Especially after transplantation, you are exposed to an increased risk of infection. For this reason, it is extremely important for you to maintain high standards of hygiene in the kitchen. In this article you will learn what you should observe in this context.
Immunosuppression is mandatory after your transplant to protect your kidney from rejection by your body. Taking medication is essential for this. However, by shutting down your immune system, the medications also put you at a higher risk of infection. So your immune system accepts your new kidney better, but is less able to fight off unwanted germs.
Germs are also found naturally in food. Without the artificial immunosuppression, they are or would be only rarely really dangerous for you. After transplantation, things are different, which is why there are some important things to keep in mind, especially in the kitchen and when preparing food. By following these little tricks in the kitchen, you can significantly reduce the germ load in food for your body and ensure that your new kidney can be accepted by your body in the best possible way. What exactly you have to do for this, you will learn in the following article. You will see that it is not that difficult!
Low-bacteria diet as a basis
The starting point for reducing your germ load is the increased use of low-bacteria foods. Valuable tips and advice on what you should consider in this context can be found in a whole series of various articles in the Mizu app.
In general, the mantra "clean-separate-cook-chill" applies. You'll learn why this particular mantra applies well to post-transplant food preparation in the following paragraphs.
Don't forget to clean & wash your hands
With this easy-to-implement tip, you can already make a big contribution to your new kidney. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after each meal preparation to avoid infections. Also, be sure not to forget your nails and fingertips.
It's best to make hand washing a fixed ritual that you integrate into your daily routine before every meal preparation and consumption. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds under warm water with soap.
Proper food preparation and storage
With the correct storage and preparation of food you can limit the spread and growth of germs in food. When storing food, you should make sure that you store it in a cool and dark place (=refrigerate). It is worthwhile to check at least once if your refrigerator is at 4°C or below and your freezer is cooling below -17°C. Especially for cheese and sausage it is also recommended to keep them in separate tins in the fridge to prevent potential germs from spreading to other foods.
1. Check your food regularly
Check your food regularly to see if it is still good. Spoiled or moldy products should be sorted out and disposed of immediately. Do this once too soon rather than once too late. Containers and places that have been in contact with these foods should be washed hot afterwards to prevent further spread of germs.
3. preparation of fish, meat & dairy products
Fish, meat and dairy products should be handled with particular care, as they can carry potential pathogens. Fish and meat should therefore be washed thoroughly under running water before consumption and then fried or cooked. With poultry, you should always make sure to roast it separately from the rest of the food because of the risk of salmonella.
When preparing animal products, you should always make sure that their internal temperature is sufficiently high. For this purpose, you can use a food thermometer during cooking, similar to a professional chef. A table with target values can also be found below.
Eggs should also only be eaten hard-boiled for this reason. It's better to avoid foods containing raw eggs completely - unfortunately, we can't think of any hygiene tricks here either, because raw is raw. This includes, for example, mayonnaise or tiramisu. But maybe you can find one or the other vegan alternative recipe online that does without eggs completely.
3. Preparation of fruits & vegetables
When preparing fruits and vegetables, be sure to sauté them only briefly in a pan. Then it should be finished cooking in a closed pot, or vice versa. When cooking with frozen vegetables, be sure to cook them immediately after removing them from the freezer. Germs can multiply well at room temperature and in warm water. Therefore, with fruits and vegetables, you should make sure to clean the food under running water and not to soak it for a long period of time. You should also avoid keeping the temperature of your prepared food between 4 and 60 degrees for a longer period of time. The reason is that bacteria like to multiply in foods whose temperature is in this range for more than 2 hours.
4. Nuts & legumes
You should rather avoid nuts and almonds in your diet. They are often infested with mold that you can't see and can therefore easily and quickly cause infections in your body. For this reason, you should also be careful with muesli mixtures and snacks, as they often contain nuts.
The same applies to legumes. You should eat them only if they are sufficiently cooked, for example in the form of soups or stews.
Cleaning work surfaces & kitchen towels
Kitchen work surfaces, in particular, often come into contact with food. For this reason, it makes sense to clean them regularly and thoroughly. The best way to do this is to use hot water and, if necessary, a little detergent. This is especially important after processing raw meat, fish or vegetables.
It is also important to thoroughly clean pots, pans and dishes. To get rid of all germs, these should be rinsed at a minimum of 65°C. Please also keep in mind that germs and bacteria also collect on dishwashing brushes. Therefore, you should change them at regular intervals and also clean them with hot water after each use. Also remember to clean the lids of food cans before opening them.
The same goes for dishcloths and dryer sheets: if you change them regularly, you can prevent germs from accumulating on them. So wash them regularly, preferably as a sanitary wash, but at least at 65°C. This way you can prevent the risk of infections. This will significantly reduce the risk of infection for you and your new kidney.
Cutting boards in the kitchen
You should be careful with cutting boards, especially when using cutting boards made of wood and plastic. Cutting creates small grooves where germs accumulate. When rinsing, it is usually not possible to remove these germs completely. Residues remain, which can get onto the food the next time the cutting board is used. Therefore, cutting boards that do not form grooves, e.g. made of glass or stone, are best suited.
In addition, to get rid of as many germs as possible after use and minimize the risk of infection, it is recommended to clean the cutting boards in the dishwasher or with hot water and soap. Optimally, try to use different cutting boards for the preparation of meat, fish and dairy products.
Use of serving cutlery
By using serving cutlery, you can avoid getting food scraps or germs from different plates into the food. This is especially important for foods with high sugar content, such as jams or honey, to prevent mold from forming. So just always take the jam or honey out of the jar with a separate spoon. This way the food will keep longer and you can better protect yourself from infections.
Do I need a sterile kitchen now?
So you see that you can achieve a lot with little effort and a few little tricks. But don't put yourself under too much pressure. You don't need a sterile kitchen. After all, we are talking about "low-germ" and not "germ-free". Try to implement the advice as well as possible, so that you do something good for your body and at the same time achieve that your new kidney can work for you for as long as possible. Especially in the first year after your transplant, the risk of infection is increased, which is why you should pay special attention during this period. Above all, you can learn the easy tricks right away as a routine. You will see that as soon as you get used to it, it will no longer be difficult for you.
