Traveler's Guide
Food Safety
It is difficult, if not impossible, to guarantee the safety of food when traveling, especially in developing countries. Without strict public health standards, bacteria or parasites in food or water may go undetected and cause illness such as traveler's diarrhea. However, travelers can continue to enjoy local foods—this is part of the pleasure of international travel. Just be sure to follow food precautions and concentrate on eating the types of food that tend to be safest.
Traveler's diarrhea is caused by something the traveler ate or drank. While it may not be possible to avoid diarrhea in certain high-risk destinations even with the strictest adherence to preventive measures, the risk can be minimized by following certain guidelines.
What To Do
- Eat at establishments that are known to cater to foreigners or that are specifically known by other foreigners to be safe.
- Eat foods that are well-cooked and served steaming hot.
- Eat breads, tortillas, crackers, biscuits, and other baked goods.
- Eat fruits, nuts, and vegetables with thick skins, peels, or shells that you remove yourself.
- Eat canned foods.
What To Avoid
- Be careful with food from street vendors or market stalls. Although some are safer than others, ask your guide for advice.
- Avoid eating leafy or uncooked vegetables and salads. Some organisms in soil and water are not destroyed by normal cleaning methods.
- Do not eat undercooked, raw, or cold meat, seafood and fish.
- Be particularly wary of ice cream and other frozen confections that may have been made or stored in contaminated containers.
- Do not eat buffet foods such as lasagna, casseroles, and quiches—unless you know they are fresh (not reheated) and have been kept steaming hot. Avoid buffets where there are no food covers or fly controls.
