
Heritage Healthcare of Hammond was required to submit a plan of correction to address the deficiency. The survey, completed on May 21, 2025, was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The full inspection report, including the facility's correction plan, is available through the CMS Care Compare database. Families with loved ones at the facility may wish to review the complete findings, which covered 25 pages of documented observations.
Residents and families who have questions about food safety practices at Heritage Healthcare of Hammond can contact the facility directly or reach the Louisiana Department of Health to request additional information about the survey findings.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Heritage Healthcare - Hammond from 2025-05-21 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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