diff --git a/scripts/recipes/__pycache__/database_recipes.cpython-312.pyc b/scripts/recipes/__pycache__/database_recipes.cpython-312.pyc
index 686a6ce..5eacd7c 100644
Binary files a/scripts/recipes/__pycache__/database_recipes.cpython-312.pyc and b/scripts/recipes/__pycache__/database_recipes.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/scripts/recipes/__pycache__/recipes_api.cpython-312.pyc b/scripts/recipes/__pycache__/recipes_api.cpython-312.pyc
index d3a72d3..bac3e15 100644
Binary files a/scripts/recipes/__pycache__/recipes_api.cpython-312.pyc and b/scripts/recipes/__pycache__/recipes_api.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/scripts/recipes/database_recipes.py b/scripts/recipes/database_recipes.py
index 0c03116..0284e1d 100644
--- a/scripts/recipes/database_recipes.py
+++ b/scripts/recipes/database_recipes.py
@@ -132,11 +132,27 @@ def postUpdateRecipe(site:str, payload:tuple, convert:bool=True):
     with psycopg2.connect(**database_config) as conn:
         with conn.cursor() as cur:
             set_clause, values = postsqldb.updateStringFactory(payload['update'])
-            with open("scripts/recipes/sql/postRecipeUpdate.sql") as file:
+            with open("scripts/recipes/sql/postUpdateRecipe.sql") as file:
                  sql = file.read().replace("%%site_name%%", site).replace("%%set_clause%%", set_clause)
             values.append(payload['id'])
             cur.execute(sql, values)
+            rows = cur.fetchone()
+            if rows and convert:
+                updated = postsqldb.tupleDictionaryFactory(cur.description, rows)
+            elif rows and not convert:
+                updated = rows
+    return updated
 
+def postUpdateRecipeItem(site:str, payload:tuple, convert:bool=True):
+    database_config = config.config()
+    updated = ()
+    with psycopg2.connect(**database_config) as conn:
+        with conn.cursor() as cur:
+            set_clause, values = postsqldb.updateStringFactory(payload['update'])
+            with open("scripts/recipes/sql/postUpdateRecipeItem.sql") as file:
+                 sql = file.read().replace("%%site_name%%", site).replace("%%set_clause%%", set_clause)
+            values.append(payload['id'])
+            cur.execute(sql, values)
             rows = cur.fetchone()
             if rows and convert:
                 updated = postsqldb.tupleDictionaryFactory(cur.description, rows)
diff --git a/scripts/recipes/recipes_api.py b/scripts/recipes/recipes_api.py
index 5b8e208..b047a18 100644
--- a/scripts/recipes/recipes_api.py
+++ b/scripts/recipes/recipes_api.py
@@ -285,15 +285,21 @@ def deleteRecipeItem():
     return jsonify({'recipe': recipe, 'error': True, 'message': f'method {request.method} is not allowed!'})
 
 @recipes_api.route('/recipe/saveRecipeItem', methods=["POST"])
+@login_required
 def saveRecipeItem():
+    """ post an update to a recipe item in the database by passing the recipe item ID and an update
+    payload.
+    ---
+    responses:
+        200:
+            description: recipe item updated successfully.
+    """
     recipe = {}
     if request.method == "POST":
         id = int(request.get_json()['id'])
         update = request.get_json()['update']
-        database_config = config()
         site_name = session['selected_site']
-        with psycopg2.connect(**database_config) as conn:
-            updated_line = postsqldb.RecipesTable.update_item_tuple(conn, site_name, {'id': id, 'update': update}, convert=True)
-            recipe = postsqldb.RecipesTable.getRecipe(conn, site_name, (int(updated_line['rp_id']), ), convert=True)
+        updated_line = database_recipes.postUpdateRecipeItem(site_name, {'id': id, 'update': update})
+        recipe = database_recipes.getRecipe(site_name, (int(updated_line['rp_id']), ))
         return jsonify({'recipe': recipe, 'error': False, 'message': f'Recipe Item {updated_line['item_name']} was updated successful!'})
-    return jsonify({'recipe': recipe, 'error': True, 'message': 'Recipe Item was not updated unsuccessful!'})
\ No newline at end of file
+    return jsonify({'recipe': recipe, 'error': True, 'message': f'method {request.method} not allowed!'})
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/recipes/sql/postRecipeUpdate.sql b/scripts/recipes/sql/postUpdateRecipe.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/recipes/sql/postRecipeUpdate.sql
rename to scripts/recipes/sql/postUpdateRecipe.sql
diff --git a/scripts/recipes/sql/postUpdateRecipeItem.sql b/scripts/recipes/sql/postUpdateRecipeItem.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d75227
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/recipes/sql/postUpdateRecipeItem.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+UPDATE %%site_name%%_recipe_items SET %%set_clause%% WHERE id=%s RETURNING *;
\ No newline at end of file