The University Hospital Complex of the Canary Islands (HUC), part of the Canary Islands Health Service, recently hosted the Meeting of Experts in Hospital Catering of the Canary Islands (Spain). The event focused on improving hospital food through greater personalisation, innovation and efficiency.
Coordinated by the HUC kitchen service, the meeting brought together 25 professionals involved in hospital catering at several tertiary hospitals across the Canary Islands.
The aim was to share expertise, discuss common challenges and identify ways to improve the quality of meals served to patients.
A key topic was the preparation of meals for people with dysphagia, a condition that causes difficulty swallowing. These patients often require food with specially adapted textures and consistencies to support safe eating and meet their individual nutritional needs.
Organised in collaboration with clinical nutrition and dietetics company Nutrisens, the meeting explored the challenges hospital kitchens face when preparing and serving texture-modified meals. Participants also discussed potential solutions to improve food safety and the dining experience during hospital stays.
The discussions formed part of a broader effort to make hospital meals more consistent, personalised and patient-centred, while taking individual clinical needs and food quality into account.
Alongside the technical discussions, participants took part in a practical kitchen session led by Nutrisens chef Chema Guerrero. He demonstrated recipes using modified food textures, translating the topics discussed during the meeting into practical culinary applications.
The session showcased alternative preparation techniques for creating meals adapted to people with swallowing difficulties.
The initiative reflects HUC’s ongoing efforts to improve patient care through professional collaboration and the adoption of new approaches to hospital catering.
Food plays an important role in overall patient care, particularly for those who require specialised diets. Improving food texture, preparation quality and coordination between healthcare and catering teams can help hospitals provide meals that are safer and better suited to individual needs.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for participating hospitals to exchange knowledge and identify shared priorities for improving hospital catering across the Canary Islands.
