How Safe Is the Food You Eat?

Before you scarf down that bologna sandwich, you might want to quickly review food-safety rules for HIVers. Not sure what those are? You're not alone, say researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. They've received a three-year, $600,000 federal grant to improve food-safety awareness and will get under way this fall with surveys of HIVers in Chicago, New Orleans, and Puerto Rico. Food safety is especially important for HIVers, who may have lower levels of stomach acid'one of the body's primary defenses against consumed pathogens. Oh, and that sandwich? Cold cuts can harbor listeria, and should be heated before eating, says lead researcher Mark Dworkin.