SPC Care: Delivering Meal Time Solutions for those with Dysphagia

SPC Global is an Australian food manufacturer with a rich history exceeding 100 years. Leading brand portfolio includes SPC®, PROVITAL®, ARDMONA® & GOULBURN VALLEY®. SPC Care has recently been incorporated aimed at servicing the healthcare sector with a range of nutritious food & beverage products supporting those most vulnerable within both the domestic and global community. The Good Meal Company and The Kuisine Company are both market leading manufacturers of ready-made meals that service a wide range of customers with a particular focus on health settings. The newly formed SPC Care is responsible for the GMC & TKC company portfolio of products as well as the expanding SPC ProVital range.

At SPC Care, we believe that everyone has the right to eat well. We are transforming the way we provide food; to those in hospital, at home or in care. We believe our most vulnerable deserve better — better nutrition, better outcomes, better choice. We have developed a range of meals offering condition-specific nutrition designed to be eaten and enjoyed. Our newest addition to our ready-made meal offering is our great tasting Level 5 Minced & Moist Meal range. The meals have been developed in line with Hospital Nutrition Standards and have been compliance tested by a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist using IDDSI Audit Tools. To better understand the importance of these meals and suitability for individuals, it is important to understand Dysphagia and how the IDDSI classification is helping to improve safety and care for those affected by the condition.

Dysphagia and IDDSI levels

Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder, where an individual may experience difficulty swallowing food or drinking fluids for a number of reasons. It is often caused by a number of age-related conditions like stroke, Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease and dementia. Having trouble swallowing food and fluids may put an individual at risk of poor nutrition and dehydration. A speech pathologist may recommend changes to the textures of foods or drinks.

The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) Global standardized terminology and definitions for texture modified foods and thickened fluids were introduced into health care settings like hospitals and residential aged care facilities. Global standardized terminology and definitions were implemented to improve the safety and care for individuals with dysphagia.

The final dysphagia framework consists of eight levels (0–7) and includes both foods and liquids. Drinks are measured from Levels 0–4 and foods are measured from levels 3–7.

SPC Care: Healthy and Condition-Specific Meal Options

SPC Care range of Good Meal Co meals are suitable for those on a Level 5 Minced & Moist diet; with further R&D work in progress on the next addition to the Texture Modified Range, which will include meals suitable on the Level 4 Pureed Diet. Our delicious range of Texture Modified meals are tasty and visually appealing thanks to our use of shaped moulds. Making the components of the meal identifiable can help return dignity to the dining experience for those with dysphagia.

The SPC Care range of ProVital Puree Fruit is also suitable for those on a Level 4 Pureed Diet.

SPC ProVital Puree portion-controlled cups have been specifically developed to provide a more accessible fruit snack for consumers with fine motor skill difficulties. They were developed with guidelines established by Arthritis Australia to achieve the highest rating for ease of opening. The aim of creating the cups in this packaging is to provide a more accessible fruit snack for consumers with fine motor skill difficulties, ensuring 90% of the population can open the cups without assistance. For more information on our range please follow the link: https://spccare.com/

Image credit: iStockphoto.com/wanderluster