Mi Casita Nursing Home: Moldy Onions in Kitchen - TX
Nobody had thrown them out.
The dietary supervisor, interviewed at 10:05 that morning, said staff were supposed to check the red onions every day. She said it was likely the checks hadn't happened in the past couple of days. She acknowledged the kitchen ran hot, and the dry pantry ran hot, and that the heat could cause onions to spoil faster than normal. Under those conditions, she said, the red onions should have lasted about two weeks.
They had been in the bin for a month.
By 11:46 AM, the dietary supervisor was back with an update. All the red onions had been thrown away. New ones had been ordered.
The facility's own records showed produce and fresh fruits and vegetables were to be checked daily for freshness. A food receiving and storage policy, revised as recently as November 2022, required that dry storage areas be kept clean and temperature-appropriate at all times, and that any food product whose integrity had changed since arrival be disposed of properly. Dry foods stored in bins were supposed to be labeled, dated, and rotated on a first-in, first-out basis.
The bin was dated. The date was February 24.
Two days after the initial discovery, the corporate account manager told inspectors the onions should have been checked daily, and that heat and moisture together could accelerate spoilage. She said additional education would be provided to dietary staff.
The administrator offered a different frame. She said the company required her to walk through the kitchen every week. She had completed that walk-through on Monday. She had not seen the spoiled red onions in the dry pantry.
The inspection covered one kitchen. The deficiency affected few residents, and CMS rated the level of harm as minimal, meaning no resident was documented as having been harmed by the spoiled food. The concern inspectors cited was the risk of foodborne illness if produce in that condition had reached a meal tray.
What the inspection leaves open is how the onions survived a full month in a bin that was supposed to be checked every day, in a kitchen the dietary supervisor herself described as very hot, without anyone pulling them. The administrator's weekly walk-through didn't catch them. The daily checks, by the dietary supervisor's own account, had lapsed. The bin sat dated to late February, visible to anyone who looked.
The corporate account manager's answer was more education for dietary staff.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Mi Casita Nursing and Rehabilitation Center from 2026-03-27 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 19, 2026 · Our methodology
MI CASITA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER in LUBBOCK, TX was cited for violations during a health inspection on March 27, 2026.
The dietary supervisor, interviewed at 10:05 that morning, said staff were supposed to check the red onions every day.
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.