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Bone marrow transplant (BMT) diet precautions for inpatients

During a BMT, your child’s own bone marrow is destroyed by high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and the ability to fight infections is reduced. Many foods contain small amounts of micro-organisms, such as bacteria or fungal infections that are usually harmless, but during the transplant period it is advisable to reduce the total microbial load.

Your child can eat all food from the hospital trolley. All meals will be prepared in the hospital kitchen by a trained cook. You will be able to choose your child’s meals daily. Snacks can be prepared in the ward kitchen following guidelines. Hot foods should not remain in the cubicle for longer than 45 minutes and cold foods for four hours.

In addition, you should also follow these guidelines:


 Foods to avoid

 Alternatives

 Meats  
Raw or undercooked (pink) meat and poultry
Smoked or cured meats such as Parma ham or salami
Pate
Well-cooked meat and poultry
Vacuum-packed cold meats such as turkey or ham
Tinned meats
Pasteurised pate or paste in tins or jars
 Fish  
Raw, smoked or lightly cooked fish such as sushi or smoked salmon

Well-cooked fish

 Eggs  
Raw or soft-cooked eggs such as homemade mayonnaise, mousses, sauces or meringues Hard-boiled eggs, shop-bought mayonnaise, mousses, sauces or meringues
Other products made with pasteurised eggs
 Milk and milk products
 
All unpasteurised dairy products, such as unpasteurised cheeses including parmesan cheese, milk sold on local farms
Blue-veined cheese such as Danish blue or stilton
Soft ripened cheeses such as brie, camembert, goat’s cheese, paneer and labnah
Probiotics, live, active or bio products such as live yoghurts, probiotic supplements or drinks
Soft ice-cream sold by ice cream vans such as Mr Whippy®
Any pasteurised milk, soya milk, Jersey milk, UHT milk and cheese products
Vacuum-packed pasteurised and hard cheeses such as cheddar and edam
Processed cheeses such as Dairylea®, Kraft®, Philadelphia® and halloumi
Pasteurised plain or fruit yoghurts, such as thick and creamy or Greek yoghurts or yoghurt products such as lassi
Commercial ice cream individually wrapped portions
 Vegetables  
Unpeeled vegetables including salad items, stuffed vine leaves, fatoosh and taboulleh
Damaged or overripe vegetables
Unpasteurised or freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juices or smoothies containing vegetables that cannot be peeled

Good quality vegetables that are well cooked or peeled
UHT or long life fruit and vegetable juices sold in cartons or jars
Pasteurised smoothies
 Fruit  
Unpeeled fruit
Raw dried fruit such as dates or raisins and products containing these such as muesli
Damaged or overripe fruit
Unpasteurised or freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juices or smoothies containing fruits that cannot be peeled
NOTE: Grapefruit is not allowed as it can interfere with ciclosporin levels

Good quality fruit that is well cooked or peeled
UHT or long-life fruit and vegetable juices sold in cartons or jars
Pasteurised smoothies
Tinned fruit or cooked dried fruit such as in cake, flapjacks or cereals bars
 Herbs and condiments
 
Uncooked herbs, spices and pepper  
 Drinks  
Non-drinking water, bottled mineral or spring water, water from wells, coolers or drinking fountains Cooled boiled water
Sterilised water such as Farley’s® water or Aquasol®
 Nuts  
All nuts
NOTE: Food Standards Agency recommends avoiding whole or chopped nuts for children under five years of age
 
 Honey  
Unpasteurised or ‘farm fresh’ honey and honeycomb
NOTE: Food Standards Agency does not recommend honey for infants aged less than 12 months
Pasteurised or heat-treated honey
 Miscellaneous  
Food items from ‘pick and mix’ or ‘buffet’ counters
Deli counter foods such as olives, hummus, shawarma and baklava 
Packets should be individually wrapped or portioned on the ward only

Ref: 09F0852 © GOSH Trust July 2009
Compiled by the Bone Marrow Transplant team in collaboration with the Child and Family Information Group.

This information does not constitute health or medical advice and will not necessarily reflect treatment at other hospitals. If you have any questions, please ask your doctor. No liability can be taken as a result of using this information.