Travel - Safe Food and Water
Every year thousands of Canadian travellers may return home with more than just memories of their trip. Hepatitis A, typhoid fever, travellers' diarrhea, and several other diseases are caused by eating and drinking contaminated food and beverages. Therefore consider the following tips to prevent illness while travelling.
Make Safe Food Choices
- Meat, fish and vegetables must be well cooked and served piping hot.
- Avoid raw vegetables and leafy salads as they may have been washed in contaminated water.
- Avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. It is difficult for food to be kept clean on the street and many travellers get sick from food bought from street vendors.
It is safer to eat:
- Peel-able fruit that can be washed by you in safe water.
- Dairy products that have been pasteurized.
- Eggs that are cooked 'hard boiled' to ensure they are safe from bacteria.
- Be cautious of foods that sit out in a buffet.
Make Safe Beverage Choices
- Commercially bottled and canned beverages, as well as hot drinks such as coffee and tea are usually safe.
- When out in the wilderness do not drink from lakes or streams as they may be contaminated with parasites, viruses or bacteria.
- Drink only purified water that has been either boiled or disinfected with chlorine or iodine.
- Portable filters are not guaranteed to make water safe enough to drink.
- When drinking bottled water make sure it is properly sealed before drinking.
- Ask if the water at your accommodations is filtered. If the tap water is not safe to drink, it is not even safe to use for brushing your teeth.
- Avoid ice, as it may have been made with contaminated water.
This information is intended to provide general health-related information about safe food and water. It is not intended to replace medical consultation at a travel health clinic or by your physician prior to travel.
