MIAMI, FL - A nursing home in Miami faced multiple citations during a May inspection for food safety violations that could have affected nearly all residents, along with failures in the facility's quality assurance program.
Contaminated Food Storage Threatens Resident Safety
University Plaza Rehabilitation and Nursing Center was cited for two significant food safety violations during the May 22, 2025 inspection. The most concerning issue involved ice cream freezers with ice buildup that created unsanitary conditions, potentially affecting 139 out of 143 residents who eat orally at the facility.
Inspectors also discovered a repeated violation in the facility's walk-in refrigerator, where flower bouquets were stored on shelves alongside fruits and vegetables. This cross-contamination issue could have impacted 128 out of 133 residents who consume food orally.
The storage of decorative flowers with food items violates basic food safety protocols and creates serious health risks. Flowers can harbor bacteria, pesticides, and other contaminants that can cause foodborne illness when they come into contact with food products.
Medical Risks from Food Safety Violations
Food safety violations in nursing homes pose particularly serious risks to elderly residents whose immune systems are often compromised. Ice buildup in freezers can indicate temperature fluctuations that allow harmful bacteria to multiply, potentially leading to foodborne illnesses that can be life-threatening for vulnerable populations.
When non-food items like flowers are stored with produce, residents face exposure to pesticides, chemicals, and pathogens that their bodies may struggle to fight off. Cross-contamination can result in gastrointestinal infections, which can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, and more serious complications in elderly individuals.
Proper food storage requires dedicated spaces for food items only, with strict temperature controls and regular monitoring. Freezers should be defrosted regularly to prevent ice buildup, and all food storage areas must be kept free from decorative items, cleaning supplies, and other non-food materials.
Quality Assurance Program Fails to Address Problems
The facility also received a citation for inadequate quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) oversight. The inspection revealed that the QAPI committee failed to monitor previous problem areas that had been identified as needing improvement.
According to inspection records, the facility's QAPI committee meets monthly on the fourth Thursday and includes key staff members: the Medical Director, Administrator, Director of Nursing, Infection Preventionist, Registered Dietitian, Maintenance Director, Activities Director, and Social Services Director. The most recent meeting was held on April 24, 2025.
The committee structure appears comprehensive on paper, with each department assigned specific objectives to monitor and report monthly. However, the citation indicates these monitoring efforts were insufficient to prevent the food safety violations from occurring or recurring.
Industry Standards for Food Safety and Quality Control
Federal regulations require nursing homes to store, prepare, and serve food under sanitary conditions to protect resident health. This includes maintaining proper temperatures in all food storage equipment, preventing cross-contamination, and ensuring only food-grade items are stored in food preparation and storage areas.
The QAPI program is designed to be a facility's internal quality control system, continuously monitoring operations to identify problems before they affect resident care. When QAPI systems fail to catch recurring issues, it suggests broader problems with the facility's commitment to maintaining standards.
Effective quality assurance programs should include regular audits of food safety practices, immediate corrective actions when violations are identified, and follow-up monitoring to ensure problems don't recur. The fact that similar food storage issues were cited as "repeated deficient practice" indicates the facility's quality improvement efforts were inadequate.
Additional Issues Identified
The inspection also documented ongoing challenges with the facility's performance improvement projects, suggesting the QAPI committee's evaluation methods need strengthening to ensure effective oversight of all operational areas.
The combination of food safety violations affecting the majority of residents and quality assurance failures raises questions about the facility's overall commitment to maintaining safe conditions for its vulnerable population.
University Plaza Rehabilitation and Nursing Center serves 143 residents, making these widespread violations particularly concerning given the potential health impacts on elderly individuals who depend on the facility for safe, sanitary food service and comprehensive care oversight.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for University Plaza Rehabilitation and Nursing Center from 2025-05-22 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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