As healthcare continues to grapple with challenges to patient safety, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) is at the forefront of engaged scholarship, shaping future leaders ready to tackle real-world issues.
A group of third-year Dietetics students from SMU recently marked World Patient Safety Day with a vital educational visit to the Masakhane Cook Freeze factory in Rosslyn.
This initiative, a part of their Food Service Administration module, offered these future dietitians a hands-on experience with one of the most critical components of patient care—food safety.
Masakhane Cook Freeze, the largest facility of its kind in Southern Africa, supplies meals to over 22 hospitals in Gauteng. It is a critical player in the region’s healthcare system, and food safety is non-negotiable when dealing with patients who often have compromised immune systems. Any lapse in safety protocols can lead to severe health complications, and it is here that SMU’s mission to empower through education finds its full expression.
For hospitals, ensuring that every meal is prepared, stored, and delivered under the strictest safety protocols is as crucial to patient recovery as medical treatment. This visit served as a wake-up call for the students about the life-saving role dietitians play in safeguarding food from contamination and ensuring that meals meet the specific dietary needs of vulnerable patients.
The visit was far more than a factory tour—it was an immersive lesson on the interconnectedness of healthcare. The students were guided through the entire food service process, from receiving raw ingredients to observing how dietitians, food technologists, and kitchen staff collaborate to maintain the highest safety and nutritional standards.
Dr Heather Legodi, Module Coordinator, highlights the importance of this experience: “The students witnessed how proper meal planning and safe food preparation directly impact patient outcomes. This is a real-world application of what we teach in class.”
A pivotal moment came when the students observed the freezing tunnel, where liquid nitrogen is used to rapidly freeze meals. This process extends the shelf life of meals up to twelve months, ensuring that hospitals have access to safe, nutritious food year-round.
With twenty-three different therapeutic diets offered, the Masakhane Cook Freeze factory exemplifies the role of dietitians in managing diverse dietary needs that can make or break a patient’s recovery.
At every step of the process, the SMU students were reminded of the collaborative nature of healthcare. Food Service Managers like Tebogo Rangwato and Meisie Maimela, who welcomed the students, play a pivotal role in maintaining strict hygiene standards, from ingredient sourcing to packaging and delivery. The students, clad in personal protective equipment, experienced firsthand the factory’s stringent safety protocols, learning that food safety is a critical aspect of patient care that cannot be overlooked.
The Masakhane facility management expressed their enthusiasm for future collaborations with SMU, recognising the importance of exposing students to the operational challenges of large-scale food production.
This visit goes beyond academic learning; it is part of SMU’s broader commitment to engaged scholarship, where students apply their theoretical knowledge to solve pressing societal problems. In this case, ensuring food safety in healthcare settings is not just about nutrition—it’s about preventing harm and promoting recovery.
By participating in this experiential learning opportunity, SMU students are taking the first steps toward becoming healthcare professionals who understand that patient safety begins long before medical treatment—it starts with safe, nutritious food. World Patient Safety Day served as a powerful reminder that food safety is an integral part of the healthcare ecosystem, and SMU’s future dietitians are ready to uphold this critical standard.
Legodi aptly concludes: “Seeing the process in action reinforces the concepts we teach in class. This deepens their understanding and prepares them for their future roles as dietitians.”
SMU is not just educating students but cultivating empowered professionals ready to lead with knowledge and compassion, ensuring that patient care is comprehensive, from the hospital bed to the kitchen.
Pretoria News