CMS recently released Guidance for Nursing Home Gardens
Garden Fresh
CMS states, “residents can benefit from having a variety of fresh foods for their consumption.”
The facility should follow safe food handling practices once the food is harvested and brought into the kitchen for preparation.
Nursing home gardens are compliant with F371 Sanitary Conditions as long as the facility has & follows policies and procedures for maintaining the gardens. If there is an outbreak of food-borne illness the facility must report it to the local health department.
The role of the Registered Dietitian: make sure there are policies in place. If there are not, write them.
Perhaps ‘Common Sense’ is not dead after all.
Linda Roberts