Taking special care with food to avoid infections

Some cancer treatments can make you more likely to get infections. When this happens, you need to take special care in the way you handle and prepare food. Here are some ways:

• Some cancer treatments can make you more likely to get infections. When this happens, you need to take special care in the way you handle and prepare food. Here are some ways;
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Put leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as you are done eating.
• Scrub all raw fruits and vegetables before you eat them. Do not eat foods (like raspberries) that cannot be washed well. You should scrub fruits and vegetables that have rough surfaces, such as melons, before you cut them..
• Wash your hands, knives, and counter tops before and after you prepare food. This is most important when preparing raw meat, chicken, turkey, and fish.
• Use one cutting board for meat and one for fruits and vegetables.
• Thaw meat, chicken, turkey, and fish in the refrigerator or defrost them in the microwave. Do not leave them sitting out.
• Cook meat, chicken, turkey, and eggs thoroughly. Meats should not have any pink inside. Eggs should be hard, not runny.
• Do not eat raw fish or shellfish, such as sushi and uncooked oysters.
• Make sure that all of your juices, milk products, and honey are pasteurized.
• Do not use foods or drinks that are past their freshness date.
• Do not buy foods from bulk bins.
• Do not eat at buffets, salad bars, or self-service restaurants.
• Do not eat foods that show signs of mold. This includes moldy cheeses such as bleu cheese and Roquefort.

For more information about infection and cancer treatment, see Chemotherapy and You: Support for People With Cancer a book from the National Cancer Institute. You can get it free by calling 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or online at http://www.cancer.gov/publications.