| Food Safety | | | Cancer and its treatment weakens your immune system and places you at higher risk of developing infections. Therefore, it is important that you practice proper food handling to minimize your exposure to bacteria. The following tips will help make sure you are eating foods in the safest way. 
- Wash hands thoroughly before preparing or eating foods. Also between handling raw and cooked foods.
- Store cold foods and dry foods properly.
- Thaw foods in the refrigerator or microwave, never on the kitchen counter.
- Pay close attention when re-heating foods to achieve an even temperature (i.e. stir and rotate foods while microwaving).
- Use a separate cutting boards and plates for raw meats. Use another for foods that will be eaten raw.
- Cook meats, poultry, eggs and fish well.
- Wash fruits and vegetables carefully before eating with cold water and scrub them with a brush. Throw away the outer leaves of vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage.
- Eat foods by their expiration date.
- Eat leftovers within three days.
- Drink milk, cheese and juices that are pasteurized.
- Do not eat raw eggs. This includes tasting raw cookie dough or cake batter. You can use commercially pasteurized eggs instead of raw eggs.
- Unpasteurized milk, juices, beer and wine
- Fresh blue cheese, brie, camembert or other unpasteurized cheeses.
- Do not eat moldy or spoiled foods.
- Do not use canned goods that are swollen, dented or damaged.
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