What dietary restriction should a client follow before collecting a fecal occult blood test specimen?

Before collecting a fecal occult blood test specimen, it is important for the client to avoid eating red meat. This dietary restriction is crucial because red meat can lead to false-positive results in the test. The presence of hemoglobin from red meat may be detected in the stool, mimicking gastrointestinal bleeding, which is what the test is designed to assess.

This recommendation is based on the fact that certain foods can interfere with the test's accuracy. Meat, particularly red meat, contains substances that may yield a positive test result even if there is no actual blood in the stool from a pathological source. Therefore, avoiding red meat for several days prior to the collection helps ensure that the test results are specific to the condition being investigated, rather than dietary influences.

The other options, while they may have their own dietary considerations, do not have the same impact on the fecal occult blood test's accuracy as red meat does. Consequently, restricting red meat intake is key in preparing for this specific diagnostic procedure.