🛡️ Food safety during treatment

Memorial Sloan Kettering and the Canadian Cancer Society recommend caution with: raw or undercooked meat (sushi, tartare, raw eggs), unpasteurised dairy (blue-veined cheeses, raw milk), unwashed fruit and vegetables, and bean or alfalfa sprouts. This does not mean you have to avoid all fresh foods, but that proper washing and cooking become essential.

Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food and after handling raw meat. Wash all fruit and vegetables under running water, even those with a peel. Cook meat to safe temperatures: at least 74°C for poultry and 63°C for pork and beef. Keep cooked food in the fridge for a maximum of 3–4 days. Avoid food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Not all cancer patients have the same risk of infection. The risk is higher during nadir periods (7–14 days after chemotherapy), in those with severe neutropenia (neutrophils below 500/mm³) and in those with a central venous catheter. Your doctor or nurse can tell you whether you are in a higher-risk period and whether you need to follow a low-contamination-risk eating plan.

• ✓Raw meat, unpasteurised dairy and unwashed fruit pose a risk during neutropenia
• ✓Washing your hands and your food is essential
• ✓The risk is highest during nadir (7–14 days after chemotherapy)
• ✓Not all patients need severe restrictions — check with your medical team