Failure to Measure Liquids in Pureed Food Preparation
Penalty
Summary
Dietary staff failed to prepare pureed foods according to measured recipes, as observed during meal service. Specifically, a dietary staff member added unmeasured amounts of liquid from cooked carrots and pan juices to pureed carrots and roast, respectively, without following any standardized measurement or recipe. The staff member admitted to guessing the amount of liquid to add and stated she had not received training on proper measurement for pureed diets. She was also unaware of the exact number of servings being prepared, only estimating the amount needed for all residents on pureed diets. Further review revealed that while a recipe book was available in the kitchen, the dietary staff member had not been utilizing it for preparing pureed foods. The dietary supervisor confirmed the existence of the recipe book but was unable to provide a written policy or protocol for pureeing food at the time of the survey. This lack of adherence to standardized recipes and absence of a clear protocol had the potential to affect all residents receiving pureed diets prepared in the facility's kitchen.