Food safety tips for travelling

Whether you’re travelling first class or hostel hopping your way around the globe, you can sometimes leave your food safety know-how behind. In today’s post, we’ve collected our top food safety tips to remember when you’re travelling.

• Be conscious of who is handling your food and avoid places where you can see, or you have heard, the food handlers practice poor hygiene. Poor practices might include untied hair, unclean hands and fingernails, touching of the face, chewing gum and sneezing, coughing or smoking near the food.
• Don’t be deceived by upmarket appearances or tourist hotspots. If you’re ever in doubt about the food or water, eat and drink elsewhere.
• Concerned about the water? It’s always a good idea to make sure the water you’re drinking is safe. Bottled water from a reliable source is often your safest bet – even for brushing your teeth. Other options you could consider are boiling or using a water purifier. Don’t forget that ice cubes count and freezing does not kill nasties like bacteria and viruses.
• Try to choose freshly cooked food which has been fried, boiled or steamed at high heat. Be cautious of eating from a buffet or bain-marie style food warmer.
• Be mindful of eating marinated raw fish like sushi or ceviche. The marinade does not destroy bacteria.

Playing it safe

When you’re just not sure, and you want to take extra precaution, try these tips:

• Eat fruits that are peelable which you can wash and peel yourself.
• Choose snacks and foods from well-known and reputable brands which come in sealed packages.
• Wash crockery and cutlery in hot soapy water before use.
• Prepare and cook your meals from low-risk, fresh ingredients.
• Choose establishments that are popular with an excellent reputation – check online for good reviews or ask at your hotel.

High-risk foods

If you are concerned about contracting food poisoning while you’re travelling, avoid these high-risk foods:

• Raw seafood and dishes made with it
• Raw, undercooked or poorly reheated food
• Raw or undercooked eggs
• Salads and pre-cut fruit
• Cold meats
• Unpasteurised dairy products
• Food left in the temperature danger zone for more than a couple of hours