Final answer:
Mechanically altered diets include soft or pureed foods suitable for patients with chewing or swallowing problems. Medical foods are specially formulated liquid formulas administered under medical supervision for serious health conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patients on Mechanically altered diets are usually given foods that have been modified in texture to make them easier to chew and swallow.
These diets are often necessary for individuals with difficulties in chewing or swallowing (dysphagia), or for those who have had surgery affecting the mouth or gastrointestinal tract.
Mechanically altered diets can include pureed foods, very soft foods, or foods that are chopped into small, easy-to-swallow pieces.
Medical foods are a specific type of product intended for dietary management of a disease or condition with distinctive nutritional needs that cannot be met by normal diet alone.
These foods are typically consumed under medical supervision. Examples include liquid formulas for patients with kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, or other serious health issues.
For patients who are comatose, medical food might be administered through a gastronomy tube, which allows enteric administration (directly into the stomach or intestines) because they are unable to eat by mouth.