A project officer and multidisciplinary advisory committee were appointed by competitive process to carry out and oversee the project. A joint project of the Dietitians Association of Australia and The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited (Speech Pathology Australia) was undertaken to develop consensus standards for number of levels, labels and definitions of thickened fluids and texture-modified foods within the Australian context. The consequences of inconsistent terminology affect patient safety and the efficiency of communication. Review of the literature indicated that numerous labels are applied to a small number of food textures and fluid thickness levels. ABSTRACT Thickened fluids and texture-modified foods are provided for the therapeutic treatment of dysphagia.
