Failure to Provide Properly Prepared Pureed and Mechanical Soft Diets
Penalty
Summary
During a lunch meal observation, the facility failed to provide food in the appropriate form for residents requiring pureed and mechanical soft diets. The main entrée, a Philly Beef Sandwich, was not prepared according to the specified recipes for these diet types. The ground meat for the mechanical soft diet was supposed to be processed to a coarse consistency, but large pieces of meat were observed on the tray line. The pureed meat, intended for residents needing a smooth texture, was not processed to a fine consistency and was found to have a gritty texture upon tasting. Additionally, the sandwiches for both regular and mechanical soft diets were topped with shredded cheese and finely chopped parsley, which was not in accordance with the menu. Interviews with the cook and the Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) confirmed that the meat served did not meet the required consistency for either the mechanical soft or pureed diets. The cook acknowledged preparing the regular meat in a way that was not suitable for the mechanically altered meal, and the CDM agreed that the meat was not coarsely ground as required. Photographic evidence was obtained to support these findings. This deficiency affected multiple residents who required pureed and mechanical soft diets.