Food for people with low immunity

Most dairy products in New Zealand are pasteurised. Pasteurisation is a heat treatment that kills harmful germs in raw products. But pasteurised food can also become contaminated once opened and make you sick if you eat it.

Dairy foods to avoid when you have low immunity include the following:

• raw or unpasteurised drinking milk and products
• soft cheeses (for example, brie, camembert, blue, ricotta, mozzarella, feta, halloumi, and paneer) — unless they are cooked, because cooking kills harmful bacteria. If you know the cheese has been commercially wrapped and properly refrigerated, you can eat a small amount immediately after opening it for the first time. Soft cheeses you’ve opened and stored could be more contaminated because harmful germs, in particular Listeria, can grow at fridge temperatures
• smoothies or shakes prepared at restaurants or takeaways
• soft-serve ice cream.

To reduce your risk:

• choose single servings of dairy products if available (such as individual pouches, tubs or wrapped slices or segments).
• store dairy products in a clean fridge with a temperature between 2°C and 4°C.

Find out more

Is it safe to drink raw milk and eat raw milk products?

To avoid harmful germs that could be on raw fruit and vegetables, follow this advice.

• Don't eat damaged fruit or vegetables.
• Thoroughly wash and dry fresh fruits and vegetables before eating. Especially if you are eating them raw.
• Avoid foods that are difficult to clean – like raspberries, some herbs, mushrooms, bean sprouts or sprouted seeds – unless they are going to be cooked.
• Prepare salads right before you eat them.

Depending on the state of your immunity and the stage of your treatment, your doctor or dietician may advise you to peel or cook some fruit before eating it. You might also need to avoid eating some raw fruit and vegetables.

If you have low immunity, you should avoid:

• raw or undercooked meat, including poultry, pork, fish or shellfish
• raw or undercooked eggs
• foods containing raw eggs, such as mayonnaise, dressings containing mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, Caesar dressing, and some desserts (unless the products are labelled as containing pasteurised eggs)
• cold meats, pâté, or cold-smoked fish or chicken.

Meat, seafood, and eggs should only be eaten if cooked until piping hot (over 75°C).

Find out more

How to handle raw meat safely

Food safety advice during bird flu outbreaks – Fact sheet [PDF, 303 KB]

To minimise risk: 

• don’t buy food past its use-by date
• avoid damaged fruit or vegetables
• choose single servings of dairy products like yoghurt, ice cream and cheese (such as individual pots, tubs or wrapped slices or segments), if available
• avoid chilled products that are not cold to the touch if you will eat them without cooking them.

When you eat out or buy takeaways, avoid the same high-risk foods we've already mentioned. To minimise risk, choose restaurant and takeaway food that is:

• well-cooked
• prepared just before it's served to you
• served piping hot (over 75°C).

If you're travelling overseas, take extra care. Some countries have very high rates of foodborne illness.

Water supplies could also be unsafe. Remember that even adding ice to your drink could be risky.

A good option is fruit you peel before eating.  

Seek advice from your doctor, who might refer you to a travel health clinic.

SafeTravel: Official advice for New Zealanders living and travelling overseas

Non-commercial foods include meat from animals that you might hunt and kill yourself. They are sometimes called "wild foods" (food you hunt, gather, and catch). Or it might be an animal killed and prepared for eating on a farm or private property (homekill).

These types of foods are not prepared with the same safety rules that apply to commercial foods.

Make sure these foods came from a safe environment, were handled correctly and are well-cooked before eating them.

Risks, restrictions, and rules for wild food

Buying food online can be quick and convenient, but not all sellers follow the same food safety rules. Minimise risks by:

• buying from trusted sellers — avoid those that use only social media or aren’t registered (look them up on MPI's public register)
• checking product information for recalls, use-by dates, allergen warnings, and storage instructions
• ensuring product packaging is intact and sealed to prevent the risk of contamination.

If the food smells off, looks discoloured, or you notice anything unusual, don't eat it.

How to buy safe food online

Public register of businesses operating under food control plans and national programmes

To reduce any risks from water, follow these tips.

• Use treated or commercially bottled water for drinking and cooking (treated water is usually from a town water supply).
• If treated water isn’t available (for example, it's from a roof tank, well, bore, lake or stream), boil it for at least a minute before drinking, washing fruit and vegetables, making ice, brushing teeth, or cooking in it.
• If you are unsure if you have lead in your home plumbing, run taps used for drinking and cooking for at least 10 seconds first thing in the morning, or for at least 2 minutes if the tap has not been used for more than 2 days. This will help remove any metals that might have been absorbed from your plumbing fittings.