A congressional committee is investigating food safety at the Palo Alto VA hospital following claims from Dennis Berkowitz, a former kitchen volunteer. Berkowitz reported that the facility was falsifying food safety records and storing food improperly. Public records indicate the hospital's lax standards, prompting the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to take notice after media coverage. Photos captured by Berkowitz revealed food kept at dangerous temperatures that could pose health risks, particularly to vulnerable patients. Concerns were voiced by public health experts regarding potential contamination from improper food handling.
I stirred up too much s***! Berkowitz told 7 On Your Side, adding he was appalled at the quality of food the hospital was serving. The facility wasn't even following basic health standards. They didn't care!
Berkowitz says he spent more than six months trying to get the VA's attention to no avail. But after the story aired, he got a call from Congress.
CSU East Bay Professor Dr. Michael Stanton, a public health expert familiar with the facility, raised alarm about the photos and the potential for E. coli, listeria and salmonella contamination at those temperatures.
Certainly problematic and could lead to serious diseases, especially for a chronically ill population.
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