STREET SMARTS
It’s OK to be a picky eater. Travel tips to stay healthy while abroad,
Street foods offer tastes of authentic local delicacies in the places we visit, but downing something contaminated by bacteria, parasites or viruses can result in a nasty gastronomic experience. And that can make for a bad trip. Travellers’ diarrhea is the most common travel ailment. It can be spread from one person to another or by ingesting contaminated food or beverages.
And while the Government of Canada’s travel health and safety recommendations advise us to “avoid food from street vendors” when travelling abroad, there are ways to spot safe curbside eateries and avoid the dodgy ones.
Its website says high-risk destinations include Mexico and developing countries in Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, with a moderate risk in Eastern Europe and some parts of the Caribbean. The risk is lower in Northern and Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the United States and Canada.
Poor sanitation, low hygiene standards and improper food handling practices are to blame, and young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with existing health problems or weak immune systems are most at risk
Besides an urgent need for a bathroom, symptoms can include fever, nausea, vomiting, bloating and abdominal cramps. They can come on the same day, or weeks later, subside the same day or last for several days. Severe cases can cause dehydration, require hospitalization, and even cause death.
Contaminated food or water may not affect many local folks, but visitors who haven’t developed immunity over time are easily susceptible.
Yet many seasoned travellers maintain there is no better way to savour the culinary delights of the places we visit than to eat what the locals are having.
Wayfaring connoisseurs also point out restaurants can just as easily be a source of food poisoning as a food cart or stall, so it’s a good idea to always approach the edible with caution, whether on the street or in a café. Safe street food signs Always check for cleanliness, that of the vendor and surroundings. It’s a good sign if the food cart, stall or table and equipment are kept clean. Just because it smells tasty and looks good doesn’t always mean it safe to eat. Fresh seafood waiting to be cooked should be kept on ice. Different meats should be kept separate from one another, and raw food shouldn’t be near the cooked.
Well-cooked and hot street food is safer than raw, rare grilled or cold.
A busy food cart usually means raw food hasn’t been sitting in the open long and susceptible to insects and the elements. Ask a customer, whether it’s a local resident or a foreign visitor, about their experience with the fare there.
Using disposable plates, utensils or paper wrap is safer than dishes, as are disposable chopsticks, which you can bring along or buy locally, rather than plates and cutlery washed and rinsed in local water.
Eating fresh fruit and vegetables washed in local water can be risky. It’s safer to peel your own fruit than to have it done for you. Avoid condiments that have been sitting out in the heat and open air, and steer clear of unpasteurized milk or juices. Preventing food-borne illness before you go Get a vaccine for Hepatitis A from your doctor or travel health clinic. Health Canada calls it “one of the most common vaccine-preventable illnesses in travellers.”
A doctor can prescribe antibiotic medicine for people with existing bowel conditions ahead of a trip.
Some say using a probiotic supplement is good for your stomach health and can reduce the severity of symptoms of food-borne illness.
A variety of digestive health and gastric relief products are available at pharmacies and health-food outlets.
Bring along alcohol-based hand sanitizers, just in case you can’t be guaranteed the handwashing water will be safe where you go. Prevention at the hotel/resort Washing your hands thoroughly with disinfectant soap before eating or preparing food is always a good idea, and ditto after using a bathroom.
Ask about the safety of the water where you’re staying and dining. Don’t assume that it’s pure just because it comes out of a tap.
Water that has been boiled, disinfected or comes bottle-sealed is best.
Check to make sure ice used in drinks contains pure water. Stick to commercially sealed beverages or drinks made with boiled or purified water.
If you ask, most restaurants and resort operators will point out their food preparation and safety procedures.
Food safety is important to their success.
Brush your teeth and rinse only with purified or bottled water. Relieving food poisoning, if you get it In most cases, a bout of food poisoning will be gone in a day, but if it persists and symptoms include bleeding, high fever, dehydration and severe stomach pain, seek medical attention.
Over-the counter-antacid, anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory medications that come in a variety of brand names, and generically, are handy to have when tummy troubles arise far from home.
Pregnant women contracting a food-borne ailment should immediately seek medical attention for the safety of their unborn child.