Sayre Health Care Center: Kitchen Safety Violations - PA
The March 31 inspection at Sayre Health Care Center revealed a facility kitchen that violated basic food safety standards in multiple areas where staff prepare and serve three meals daily to residents.
Inspectors documented their findings room by room. In the main kitchen, a metal shelving unit storing clean bowls and cups had dust buildup between the wire shelves. The two-door oven contained brown stains on its bottom and glass doors. Food debris covered the floor underneath cooking equipment, with black buildup visible in tile grout corners.
Clean dishes sat on wire shelving just 10 inches from the floor with no barrier to prevent contamination from mopping or floor debris. Two coffee mugs were discovered underneath the dishwashing machine.
The dishwasher room floor appeared wet and had turned dark brown. A white pipe running under the equipment was coated in brown substance where it touched the floor.
Walk-in refrigeration units showed similar problems. Food debris accumulated under shelving in both the freezer and refrigerator. An eight-inch streak of dark brown liquid spread across the threshold between the freezer doors and into the refrigerator. Black buildup filled tile grout in refrigerator corners.
Near the ice machine, inspectors found white buildup on floors and a cup left underneath the equipment. Brown buildup filled the grout around wall edges next to the ice machine.
The violations occurred at a facility that had been cited for similar food storage problems just over a year earlier. State records show Sayre Health Care Center received a previous citation for failing to store food safely on March 7, 2025.
Inspectors presented their findings to the facility's nursing home administrator and director of nursing during a meeting on April 1, the day after completing their kitchen assessment.
The contamination affects a basic daily necessity for residents. Nursing homes must maintain professional food service standards to protect residents who depend entirely on facility meals. Federal regulations require facilities to store food safely and maintain sanitary conditions in all food preparation areas.
The inspection found violations of federal requirements that nursing homes store food in safe and sanitary conditions. Pennsylvania state regulations also require healthcare facilities to maintain responsibility for ensuring safe operations.
Kitchen contamination poses particular risks in nursing home settings where residents often have compromised immune systems and underlying health conditions. Many residents cannot prepare their own meals or seek food elsewhere if facility kitchens fail to meet safety standards.
The brown stains, food debris, and floor contamination documented by inspectors indicate cleaning protocols were not preventing buildup of potentially harmful substances in areas where staff handle food daily.
Inspectors classified the violations as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to some residents. However, the repeat nature of the citation suggests ongoing challenges with maintaining basic food safety standards.
The facility must submit a plan of correction detailing how it will address each violation and prevent future occurrences. State survey agencies monitor nursing home compliance with federal health and safety requirements through regular inspections.
Sayre Health Care Center operates at 151 Keefer Lane in Sayre, Pennsylvania. The facility serves residents who rely on its kitchen for all daily nutrition in a setting where food safety violations can have serious consequences for vulnerable populations.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Sayre Health Care Center from 2026-04-03 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: August 4, 2026 · Our methodology
SAYRE HEALTH CARE CENTER in SAYRE, PA was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 3, 2026.
Inspectors documented their findings room by room.
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.