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Food tips for travellers
If you are travelling overseas, there are a number of precautions that you can take to help minimise the risk of health problems.
You should pay particular attention to the food and drinks you consume to protect against water and foodborne disease. The following are a number of basic tips that may help you avoid problems from food and drink when overseas.
- Clean your hands thoroughly with soap and water or a hand-sanitising solution or gel before preparing or eating food.
- Drink only bottled or packaged beverages or beverages that have been boiled or treated to eliminate bacteria and viruses.
- Bringing clear water to a vigorous boil for at least one minute is generally sufficient to eliminate most pathogens, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At high altitudes, however, water boils at a lower temperature so needs to be boiled for longer - at least 3 minutes.
- Chlorine or iodine tablets (available from camping stores) can be used to purify water in some situations; however they will not kill Giardia or amoebic cysts.
- Bottled water (making sure that it is a named brand and the seal has not been broken) is generally available at most tourist destinations and this should be consumed in preference to local water. Tap water in many areas is not safe.
- Avoid ice in your drinks as it may have been made from untreated water or unsafe local water supplies.
- Avoid leafy, cold salads as the ingredients may have been rinsed with contaminated water.
- Avoid milk and milk products.
- Fruits that you have peeled yourself should be safe; however, do not wash them in the local water after peeling.
- Vegetables should be cooked or boiled and served steaming hot.
- Meats need to be thoroughly cooked. Undercooked pork, in particular, should not be eaten because of the risk of the parasite infection trichinosis.
- Desserts should be baked and served hot. Condiments, sauces and topping should be consumed only if freshly opened as they can be contaminated if not stored properly.
- Shellfish may cause hepatitis A infection and in areas with 'red tides' (algal blooms) may also contain poisonous biotoxins. They should be avoided in developing countries and after 'red tides'.
- Avoid carnivorous reef fish, which may be contaminated with ciguatera toxin, particularly if fish are large or in a known ciguatera area. This toxin causes a serious gastrointestinal and neurological illness.
- Do not eat food that has been kept at room or outside temperature for long periods or that has been exposed to flies, such as in restaurant buffets, markets and from street vendors.
Always check with your doctor or travel health professional before going overseas, as they will be able to give you recommendations and medications for many illnesses that you may contract from local food and drink. Vaccines are available against typhoid and hepatitis A and are effective ways of minimising the risk of contracting these diseases from contaminated food and water.
Last Reviewed: 08 January 2010
- 1. World Health Organization. Environmental health risks. In: International travel and health: situation as on 1 January 2010. Geneva: WHO; 2010: 30-48. http://www.who.int/ith/en/ (accessed Jan 2011).
2. World Health Organization. Guide on safe food for travellers (last reviewed 8 Jun 2010). http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/consumer/en/travellers_en.pdf (accessed Jan 2011).
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Traveler’s diarrhea (last reviewed 27 Jul 2009). In: CDC health information for international travel 2010. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; 2009. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/travelers-diarrhea.aspx (accessed Jan 2011).
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Water disinfection (last reviewed 27 Jul 2009). In: CDC health information for international travel 2010. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; 2009. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/water-disinfection.aspx (accessed Jan 2011).
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Food poisoning from marine toxins (last reviewed 27 Jul 2009). In: CDC health information for international travel 2010. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; 2009. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/food-poisoning-from-marine-toxins.aspx (accessed Jan 2011).
6. Queensland Health. Naturally occurring seafood toxins. Consumer fact sheet 2 (last updated Jul 2010). http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/Documents/ehu/19397.pdf (accessed Jan 2011).
7. World Health Organization. Vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccine. In: International travel and health: situation as on 1 January 2010. Geneva: WHO; 2010: 91-141. http://www.who.int/ith/en/ (accessed Jan 2011).
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A guide to drinking water treatment and sanitation for backcountry and travel use (last reviewed 10 Apr 2009). http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/travel/backcountry_water_treatment.html (accessed Jan 2011).
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