National Dysphagia Diet vs. International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) and Blossom Foods

We have been getting a lot of questions from our current Healthcare and Institution customers as well as many calls and emails from new institutions (and some individual customers) regarding the diet level proposed changes. As a practicing Speech Pathologist for many years in the past, we adhered to the National Dysphagia Diet. The National Dysphagia Diet has been the long followed standard for texture and liquid consistency throughout the different levels of a Dysphagia diet. With three levels for food textures, Level 1 - Puree, Level 2 - Ground or Mechanically Altered, and Level 3 - Advanced, Mechanical Soft, Soft Chopped, Diced; and three or four levels for liquids: thin, nectar, honey, and you may have heard Spoon thick or pudding thick. Many facilities continue to use the National Dysphagia Diet as their guide in the dysphagia diet. On the forefront of discussion is the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative or IDDSI. The IDDSI plan is to create common terminology and diet levels across international borders. The IDDSI diet framework consists of eight continuous levels: 0-4 drink levels and 3-7 food measurements. There are specific testing levels for each level of the framework. The hope of IDDSI is to roll this framework out within the next several years as the standard in dysphagia diet levels internationally. Blossom Foods and where we fit: Puree: National Dysphagia Diet level 1 and IDDSI level 4 or Extremely Thick Ground: National Dysphagia Diet level 2 and IDDSI level 5 or Minced & Moist Diced/Soft Chopped: National Dysphagia Diet level 3 and IDDSI level 6 Soft and Bite-Sized. We will continue to work with our current healthcare providers and new institutions to better understand the proposed changes. When, and if, the decision is made to follow the National Dysphagia Diet or the IDDSI, Blossom Foods can help in understanding the various textures. To get more information on this, please feel free to contact us at 510-893-3321. You can also get more information on the IDDSI at IDDSI.org. We look forward to the ongoing discussions about these changes. Enjoy, Sue

Published: 09/24/2018 6:50 AM