Failure to Follow Pureed Food Preparation Procedures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that cooks followed proper procedures for preparing pureed food, specifically for mandarin chicken and roasted cauliflower. During observation, it was noted that the cook preparing the pureed mandarin chicken did not follow the facility's recipe, which required the addition of mandarin sauce to the chicken before pureeing. Instead, only plain boiled chicken, water, and thickener were used, resulting in a pureed product that was bland and did not match the flavor of the regular texture dish. The dietetic technician registered (DTR) confirmed that the pureed mandarin chicken lacked the same flavor as the regular version. For the pureed roasted cauliflower, the cook did not initially follow the recipe instructions, which required blending the roasted cauliflower before determining if additional liquid or thickener was needed. Instead, the cook added water and thickener before blending, and repeatedly added more water to achieve the correct consistency. The cook acknowledged not following the recipe after being prompted to read the instructions and had to restart the process to comply with the proper method. Interviews with the registered dietitian (RD) confirmed that all recipes should be followed as written. The failure to adhere to established recipes and procedures for pureed foods created a risk for inconsistent products and the potential for not meeting the nutritional needs of the 16 residents who required a pureed diet.