1. A. A manager shall ensure that:

   1. 1. A food menu:

      1. a. Is prepared at least one week in advance,
      2. b. Includes the foods to be served each day,
      3. c. Is conspicuously posted at least one calendar day before the first meal on the food menu is served,
      4. d. Includes any food substitution no later than the morning of the day of meal service with a food substitution, and
      5. e. Is maintained for at least 60 calendar days after the last day included in the food menu;
   2. 2. Meals and snacks provided by the assisted living facility are served according to posted menus;
   3. 3. If the assisted living facility contracts with a food establishment, as established in 9 A.A.C. 8, Article 1, to prepare and deliver food to the assisted living facility, a copy of the food establishment’s license or permit under 9 A.A.C. 8, Article 1 is maintained by the assisted living facility;
   4. 4. The assisted living facility is able to store, refrigerate, and reheat food to meet the dietary needs of a resident;
   5. 5. Meals and snacks for each day are planned using the applicable guidelines in http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015;
   6. 6. A resident is provided a diet that meets the resident’s nutritional needs as specified in the resident’s service plan;
   7. 7. Water is available and accessible to residents at all times, unless otherwise stated in a medical practitioner’s order; and
   8. 8. A resident requiring assistance to eat is provided with assistance that recognizes the resident’s nutritional, physical, and social needs, including the provision of adaptive eating equipment or utensils, such as a plate guard, rocking fork, or assistive hand device, if not provided by the resident.

2. B. If the assisted living facility offers therapeutic diets, a manager shall ensure that:

   1. 1. A current therapeutic diet manual is available for use by employees, and
   2. 2. The therapeutic diet is provided to a resident according to a written order from the resident’s primary care provider or another medical practitioner.

3. C. A manager shall ensure that food is obtained, prepared, served, and stored as follows:

   1. 1. Food is free from spoilage, filth, or other contamination and is safe for human consumption;
   2. 2. Food is protected from potential contamination;

   3. 3. Food is prepared:

      1. a. Using methods that conserve nutritional value, flavor, and appearance; and
      2. b. In a form to meet the needs of a resident, such as cut, chopped, ground, pureed, or thickened;

   4. 4. Potentially hazardous food is maintained as follows:

      1. a. Foods requiring refrigeration are maintained at 41° F or below; and

      2. b. Foods requiring cooking are cooked to heat all parts of the food to a temperature of at least 145° F for 15 seconds, except that:

         1. i. Ground beef and ground meats are cooked to heat all parts of the food to at least 155° F;
         2. ii. Poultry, poultry stuffing, stuffed meats, and stuffing that contains meat are cooked to heat all parts of the food to at least 165° F;
         3. iii. Pork and any food containing pork are cooked to heat all parts of the food to at least 155° F;
         4. iv. Raw shell eggs for immediate consumption are cooked to at least 145° F for 15 seconds and any food containing raw shell eggs is cooked to heat all parts of the food to at least 155 °F;
         5. v. Roast beef and beef steak are cooked to an internal temperature of at least 155° F; and
         6. vi. Leftovers are reheated to a temperature of at least 165° F;
   5. 5. A refrigerator used by an assisted living facility to store food or medication contains a thermometer, accurate to plus or minus 3° F, placed at the warmest part of the refrigerator;
   6. 6. Frozen foods are stored at a temperature of 0° F or below; and
   7. 7. Tableware, utensils, equipment, and food-contact surfaces are clean and in good repair.

4. D. A manager of an assisted living center shall ensure that:

   1. 1. The assisted living center has a license or permit as a food establishment under 9 A.A.C. 8, Article 1; and
   2. 2. A copy of the assisted living center’s food establishment license or permit is maintained.

Historical Note

New Section made by final rulemaking at 9 A.A.R. 319, effective March 14, 2003 (Supp. 03-1). Section repealed; new Section made by exempt rulemaking at 19 A.A.R. 2015, effective October 1, 2013 (Supp. 13-2). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 20 A.A.R. 1409, pursuant to Laws 2013, Ch. 10, § 13; effective July 1, 2014 (Supp. 14-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 25 A.A.R. 1583, effective October 1, 2019 (Supp. 19-3). Amended by final expedited rulemaking, at 25 A.A.R. 3481 with an immediate effective date of November 5, 2019 (Supp. 19-4). R9-10-818 renumbered to R9-10-819; new Section R9-10-818 renumbered from R9-10-817 by final rulemaking at 31 A.A.R. 2085 (June 27, 2025), with a delayed effective date of June 30, 2025 (Supp. 25-2).