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Dr K Y GOH HAEMATOLOGY & INTERNAL MEDICINE CLINIC

We listen. We Care. Evidence-based Medicine

Neutropenic Diet

​​​Neutropenia means neutrophils (a type of white blood cells) in your body are low.  
Neutropenia may occur as a side effect of treatment.
It means your body is more vulnerable to infection.  
It is important to avoid foods which are more likely to cause infection.  ​
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General Food Hygiene Guidelines

Wash hands properly and protect cuts and wounds before handling food.  Dry your hand with a clean towel.​

​​Cooked food should be heated to at least 70C and eaten immediately.  Avoid reheating food.

Frozen ready-meals can be used if stored and cooked according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Any food stored in a refrigerator must be covered, labelled with name and date and consumed within 24 hours of opening.

All food should be consumed within the 'use by' date.

 

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Food Preparation

The risk of infection also depends on how foods are prepared.  
Care needs to be taken with food hygiene and when eating out.  
All foods should be stored correctly and eaten within their shelf life.
 

General Food Hygiene Guidelines

All food should be purchased from clean, reputable shops and stored and cooked according to manufacturer's instructions.

​Cans of food should be clean and undamaged.  You may wish to wash the tops of cans before opening.

Do not drink from cans or bottles - use a clean glass or a straw.

Do not eat foods sold loose for example from a delicatessen, butcher or baker.

Frozen food should be defrosted in a refrigerator.

 

Drinks

Avoid

Large cartons/bottles of fruit/squash.
Draught and bottle beers.
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Fruits & Vegetables

Avoid

Unwashed fruit
Unwashed/uncooked vegetables/salad.
Shop bought salads for example, bags of lettuce, coleslaw, potato salad.
Bought salad sandwiches.
Dried fruit unless cooked prior to consumption.
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Meat & Fish

Avoid

Raw rash for example, sushi.
Shellfish for example, prawn or oysters
Rare or undercooked meals for example, steak tartare.
Meat or fish from delicatessen.

Eggs

Avoid

Raw or cracked egs
Dishes containing raw or undercooked eggs,
for example homemade mayonnaise, mousse.
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Milk & Yogurt

Avoid

Unpasterised milk (cow's, sheep or goat's)
Unpasterised yogurt, 'Live', 'Bio', and yogurts containing nuts
Pre and probiotic drinks or yogurts
Milk delivered to your door with a damaged lid.
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Bread & Cereals

Avoid

Cereals containing nuts and dried fruit
for example, muesli, crunchy nut cornflakes.
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Ice Cream

Avoid

Soft ice cream.
Sweets and chocolate containing dried fruits and nuts.
Chocolates filled with dried fruit, nuts, coconut and cream. 'pick & mix' sweets.
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Cakes & Puddings

Avoid

Cakes or puddings decorated with dried fruit/nuts.
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Cheese

Avoid
Soft and ripened cheeses, for example BrieFeta
Blue cheeses
Fresh/frozen cheese cake
Cheese made with unpasterised milk.
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Cream

Avoid
Unpasterised.
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Herbs & Spices

Avoid

Uncooked herbs and spices, including pepper.
Nuts
Ice.

Importance of Good Nutrition

It is important that you continue to eat well to help fight infection, tolerate your treatment and improve your strength.  
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If you need any further information, please ask your specialist nurse, doctor o GP to refer you to a Dietitian.
 

General Rules

​Dry goods
for example, biscuits, breakfast cereals.  Can be resealed or stored in a sealed container for up to one week.
Moist foods
for exampe, milk, desserts.  Should be refrigerated and consumed within 24 hours.
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Drinks

Alternatives

Bottled water.
Canned drinks.
Tetrapaks.
Tea. coffee, hot chocolate.

Fruits & Vegetables

Alternatives

Fresh fruit should be washed, peeled, cored and damaged areas removed.
Vegetables - cooked or canned.
Canned fruit.
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Meat & Fish

Alternatives

Well cooked fresh, frozen, canned fish.
Well cooked fresh, frozen, canned meal.
Paste.
Ready made cook/freeze, cook/chill meals.  Always follow manufacturers' instructions.

Eggs

Alternatives

Well-cooked boiled egg, scrambled.
Fried, omelette - well-cooked
Shop bought mayonnaise in jar (not 'deli' style)
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Milk & Yogurt

Alternatives

Pasterised milk, canned milk, UHT milk, Dried milk.
Pasteruised yogurt
UHT mild desserts, for example rice pudding, custard pots.
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Bread & Cereals

Alternatives

All other breakfast cereals for example, cornflakes, weetabix, porridge.
Pasta and rice.
Bread, chapattis, pitta.

Ice Cream

Alternatives

individually wrapped ice creams.
All sweets, biscuits and chocolates should be pre-wrapped.
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Cakes & Puddings

Alternatives

Freshly baked/canned puddings and cakes for example, rice pudding, custard sauce, sponge, fruit cake, mousse, jellies.  
Discard after 24 hours.

Cheese

Alternatives

Hard cheeses - cooked or individually wrapped, for example Cheddar.Cut off any visible rind.
Processed cheeses for example, Philadelphia and Kraft singles, cottage cheese.
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Cream

Alternatives
 
Pasterised UHT and spray can cream.
​Discard spray can cream after 24 hours.

Herbs & Spices

Alternatives

Spicy dishes for example, chilli, curry
Soups - to be opened and refrigerated, consume within 24 hours.
Salt.
Only dry roasted nuts can be consumed.