1.  And in a nation where raw meat, and especially raw fish, are integral components of the diet, people are shunning any uncooked foods.

2.  A state law that requires the servers and preparers of uncooked food to don gloves is a recipe for a culture clash.

3.  Cross-contamination also should be avoided, by washing hands, cutting boads, counters, knives and other surfaces after handling uncooked foods.

4.  Flavors in uncooked foods, such as salad dressings and marinades, need time or brief heating to blend.

5.  Hands, knives and cutting boards should be washed after coming into contact with uncooked foods.

6.  The hepatitis virus, which causes inflammation of the liver, is primarily transmitted through the handling of uncooked food by people infected with the virus.

7.  To avoid contamination, never put cooked foods on a pan that previously contained raw uncooked foods without thoroughly washing the pan with hot soapy water and drying thoroughly.

8.  Foreigners are, however, warned not to drink the water straight from the tap and to be selective when eating uncooked food.

9.  On Saturday, Malaysian health officials advised residents of Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs to drink only boiled water and not to eat uncooked food.

10.  Residents should boil water before drinking, cleaning teeth, gargling, washing uncooked foods such as salads and making ice, the department said.