Heather Ann Yonker is an outpatient stem cell transplant dietitian at John Theurer Cancer Center, in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Heather Ann Yonker

Heather Ann Yonker expands on strategies for maintaining food safety in the home, particularly for patients with compromised immune systems due to cancer.

Safe Food Practices at Home for Immunocompromised Patients With Cancer 

Heather Ann Yonker, outpatient stem cell transplant dietitian at John Theurer Cancer Center in Hackensack, New Jersey, expands on practical strategies for maintaining food safety in the home kitchen, particularly for patients with compromised immune systems. 

Building on her earlier discussion with CURE on food safety

, Yonker provides a detailed, step-by-step demonstration of safe poultry preparation.

She emphasizes that raw poultry should never be washed or rinsed, as this can spread bacterial pathogens. Instead, the package should be carefully opened, the meat placed into a clean bowl, and hands thoroughly washed immediately afterward. Yonker advises discarding any paper towels used for wiping surfaces and packaging, reinforcing the importance of minimizing cross-contamination. At this stage, poultry can be seasoned and marinated in a tightly covered container and returned to the refrigerator.

When it comes to cooking, Yonker highlights the critical need to ensure meats reach safe internal temperatures. Visual cues alone may be unreliable, so she recommends using a meat thermometer to confirm proper doneness. For poultry, this means achieving a minimum internal temperature of 160 to 165°F, ensuring the meat is fully cooked while avoiding overcooking. Yonker notes that thickness and cut of the meat affect cooking times, often requiring up to 10 to 15 minutes in a hot pan with a small amount of oil.

The final step, chilling, is equally essential. Yonker instructs that cooked dishes should be cooled promptly and refrigerated within two hours in tightly covered containers. Leftovers should be used within three to four days or frozen for longer storage. She also stresses keeping raw and cooked foods separated in the refrigerator and checking expiration dates on all grocery items to prevent inadvertent contamination.

Yonker concludes by reiterating that food safety is not only crucial for preventing illness but also for enabling patients and families to enjoy nourishing meals with confidence. By adhering to the four foundational practices — cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling — home kitchens can remain safe environments, supporting both health and well-being.

“Emphasizing the Importance of Food Safety During Cancer Care,” by Heather Ann Yonker. CURE; Sept. 24, 2025. https://www.curetoday.com/view/emphasizing-the-importance-of-food-safety-during-cancer-care

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Heather Ann Yonker, emphasizes the importance of food safety practices for patients with cancer, particularly those with weakened immune systems.

Emphasizing the Importance of Food Safety During Cancer Care

Heather Ann Yonker, outpatient stem cell transplant dietitian at John Theurer Cancer Center, in Hackensack, New Jersey, gave CURE a detailed overview of food safety practices, emphasizing their importance for patients with cancer, particularly those undergoing treatments that may weaken the immune system.

“Food safety is everyone's business, and we all need to consider this in our daily practice," she emphasized.

To begin, Yonker notes that the U.S. food supply is generally safe, yet foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria such as Salmonella or Escherichia coli (E. coli) can still occur. These illnesses may produce symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, and body aches; however, it is important to know that these can resemble side effects from medications or cancer treatments, complicating diagnoses.

“The four basic, simple rules for handling food properly: cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling. The first one I want to touch on is cleaning," she advises.

On cleaning, she stresses thorough handwashing for at least 20 seconds, particularly as well as cleaning cutting boards, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water or disinfecting wipes. She also recommends using separate sponges or disposable paper towels to prevent cross-contamination.

Separation involves keeping raw and cooked foods distinct. Storing raw poultry at the bottom of the refrigerator in containers can prevent juices from contaminating other foods, which is important. Thawing and marinating should always occur in the refrigerator, and meat should not be rinsed to avoid spreading bacteria. Fruits and vegetables should be washed under running water using a vegetable brush or thick cloth to remove dirt and bacteria, with commercial fruit and vegetable washes as an optional aid.

Notably, Yonker says that using dish soap or detergents on produce is unnecessary and potentially unsafe, as plain running water is sufficient.

Overall, she concludes by stating that adherence to these basic food safety measures — cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling — can significantly reduce the risk of foodborne illness and support the health of patients with cancer.

Heather Ann Yonker

Safe Food Practices at Home for Immunocompromised Patients With Cancer

Emphasizing the Importance of Food Safety During Cancer Care

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