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Travellers Be Careful What You Eat
Diarrhea affects up to 50% of all travellers. Other diseases that effect travellers
include typhoid and paratyphoid fevers,Guest Posting polio, viral hepatitis A, and a variety
of parasitic infections.
When travelling you may not always be able to safely eat when, where and what
you wish. Take a look at your servers! Are they clean looking? Most importantly,
do their hands and fingernails look clean? Do they keep their hands away from
their faces and hair? Foodborne illness can be passed person-to-person or from
the bathroom by unwashed hands. Burns and cuts that may be infected are also a
plentiful source of harmful bacteria. If you can, try to get a glimpse of the
person who is fixing your food. You decide from there.
Plates, glasses and utensils should be clean and spot free. If they have
dried-on food, finger prints, or lipstick on glasses, then the dishwasher is
likely on the blink. Ask for clean replacements or move on down the road.
Fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables should appear fresh and have a fresh
aroma. Wilted salads may be an indication that the product is old or has not
been properly handled.
See any bugs? If you have to share your table with roaches, it’s time to leave.
What is the general condition of the restaurant environment? Sure, you don’t eat
off the floor, but how the manager keeps the place up may be an indication of
the amount of pride they take in preparing your food.
And remember, don’t drink the water!
Shopping For Food:
Plan ahead, decide what you are going to eat and how you are going to cook
it—then plan what equipment you will need. Buy your food from a reputable
supplier. Examples of foods to avoid are custards, egg salad, potato salad,
chicken salad, macaroni salad, ham, salami, most cheese, cooked poultry and
dressing, and smoked fish.
More foods that my be dangerous are home-made mayonnaise, some sauces and some desserts, such as mousses. Ice cream is frequently
contaminated if it comes from an unreliable source.
Be especially wary of unpasteurized milk, non-bottled drinks [they are likely to
be contaminated and possibly unsafe]. Boil uncooked food and unpasteurized milk
before drinking.
Fruit and vegetables that YOU can peel or shell are okay.
Ensure that even cooked food has been thoroughly and freshly cooked and is
piping hot. Cooked food that has set at a mildly warm room temperature for more
than two hours holds one of the greatest risks of food-borne disease because
bacteria may multiply in it. If room temperature is hotter, 90 F or more, leave
out no longer than one hour.
Various species of fish and shellfish contain poisonous biotoxins at certain
times of the year. So check with the local population.
Buy only hard cheeses marked “aged 60 days” [or longer].With purchased or
delicatessen cold food, eat or refrigerate immediately.
Take care with perishable foods before you get them home. Purchase them at your
last stop, especially in hot weather, get them home and into the fridge quickly.
Do not thaw frozen food at room temperature, keep in fridge ’till defrosted.
Wash hands with soap and warm water before preparing, serving or eating food.
Avoid using hands to mix foods when clean utensils can be used. Keep hands away
from mouth, nose and hair.
General Rules for Outdoor Food Safety:
Items which don’t require refrigeration include fruits, vegetables, hard cheese,
canned meat or fish, chips, bread, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, mustard, and
pickles. You don’t need to pack them in a cooler. Carry bottled water for
drinking. Otherwise, boil water or use water purification tablets. Don’t use
untreated water to clean your contact lenses but use only what is manufactured
solely for that use.
Don’t leave trash in the wild or throw it off your boat.
If using a cooler, leftover food is safe only if the cooler still has ice in it.
Otherwise, discard leftover food.
Whether on land or sea, protect yourself and wash your hands before and after
you eat.
Preparing For The Trip:
Pack safely, use a cooler if travelling by car, camping or boating. Keep raw
foods separate from other foods. Never bring meat or poultry products without a
cold source to keep them safe. Bring disposable wipes or biodegradable soap for
hand and dishwashing.
Household pets and even some pet treats carry harmful bacteria, so keep them
away from foods. Also be sure you wash your hands after petting your animals or
handling their food.
When backpacking or hiking, the foods to bring are peanut butter in plastic
jars, concentrated juice boxes, canned tuna, ham, chicken and beef, dried
noodles, soups, dried nuts, fruits, powdered milk and fruit drinks, powdered
mixes for biscuits or pancakes, dried pasta, powdered sauce mixes, and rice.
Take only the amount you need. Pack foods in the frozen state with a cold
source.