If a DCW is not sure whether or not a food is spoiled, what should she do?

When a Direct Care Worker encounters uncertainty about whether a food item is spoiled, the safest course of action is to throw it away. Consuming or serving spoiled food can lead to foodborne illnesses, which pose serious health risks to individuals, especially to those who may have compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions. Throwing away questionable food eliminates the risk of inadvertently causing harm.

While checking the smell of the food or refrigerating it for later may seem like viable options, these actions carry potential risks. Smelling the food might not definitively indicate spoilage since some harmful bacteria do not change the smell, color, or texture of food. Moreover, refrigerating potentially spoiled food can allow harmful bacteria to remain at levels that could cause illness when the food is later consumed. Asking a colleague might provide some guidance, but if there is still uncertainty, the safest approach should always be to discard the food to prevent any possible health risks.