Colonial Manor of Randolph: Food Safety Failures - NE
The scene played out during lunch service at Colonial Manor of Randolph on October 1, as federal inspectors watched dietary staff repeatedly serve reheated food without taking temperatures. The facility had already gone weeks without documenting food temperatures, despite its own policy requiring checks at every meal.
At 12:28 PM, dietary staff member DC-L pulled a plated hot dog from the kitchen refrigerator, microwaved it for 55 seconds, and served it. Thirteen minutes later, DC-L ladled soup from a refrigerated container into a bowl, microwaved it for one minute, and sent it out. Two minutes after that, another refrigerated hot dog got 50 seconds in the microwave before heading to a resident with mustard and ketchup.
None of the food got temperature checks.
When interviewed at 12:55 PM, DC-L confirmed the failure to check temperatures and acknowledged that all food items should be tested and recorded before serving. The staff member said reheated food should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure palatability, but admitted they hadn't been following the protocol.
The facility's own undated policy required staff to take and record food temperatures for each meal. Hot food items were supposed to stay at 135 degrees or higher. Food that was cooked and then cooled needed reheating to 165 degrees throughout.
Temperature logs revealed the scope of the breakdown. From August 31 through September 6, no food temperatures were recorded for any meal on any day. The pattern continued through September with massive gaps in documentation.
During the week of September 7-13, breakfast temperatures went unrecorded on five of seven days. Lunch temperatures were missing six days out of seven. Dinner temperatures disappeared for four days.
The following week showed breakfast temperatures missing three days, lunch temperatures absent three days, and dinner temperatures unrecorded four days. From September 21-27, breakfast and lunch temperatures each went undocumented two days, while dinner temperatures were skipped three days.
Even in the final days of September, the facility continued missing temperature checks. On September 29, no temperatures were recorded for any of the three meals. Evening meal temperatures also went unrecorded on September 30.
DC-L told inspectors that staffing concerns had caused the repeated failures to obtain and document food temperatures throughout September.
The violations affected meal service for all 24 residents who ate food prepared in the kitchen. The facility housed 44 residents total.
Federal food safety standards exist because temperature control prevents foodborne illness, particularly dangerous for elderly residents with compromised immune systems. Hot foods that drop below safe temperatures can harbor bacteria that multiply rapidly, while reheated foods that don't reach proper internal temperatures may not kill existing pathogens.
The inspection found Colonial Manor failed to ensure hot foods were served at palatable temperatures, creating potential for harm to residents who depended on the facility for safe, properly prepared meals.
Temperature monitoring serves as a basic safeguard in institutional kitchens. The logs provide documentation that food reached safe temperatures before serving, protecting vulnerable populations from foodborne illness risks.
At Colonial Manor, that protection system had broken down completely. For weeks, residents received food without any verification it met basic safety standards. Hot dogs pulled from refrigeration and given less than a minute in the microwave. Soup heated briefly and served immediately. No thermometer. No documentation. No assurance the food was safe to eat.
The October 1 observation captured the daily reality for residents: kitchen staff operating without the temperature checks their own policy required, serving food that may not have reached temperatures necessary for safety or palatability.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Colonial Manor of Randolph from 2025-11-24 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
Colonial Manor of Randolph in Randolph, NE was cited for violations during a health inspection on November 24, 2025.
The facility had already gone weeks without documenting food temperatures, despite its own policy requiring checks at every meal.
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.