Food Safety & Allergies
Below are tips to guide travelers in making responsible and safe choices when eating and drinking abroad.
Is it Clean?
Avoid raw and undercooked meat and seafood.
Avoid raw vegetables in markets. This food is exposed to the elements, which includes dust, bugs, and people sneezing. Raw vegetables may have been grown with chemical pesticides and cleaned in contaminated water. Food that is boiled or fried is less likely to have germs. If you purchase vegetables, take them home to wash with boiled, clean water rather than eating them unwashed at the market.
Avoid pre-cut fruit or fruit without a rind. Peel the fruit and wash raw vegetables in non-contaminated water. It is not always clear what pesticides other countries use on their agricultural products.
Avoid ice or water from a tap. Ice is often made from tap water, so it’s best avoided.
When buying bottled water, make sure the seal is not broken. Otherwise, drink water that has been boiled, such as tea. Alternatively, boil your own water, cool the water down, and carry it when going out.
Bring over-the-counter medications for travelers' diarrhea. The Centers for Disease Control offer an informative article on travelers’ diarrhea, with discussion of its causes, symptoms, and preventive measures.
Are You Allergic?
Research foods that are commonly used in the host culture. Shellfish, eggs, milk, soy, tree nuts and sesame oil are used in the traditional dishes of many cultures and may not be referenced in menus or common names. If a traveler is allergic to these or other ingredients, it's important to know before traveling what dishes to avoid or what modifications are available. For example, travelers with celiac disease or gluten intolerance should seek out websites that can provide insights into a destination's gluten-free friendliness.
Disclose allergies to trusted staff. Travelers carrying an EpiPen or insulin are highly encouraged to inform their program leaders and on-site partners.
Know how to convey allergies in the local language. It is helpful to have allergies written on a card in the local language that can be given to the person cooking or anyone serving food. The Frommer's website has information on how best to communicate about allergies.
For more resources, click here and select "Food & Diet."
