2026 Nov 7th
Hydra+ Thickened Juice: IDDSI Level 2 And 3 Case Pricing
IDDSI Level 2 is mildly thick. It pours off a spoon, and 4 to 8 ml stays in the syringe in the flow test. Level 3 is moderately thick. It drips in dollops through a fork, and over 8 ml stays in the syringe. We stock Hydra+ pre-thickened drinks at both levels in 1 L cartons, 12 per case. The level is set by the resident's clinician, never by the kitchen or the seller.
Hydra+ Thickened Juice: IDDSI Level 2 And 3 Case Pricing
For Canadian care homes, hospitals and home care buyers stocking thickened drinks, this page puts the IDDSI level definitions, the flow test, our stocked flavour map, and the case math on one page.
Key Takeaways
The level and case math in six lines, before the detail.
Level 2 is mildly thick
Sippable, flows off a spoon, and 4 to 8 ml remains in the flow test. Pink in the IDDSI framework.
Level 3 is moderately thick
The thickest level that is still a drink. Drips in dollops through a fork, over 8 ml remains. Yellow in the framework.
The clinician sets the level
This page explains levels and formats. It does not pick a level for any person, and neither should a supplier.
12 litres per case
Twelve 1 L cartons, 13.08 kg per case, off Lassonde's own technical sheet for the range.
75 cases per pallet
900 L per pallet, for homes stocking a full hydration program on one delivery.
365 days, no mixing
Pre-thickened at the factory and shelf-stable for a year. Every carton pours at the same level.
The fact table
The level rows are the IDDSI framework's own definitions. The format rows are Lassonde Foodservice's own specs for the Hydra+ range it makes in Canada. The flavour rows are the range we stock and ship from Calgary.
| Fact | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2, Mildly Thick | Sippable. Pours quickly from a spoon but slower than thin drinks. Flows off a spoon. Takes effort to drink through a standard-bore straw (5.3 mm) | IDDSI, Complete IDDSI Framework Detailed Definitions, 2019 |
| Level 2 flow test | 4 to 8 ml remains in a 10 ml syringe after 10 seconds of flow | IDDSI Testing Methods, 2019 |
| Level 3, Moderately Thick | Can be drunk from a cup, with some effort through a standard or wide-bore straw. Cannot be eaten with a fork, because it drips slowly in dollops through the prongs. Can be eaten with a spoon. Smooth, with no bits, and no chewing required | IDDSI, Complete IDDSI Framework Detailed Definitions, 2019 |
| Level 3 flow test | 8 to 10 ml remains in a 10 ml syringe after 10 seconds of flow. At Level 4 there is no flow at all | IDDSI Testing Methods, 2019 |
| Case format | 12 cartons of 1 L, which is 12 L per case | Lassonde Foodservice, Hydra+ technical sheets |
| Case weight | 13.08 kg per case | Lassonde Foodservice, Hydra+ technical sheets |
| Pallet | 75 cases per pallet (15 cases per row, 5 rows), which is 900 L per pallet (calculated) | Lassonde Foodservice, Hydra+ technical sheets |
| Servings per case | 48 servings of 250 ml (calculated: 12 L at 250 ml per serving) | Calculated from the case format |
| Shelf life | 365 days | Lassonde Foodservice, Hydra+ technical sheets |
| Thickener and origin | Thickened with xanthan gum. Prepared in Canada | Lassonde Foodservice, Hydra+ Apple IDDSI 2 technical sheet |
| Level 2 flavours we stock, 1 L, 12 per case | Lemon water, apple, orange, cranberry, milk | Our listings, checked November 2026 |
| Level 3 flavours we stock, 1 L, 12 per case | Apple, orange, milk | Our listings, checked November 2026 |
Facts checked November 2026.
Why the level labels confuse buyers
A care home buyer who wants the level definitions, the test, the stocked flavours and the cost per serving on one page has, until now, had to build it from three places that never meet. The pages that explain IDDSI are clinician and care-advice sites, and they sell nothing. The pages that sell thickened drinks rarely print the definitions or the test. The manufacturer's own sheets carry the format facts and no costing.
The old words make it worse. Kitchens still say nectar and honey, and those words were never measured. IDDSI replaced them with levels that are measured. Level 2 is mildly thick and runs 4 to 8 ml remaining on the flow test. Level 3 is moderately thick and runs over 8 ml. If a drink's level cannot be restated as a flow test number, it is a nickname, not a level.
The flow test is the one check a kitchen can run itself. Fill a 10 ml syringe, let it flow for 10 seconds, and read what is left. Under 1 ml is Level 0. One to 4 ml is Level 1. Four to 8 ml is Level 2. Eight to 10 ml is Level 3, and no flow is Level 4. That is how a home verifies anything mixed in-house, and it is why pre-thickened drinks exist: a carton made at the factory pours at its labelled level every time, with nobody measuring powder at 6 in the morning.
The level is set by the resident's clinician, never by the kitchen or the seller. A speech-language pathologist or dietitian sets it after a swallowing assessment. This page explains levels and formats so a buyer can stock against prescriptions. It does not recommend a level for any person.
The math, worked
- Litres per case: 12 cartons x 1 L = 12 L per case.
- Servings per case: 12 L at 250 ml per serving = 48 servings per case.
- Litres per pallet: 75 cases x 12 L = 900 L per pallet.
- Cost per litre: case price divided by 12. Cost per 250 ml serving: case price divided by 48. The calculator below pulls today's price from our listing and runs both.
- Cases per week: residents on thickened drinks x servings per resident per day x 7, divided by 48 servings per case. At 20 residents and 3 servings a day, that is 420 servings a week, about 8.8 cases, so plan on 9.
Chicken Pieces · Hydration Math
Run your own case numbers
Pick a level, put in a case price, set your resident count, and the costs update as you type. Use our price or your own supplier's.
What one case holds (verified specs, fixed)| Output | Your numbers |
|---|---|
| Cost per litre | $0.00 |
| Cost per 250 ml serving | $0.00 |
| Litres your program uses per week | 105 L |
| Cases you need per week | 8.8 |
Case contents are the manufacturer's specs from the fact table on this page, so the tool and the text cannot disagree. Costs are product only. The level itself is set by each resident's clinician.
What it means for a buyer
We stock the Hydra+ range in Calgary through Chicken Pieces (chickenpieces.com), a Calgary foodservice wholesaler, and ship to care homes, hospitals and home care buyers across Canada. It is a focus line for us, because the buyers are programs, not one-off orders: a home running Level 2 and Level 3 hydration rounds needs the flavours at both levels, in the same case format.
Here is the honest trade in this category. Powder thickener mixed per serving costs less per litre than pre-thickened drinks. It also carries mixing risk every single time: a rushed scoop, a drink that keeps thickening in the cup, a level that drifts between staff. The pre-thickened carton costs more per litre and removes that variable, because Lassonde makes every carton to its labelled level. Homes buy the carton when the consistency is the point.
A case is 12 L and 13.08 kg, and the 365-day shelf life means a pallet of 75 cases is a year of cover for a small program, not a rush order waiting to happen. Orders over $199 ship free anywhere in Canada.
Start with the lemon water case: Hydra+ Thick Lemon Water 1 Liter IDDSI 2 (12/Case). Apple sits at both levels, and the pair anchors the map in the fact table.
How we know this
Two primary sources carry this page. The level definitions and flow test numbers are the IDDSI framework's own, from its Complete IDDSI Framework Detailed Definitions and its Testing Methods document. The case, pallet and shelf life numbers are Lassonde Foodservice's own, from its technical sheets for the Hydra+ Apple IDDSI 2 and IDDSI 3 cartons. The flavour map is our own stocked range, checked against our listings.
Hydra+ Thickened Drinks for Care Programs
The lemon water case most homes start with, and the apple pair that anchors Level 2 and Level 3. Cranberry, orange and milk are linked from the map in the fact table above.
FAQ
The questions buyers ask before they order, answered from the fact table above.
What is the difference between IDDSI Level 2 and Level 3?
Level 2 is mildly thick: it is sippable, pours off a spoon, and leaves 4 to 8 ml in the syringe flow test. Level 3 is moderately thick: it can be drunk from a cup, drips slowly in dollops through a fork, and leaves 8 to 10 ml. Level 3 is the thickest level that is still a drink.
How do you check a drink's IDDSI level with the flow test?
Fill a 10 ml syringe, let the drink flow for 10 seconds, and read what remains. Under 1 ml remaining is Level 0, 1 to 4 ml is Level 1, 4 to 8 ml is Level 2, and 8 to 10 ml is Level 3. At Level 4 the drink does not flow at all. The method is IDDSI's own.
Which Hydra+ flavours come at Level 2 and Level 3?
At Level 2 we stock lemon water, apple, orange, cranberry and milk, in 1 L cartons, 12 per case. At Level 3 we stock apple, orange and milk in the same format. The map is in the fact table on this page, with links to each listing.
Source: RDs who are involved with thickening liquids - r/dietetics
How much Hydra+ is in a case, and what does a serving cost?
A case holds 12 cartons of 1 L, which is 48 servings of 250 ml. Divide the case price by 12 for the cost per litre, or by 48 for the cost per serving. The calculator on this page pulls today's price from our listing and runs both numbers.
Who decides which IDDSI level a resident should get?
The resident's clinician. A speech-language pathologist or dietitian sets the level after a swallowing assessment. The level is never set by the kitchen or by the seller, and this page does not recommend a level for any person. We stock the formats so homes can order against the levels already prescribed.
How long does Hydra+ keep, and how should it be stored?
365 days unopened, per Lassonde's technical sheet for the range. Store the shelf-stable cartons in a cool dry place. Once a carton is opened, refrigerate it and use it promptly, following the directions on the carton.
Can I thicken a regular juice at home instead of buying Level 2 drinks?
You can, but it is harder to keep consistent than a pre-thickened carton. A home thickener has to be dosed per liquid and per thickness level, and the result will not carry the IDDSI label a care setting needs for a resident assessment.
What happens if a resident is on thickened liquids and wants regular water?
Only the care team changes a thickness level, because swallowing safety is assessed individually. A resident who is cleared for regular water may still be asked to limit it, so follow the IDDSI level in the care plan rather than switching on request.
Source: People on thickened liquids and have regular water? - r/nursing
Sources
- IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative), The Complete IDDSI Framework Detailed Definitions, 2019: the Level 2 Mildly Thick and Level 3 Moderately Thick definitions printed in the fact table. Read November 2026.
- IDDSI, Testing Methods, July 31, 2019: the syringe flow test and its values, under 1 ml remaining at Level 0, 1 to 4 ml at Level 1, 4 to 8 ml at Level 2, 8 to 10 ml at Level 3, and no flow at Level 4. Read November 2026.
- Lassonde Foodservice (the Canadian maker of Hydra+), Hydra+ Apple IDDSI 2 technical sheet: thickened apple juice beverage at IDDSI Level 2, prepared in Canada, thickened with xanthan gum, case of 12 x 1 L at 13.08 kg, 75 cases per pallet, shelf life 365 days. Read in full November 2026.
- Lassonde Foodservice, Hydra+ Apple IDDSI 3 technical sheet: the same 12 x 1 L case, 13.08 kg, 75 cases per pallet and 365-day shelf life at Level 3. Read November 2026.
- Chicken Pieces product listings for the Hydra+ range, SKUs CP-SYS-5454315, CP-SYS-5454354, CP-SYS-5454222, CP-SYS-5454297, GFS-1382563 and CP-SYS-5454261: the flavour and level map we stock, checked November 2026.
Facts checked November 2026. We update this page when pack formats change.
Why Canadian Care Buyers Buy from Chicken Pieces
We sell thickened drinks by the case out of Calgary, and we publish the standard and the specs behind them.
Levels from the standard
The definitions and flow test numbers on this page are IDDSI's own, named in the sources.
Manufacturer specs, named
Case, pallet and shelf life numbers come from Lassonde's own technical sheets for the range.
Ships from Calgary
Orders over $199 ship free anywhere in Canada.
The clinician sets the level
We sell the format. The care team sets the level, and our pages say so, every time.
Request a Quote
Stocking a hydration program? Tell us your resident count and the levels your care team has prescribed, and we will quote the cases to match.
Request a QuoteReferences: Health Canada - Food Chemical Contaminants CFIA - Food Safety for Industry.