Recording texture-modified meals: IDDSI checks in the kitchen
The tests, when to run them, and the records that show every meal matched the diet.
Kitchens check texture-modified food and thickened drinks against the IDDSI framework using simple utensil tests: the Flow Test for drinks, the Fork Drip and Spoon Tilt tests for liquidised, pureed and minced foods, and the Fork or Spoon Pressure Test for softer solids. Test at serving temperature, record the result against the resident’s level, and record what you did if it failed. Clinical staff set the level; the kitchen makes it and proves it.
The IDDSI levels and their tests
| Level | Drinks | Foods | Kitchen test |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Thin | Flow Test (10 mL syringe) | |
| 1 | Slightly thick | Flow Test | |
| 2 | Mildly thick | Flow Test | |
| 3 | Moderately thick | Liquidised | Flow Test (drinks); Fork Drip Test (foods) |
| 4 | Extremely thick | Pureed | Fork Drip, Spoon Tilt, Fork or Spoon Pressure |
| 5 | Minced & moist | Fork Drip, Spoon Tilt, Fork Pressure; particles fit between fork prongs (about 4 mm, adults) | |
| 6 | Soft & bite-sized | Fork or Spoon Pressure Test; piece size check | |
| 7 | Easy to chew / Regular | Fork or Spoon Pressure Test (Easy to chew) |
Testing methods from IDDSI. Check exact specifications against the current IDDSI Framework detailed definitions.
When to test
Every batch
Test each batch of texture-modified food and thickened drinks after it’s made, before it goes out.
At serving temperature
Texture changes as food cools or sits. IDDSI says to test as it will be served.
After any change
New recipe, new thickener, new supplier or new staff member: test more often until it’s consistent.
What to record
| Date and time | Meal or drink | Required level | Test | Result | Action if failed | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Nov, 11:20am | Beef casserole, pureed | Level 4 | Spoon Tilt | Pass | RP | |
| 14 Nov, 11:25am | Chicken, minced & moist | Level 5 | Fork Pressure | Fail: lumps | Re-processed and retested: pass | RP |
| 14 Nov, 11:30am | Orange juice | Level 2 | Flow Test | Pass | AL |
Example entries are illustrative.
Keep the current resident diet list from clinical staff next to these records, and record that each tray was checked against it before service. That link, from diet list to tested meal to resident, is what an assessor or auditor looks for.
Where it goes wrong
- Out-of-date diet lists. A resident’s level changes, but the kitchen copy doesn’t.
- Testing hot, serving cold. A puree that passed in the kitchen thickens or weeps by the time it reaches the dining room.
- Thickened drinks made on the floor. Drinks thickened by care staff at the bedside are often never tested.
- No record of the fail. A failed test that was fixed but not written down looks the same as one that was ignored.
From diet list to tested meal, on record
EthicalHub keeps resident diets, textures and allergens next to the kitchen’s daily checks. Texture tests are set up as a daily check, so staff record the level, test and result on a phone, and a failed test opens a corrective action. The same system holds your temperatures, cleaning and training records for the auditor.
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Texture-modified meals: common questions
What is IDDSI?
How do kitchens test texture-modified food?
What should be recorded?
Who decides which IDDSI level a resident needs?
The right texture, every tray.
Diet lists, texture tests and fixes, recorded as you go.