HANCOCK, MI - Federal inspectors identified food safety violations at Portagepointe nursing home during a May 2025 inspection, documenting a malfunctioning dishwasher that failed to reach proper sanitation temperatures required to eliminate harmful bacteria from dishes used by residents.
Kitchen Equipment Failed to Meet Sanitation Standards
During the inspection conducted on May 29, 2025, surveyors observed significant problems with the high-temperature dishwasher in the facility's Pewabic Kitchen. The equipment, which is responsible for sanitizing all dishes, utensils, and food-contact surfaces used to serve meals to residents, was unable to achieve the temperatures necessary to kill potentially dangerous pathogens.
At 7:15 a.m., inspectors tested the dishwasher and recorded a final rinse temperature of just 137 degrees Fahrenheit. This falls dramatically short of the FDA Food Code requirement, which mandates that mechanical dishwashing equipment must achieve a utensil surface temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit to be considered properly sanitized.
Kitchen Manager (KM) C acknowledged the ongoing issue to inspectors, stating that the dishwasher "does not get to the correct wash temperature." The kitchen manager also referenced guidance from a company representative who allegedly suggested that if a sanitization test strip turned black, the dishes would be adequately sanitized "despite the temperature it is saying on the dish machine."
However, when a sanitization strip was placed on a clean plate and run through a wash cycle during the inspection, the strip did not turn black - indicating that proper sanitization had not occurred.
Continued Equipment Malfunction Documented
The problems with the dishwashing equipment extended beyond a single observation. Later the same day, at 12:15 p.m., inspectors witnessed Dietary Aide (DA) D operating the same malfunctioning dishwasher under concerning conditions.
The dietary aide was observed scooping water out of the bottom of the dish machine with a pitcher before loading dishes - suggesting drainage or operational problems with the equipment. Additionally, staff had to physically hold the dishwasher door closed during operation to complete wash cycles, with a towel placed near the bottom of the machine to collect leaking water.
During this afternoon observation, the final rinse temperature recorded was even lower than the morning reading, measuring just 117 degrees Fahrenheit - a full 43 degrees below the minimum required temperature for proper sanitation.
The Medical Significance of Proper Dishwashing Temperatures
The temperature requirements established in the FDA Food Code exist for critical public health reasons. Hot water sanitation relies on achieving and maintaining specific temperatures for set periods to effectively eliminate disease-causing microorganisms from food-contact surfaces.
At temperatures below 160 degrees Fahrenheit, many common foodborne pathogens can survive on dishes and utensils. These include bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Norovirus - all of which can cause serious gastrointestinal illness.
For nursing home residents, the consequences of foodborne illness can be particularly severe. Elderly individuals often have weakened immune systems, chronic health conditions, and reduced physiological reserves that make them more susceptible to infection and less able to recover from illness. What might cause temporary discomfort in a healthy adult can lead to hospitalization, dehydration, or life-threatening complications in a frail elderly person.
The violation was classified as causing "minimal harm or potential for actual harm" and affected "many" residents - indicating the scope of individuals potentially exposed to improperly sanitized dishware.
Federal Standards for Food Service Sanitation
The FDA 2022 Food Code provides clear guidance on sanitation requirements for food service operations. For mechanical dishwashing operations, the code specifies that equipment must be properly configured to achieve the required utensil surface temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, as verified by an irreversible registering temperature indicator.
Facilities are expected to maintain kitchen equipment in proper working order and to take immediate corrective action when equipment fails to function as required. When dishwashing equipment cannot achieve proper sanitation temperatures, facilities should implement alternative methods - such as manual hot water immersion at appropriate temperatures or chemical sanitization - until repairs can be completed.
The presence of workarounds such as holding doors closed manually, catching leaking water with towels, and removing standing water from the machine basin suggests the equipment problems at Portagepointe had been ongoing rather than representing a sudden mechanical failure.
Industry Best Practices for Kitchen Equipment Maintenance
Proper food safety programs in healthcare facilities include regular monitoring and documentation of dishwasher temperatures, routine preventive maintenance schedules, and established protocols for responding to equipment malfunctions. Temperature logs should be maintained and reviewed to identify patterns that might indicate developing problems before complete equipment failure occurs.
When high-temperature dishwashing equipment fails, facilities should have contingency plans that may include utilizing backup equipment, implementing manual washing and sanitizing procedures that meet FDA requirements, or arranging for equipment repair or replacement on an expedited basis. Continuing to use malfunctioning equipment that cannot achieve required sanitation temperatures places residents at unnecessary risk.
The reliance on test strips alone to verify sanitation, without ensuring proper temperature achievement, represents a misunderstanding of food safety principles. While chemical indicator strips can provide useful verification, they are designed to confirm that equipment operating at proper temperatures has completed its cycle - not to substitute for fundamental temperature requirements.
Additional Issues Identified
The inspection citation also referenced requirements for proper dating of ready-to-eat, time and temperature control for safety foods. Federal regulations require that when commercially prepared refrigerated foods are opened in a food establishment and held for more than 24 hours, they must be clearly marked with the date by which they should be consumed, sold, or discarded. The day the container is opened counts as Day 1, and facility date markings may not exceed any manufacturer's use-by date based on food safety.
Portagepointe, located at 500 Campus Drive in Hancock, Michigan, was required to submit a plan of correction addressing the identified deficiencies. The facility is identified by CMS provider number 235624.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Portagepointe from 2025-05-29 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
💬 Join the Discussion
Comments are moderated. Please keep discussions respectful and relevant to nursing home care quality.