University Plaza Nursing Center Food Safety Failures FL
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.
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: September 19, 2026 · Our methodology
UNIVERSITY HEALTH AND REHABILITATION CENTER in MIAMI, FL was cited for violations during a health inspection on May 22, 2025.
This cross-contamination issue could have impacted 128 out of 133 residents who consume food orally.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.