Blood cancers and their treatments can weaken your immune system which makes it more difficult for your body to fight infection. White blood cells would normally protect against infection but when their levels fall your immune system becomes less effective. Treatments for blood cancer may also damage the gut lining, making it easier for harmful bacteria to pass from food into your bloodstream. 

Many foods we eat contain small amounts of bacteria or fungi. For most people, this is not a problem. However, when you have a weakened immune system, these can be harmful and may lead to infections.

Following good food hygiene practice can make infection less likely. 

There are several ways to reduce this infection risk, beginning when you shop for foods, and continuing with food storage, handling and cooking. There are also some foods to avoid altogether due to their higher risk of carrying harmful bacteria and they are listed later in the leaflet. 

Shopping 

  • Avoid buying food that has damaged / broken packaging. 
  • Avoid bruised or damaged fruits and vegetables
  • Always check use-by dates & best before dates on packaging.
  • Try to buy your chilled/frozen food last and get them home as quickly as possible. If you can’t get them home quickly, use an insulated container/cool bag to help keep raw food at the correct temperature. 
  • Pack raw meat such as poultry and fish separately to other food items: packaging may be contaminated. 
  • Avoid buying meat, cheese and bread from open deli counters or sweet and chocolate from pick and mix stands. 

Food Preparation

  • Always wash your hands with warm soapy water before handling and preparing food.
  • Wash your hands after going to the toilet, sneezing, touching any pets, hair, dirty washing, rubbish, and raw food.
  • Use a separate towel / paper towel to dry hands.
  • Cover any cuts and grazes with a waterproof plaster.
  • Avoid preparing food if you feel unwell with food-related sickness or diarrhoea until at least 48hrs after symptoms pass. 
  • Wash fruit and veg (if eaten with the skin on) thoroughly using water.
  • Wash the tops of cans before opening them. 
  • Change/wash chopping boards and utensils between preparing raw and cooked items to avoid contamination. 
  • Keep pets away from food preparation areas as they may carry harmful bacteria even if they appear well

Cooking

  • Thaw meat and poultry in the fridge and not at room temperature, as bacteria grow quickly at room temperature. 
  • Preheat the oven and make sure food is placed in a hot oven and cooked at the recommended temperature.
  • Cook all food thoroughly and make sure it is piping hot all the way through before eating. 
  • Cook meat until juices run clear or use a meat thermometer 
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and do not reduce cooking times. 
  • For microwave cooking please follow the manufactures cooking instructions

Reheating foods 

  • Do not reheat cooked rice. 
  • For home-cooked foods, cover and cool food at room temperature within an hour after cooking and then place in the fridge or freezer. 
  • Reheat food within 24 hours of preparing or defrosting it. Reheat only once. 

Storage

  • Check fridge temperature. Fridges should be 0 - 5°C.
  • Store cooked foods at the top of the fridge. 
  • Store raw / defrosting food at the bottom of the fridge in a covered container to stop it dripping or leaking out into the fridge. 
  • Keep eggs in the fridge.
  • Avoid overloading the fridge or freezer as this can increase the temperature and allow bacteria to grow.
  • Check your freezer temperature. Freezers should be below -18°C.
  • Do not refreeze thawed foods.
  • If food is frozen at home, label and date when put in the freezer and use within freezer star guidelines on the packet or as directed by freezer manufacturer.

Eating out  

  • If eating out, try to use 5-star rated restaurants or takeaways.
  • Ensure your food is piping hot when served or a takeaway arrives.
  • If food is brought into hospital from a takeaway, then dry, cooked foods that do not provide bacteria with the moisture they need to grow, are safer.
  • Avoid salad bars/deli, street vendors and market stalls as these are higher risk to eat from
  • Sharing utensils with others e.g. tongs at a buffet, may increase risk of infections due to cross contamination. 

You can check restaurant and takeaway hygiene ratings at www.ratings.food.gov.uk 

High risk foods 

Some foods are more likely to contain harmful bacteria that could make you unwell. It is advised to avoid these:

  • Unpasteurised dairy products including mould ripened and blue veined cheeses, such as brie, camembert or stilton
  • Raw and runny eggs (fresh, well-cooked lion marked eggs are safe to eat)
  • Sushi and sashimi
  • Pâté
  • Reheated rice (rice should always be prepared to eat straight away).

Food hygiene information contained within this leaflet is informed from the Food Standards Agency guidance around safer eating.

Additional information

More information on safer shopping and eating can be found at:

www.food.gov.uk/safereating


British Dietetic Association 
Tel: 0121 200 8080 
Email: info@bda.uk.com
www.bda.uk.com


Blood Cancer UK 
Tel: 0808 2080 888
Email: support@bloodcancer.org.uk
forum.bloodcancer.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Support 
0808 808 00 00 or www.macmillan.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service at: