Failure to Follow Pureed Food Preparation Protocols
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that pureed foods were prepared according to established recipes and procedures designed to conserve nutritional value, flavor, and appearance. During observation, a cook prepared pureed greens without accurately measuring the amount of greens, thickener, or liquid added. The cook used a strainer with no visible measurement markings to estimate the quantity of greens and added an unmeasured amount of thickener and water, contrary to the recipe instructions. The recipe specifically directed that margarine be added and that any liquid used for thinning should not be water, but rather a suitable alternative such as broth. However, margarine was omitted, and water was used for thinning, both in unmeasured amounts. The cook reported that he was trained to add water as needed to achieve the desired consistency and did not follow a specific measured amount for either thickener or liquid. The recipe required gradual addition of thickener and liquid, but the cook added both all at once. The Dining Director confirmed that the recipe in use did not specify the amount of thickener and acknowledged that the correct liquid for thinning should be broth or a similar alternative, not water. The strainer used to measure the greens was also found to lack any measurement indicators, making it impossible to confirm the quantity used. These deviations from the recipe and facility policy resulted in pureed food being prepared in a manner that did not ensure consistency, nutritional value, or palatability for residents on a pureed diet. The deficiency had the potential to affect eight residents who required pureed diets, as the food preparation did not adhere to the standards set forth by the facility's policies and the registered dietician's or physician's orders.