Travellers

Travel Health Information Sheets

Updated March 2013

Food and water hygiene

Diarrhoea a common health problems affecting 20% to 60% of overseas travellers. Many illnesses, including: cholera, hepatitis A and typhoid are also spread by food and water contaminated with human waste.

The following advice can help reduce your risk of illnesses caused by contaminated food or water:

Water

In some parts of the world, tap water is not available or is unsafe to drink. Use boiled or bottled water from a safe source or chemically purified/filtered water instead. Never add ice to your drinks and don’t brush your teeth with tap water if it's not safe to drink.

                     

Beware fake bottled water: avoid any product that you suspect may have been tampered with.

 

Boiling water for a least one minute will purify it. Chlorine water purification tablets are an alternative where boiling is not possible, as they kill most bacteria and viruses. However, they don’t kill parasites like Giardia or Cryptosporidium.

Water can be treated with chlorine and then filtered with a special portable filter. (Domestic water filters, designed to stop limescale build-up in hard water areas of the UK, are not suitable). Chlorine tablets and travel filters are available in most specialist travel shops and chlorine tablets may be stocked by some high street chemists.

The European Union recommends that iodine is not suitable for purifying water, so iodine is no longer sold or supplied for disinfecting drinking water.

Due to potentially high salt and mineral content, bottled water is not suitable for babies and bottle feeds should be made up with boiled, cooled water.

Image courtesy of NHS Photo Library

Food

Many countries use human or animal waste (often called “night soil”) to fertilise their crops. Some foods, especially those growing near the ground, can become contaminated with harmful bacteria if this type of manure is used.

Flies, insects and rodents can also spread diseases.

 

Image courtesy of NHS Photo Library

Potentially unsafe foods:

  •  Salads.
  •  Raw fruit and vegetables, unless you wash and peel them yourself.
  •  Food left exposed to flies.
  •  Food shared with lots of people, such as buffets.
  •  Any unpasteurised products, including dairy products and fruit juices.
  •  Undercooked or raw fish, meat or shellfish.
  •  Reheated food – especially fish, meat or rice.
  •  Takeaways and street food – unless thoroughly cooked in front of you.
  •  Unpasteurised milk, cheese, ice cream and other dairy products.
  •  Fresh or cooked food that has been allowed to stand at room temperature in warm environments.

‘Boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it’!

 

Don't assume food served in expensive hotels or restaurants is safe. Even if food preparation staff take care with food handling and personal hygiene, food can be contaminated by other travellers. Whenever possible, try to eat freshly prepared, thoroughly cooked food served piping hot.

Always wash your hands after: using the toilet, changing nappies, any contact with animals or sick people and before preparing or eating food.

Image courtesy of NHS Photo Library 

 

More Information: