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Your best tips for raw food safety post transplant.

Posted by jolinda @jolinda, Aug 3, 2019

Does anyone have good guidelines for eating raw food post transplant. I am specifically interested if anyone remembers the things you were taught about raw fruits and veggies. As an example I was told it is ok to eat prewashed lettuce if you rewash it or that fruit with bumpy skin, like cantaloupe can't be washed well enough to avoid contaminating the fruit when cutting through it.

MODERATOR'S NOTE
The knowledge exchange shared in this discussion helped to create this article written for the Mayo Clinic app. Knowledge for patients by patients and beyond Mayo Clinic Connect.

– How to safely enjoy fruits and veggies after a transplant https://www.mayoclinic.org/CPT-20514171

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.

genocurt | @genocurt | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@rosemarya @flagal22 I eat fresh berries every day, generally blueberries in my yogurt or oatmeal in..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@rosemarya @flagal22 I eat fresh berries every day, generally blueberries in my yogurt or oatmeal in the morning and strawberries in my salad at lunch. Sometimes blackberries and raspberries too. I was really wary of eating strawberries for a while after my transplant but then I heard about this vinegar wash and have been doing that. So far, so good.

I do a white vinegar soak and rinse. The vinegar kills anything on the berries, which also keeps them fresh longer because it kills any spores on them so they do not get mildew or mold on them. You can google vinegar rinse for berries and find the quantity of vinegar to water and how long to soak them for but I just pour it in and leave them while I do other things, and then do multiple rinses to make sure there is no vinegar taste left.

Raspberries are a bit delicate for this so I do not do them much.

I just thoroughly wash other fruits.
JK

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Hello, my husband received his new lung exactly 3 months ago at the Mayo Clinic. We may be going home tomorrow. Yeah! We had our last appointmenti with the infectious disease doctor yesterday and were told the vinegar method was not necessary at all. Who recommended you this method? Or where did you read about it? We are trying to follow evidence- evidence-based best practices; otherwise it can get overwhelming. Thanks

REPLY
2 replies
JK | @contentandwell | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @genocurt "Hello, my husband received his new lung exactly 3 months ago at the Mayo Clinic. We..." + (show)
@genocurt

Hello, my husband received his new lung exactly 3 months ago at the Mayo Clinic. We may be going home tomorrow. Yeah! We had our last appointmenti with the infectious disease doctor yesterday and were told the vinegar method was not necessary at all. Who recommended you this method? Or where did you read about it? We are trying to follow evidence- evidence-based best practices; otherwise it can get overwhelming. Thanks

Jump to this post

@genocurt I actually read it in regard to making the berries last longer since the spores get killed by the vinegar. The really do last longer when I do that too.
I just figured if that killed off the spores it probably also gets rid of other things lurking on the berries. Maybe it’s not necessary, but it can’t hurt and if it keeps the berries fresh for longer it’s a win-win.
JK

REPLY
jolinda | @jolinda | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @genocurt "Hello, my husband received his new lung exactly 3 months ago at the Mayo Clinic. We..." + (show)
@genocurt

Hello, my husband received his new lung exactly 3 months ago at the Mayo Clinic. We may be going home tomorrow. Yeah! We had our last appointmenti with the infectious disease doctor yesterday and were told the vinegar method was not necessary at all. Who recommended you this method? Or where did you read about it? We are trying to follow evidence- evidence-based best practices; otherwise it can get overwhelming. Thanks

Jump to this post

@genocurt Congrats on the successful transplant. Great news!
Can you clarify the statement by the infectious disease doc please... can we eat berries because I thought they were off limits like @rosemarya suggested. Or are you saying they are not safe even if washed in vinegar?

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3 replies
JK | @contentandwell | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @jolinda "@genocurt Congrats on the successful transplant. Great news! Can you clarify the statement by the infectious..." + (show)
@jolinda

@genocurt Congrats on the successful transplant. Great news!
Can you clarify the statement by the infectious disease doc please... can we eat berries because I thought they were off limits like @rosemarya suggested. Or are you saying they are not safe even if washed in vinegar?

Jump to this post

@jolinda @genocurt I don’t think I was ever told to not eat raw strawberries but now I’m going to check! I’ve been eating that salad - greens, chicken, and strawberries— for lunch just about every day for over a year. I used to put crumbled goat cheese in too but now I’m lactose intolerant. I will be very upset if I have to give up my delicious lunch. It’s the best.
JK

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2 replies
JK | @contentandwell | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @jolinda "@genocurt Congrats on the successful transplant. Great news! Can you clarify the statement by the infectious..." + (show)
@jolinda

@genocurt Congrats on the successful transplant. Great news!
Can you clarify the statement by the infectious disease doc please... can we eat berries because I thought they were off limits like @rosemarya suggested. Or are you saying they are not safe even if washed in vinegar?

Jump to this post

I have submitted a question to MGH on their portal about berries, and I checked this site:
https://www.fda.gov/media/83755/download
It simply says to make sure fruits are well washed, which now that I think about it is what I believe I was told after my transplant, along with not eating any fruits that show any indication of being spoiled.
I will post when I get a response from my transplant team. This being a food question may have to go to the dietician.
JK

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gaylea1 | @gaylea1 | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@jolinda @genocurt I don’t think I was ever told to not eat raw strawberries but now..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@jolinda @genocurt I don’t think I was ever told to not eat raw strawberries but now I’m going to check! I’ve been eating that salad - greens, chicken, and strawberries— for lunch just about every day for over a year. I used to put crumbled goat cheese in too but now I’m lactose intolerant. I will be very upset if I have to give up my delicious lunch. It’s the best.
JK

Jump to this post

@contentandwell I have been encouraged to eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. Berries included!! Just no grapefruit or pomegranate. I rinse everything in cold water. I do not rinse bananas. I don't eat the peel lol..
Sometimes it doesn't help to become paranoid as you'll miss out on the goodness and health benefits of delicious fruits.

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1 reply
Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@jolinda @genocurt I don’t think I was ever told to not eat raw strawberries but now..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@jolinda @genocurt I don’t think I was ever told to not eat raw strawberries but now I’m going to check! I’ve been eating that salad - greens, chicken, and strawberries— for lunch just about every day for over a year. I used to put crumbled goat cheese in too but now I’m lactose intolerant. I will be very upset if I have to give up my delicious lunch. It’s the best.
JK

Jump to this post

I was never told not to eat them (strawberries) either. And I do rinse, rinse, rinse, the strawberries and blueberries. Yummy. It is the fresh raspberries and blackberries that I am concerned with because they are hard to rinse.

REPLY
2 replies
JK | @contentandwell | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @gaylea1 "@contentandwell I have been encouraged to eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. Berries included!!..." + (show)
@gaylea1

@contentandwell I have been encouraged to eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. Berries included!! Just no grapefruit or pomegranate. I rinse everything in cold water. I do not rinse bananas. I don't eat the peel lol..
Sometimes it doesn't help to become paranoid as you'll miss out on the goodness and health benefits of delicious fruits.

Jump to this post

@gaylea1 That’s pretty much what I was told also. In fruits that you cut through the skin or rind you should wash them because the knife can cut through and introduce bacteria to the fruit.

Something I don’t think was mentioned to me by my transplant group is to wash the top of cans before you open them. There can be bacteria that will get into the contents. This is especially important if you are not cooking the contents or bringing them to a high temperature. I’ve been doing that for years.
JK

REPLY
1 reply
JK | @contentandwell | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @rosemarya "I was never told not to eat them (strawberries) either. And I do rinse, rinse, rinse,..." + (show)
@rosemarya

I was never told not to eat them (strawberries) either. And I do rinse, rinse, rinse, the strawberries and blueberries. Yummy. It is the fresh raspberries and blackberries that I am concerned with because they are hard to rinse.

Jump to this post

@rosemarya I rarely eat raspberries and blackberries for that reason too. I feel much more confident with the white vinegar wash.
JK

REPLY
gaylea1 | @gaylea1 | Aug 7, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@gaylea1 That’s pretty much what I was told also. In fruits that you cut through the..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@gaylea1 That’s pretty much what I was told also. In fruits that you cut through the skin or rind you should wash them because the knife can cut through and introduce bacteria to the fruit.

Something I don’t think was mentioned to me by my transplant group is to wash the top of cans before you open them. There can be bacteria that will get into the contents. This is especially important if you are not cooking the contents or bringing them to a high temperature. I’ve been doing that for years.
JK

Jump to this post

@contentandwell yes I always wipe tins before opening and I don't drink directly from a can. I use a glass or a straw.

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