• Clean Water
• Food and drink on holiday
• Immunisation
• Insect Bites on Holiday
• Jet Lag
• Motion sickness
• Pregnant travellers
• Safe Sex
• Sun exposure
• Taking medicine overseas
• Travel Medical Kits
• Volunteers and expeditions

Food and drink on holiday

We are used to high standards of hygiene at home and tend to take for granted the safety of our food and drink. With clean water supplies, we are accustomed to drinking straight from the tap. Unfortunately not all countries enjoy the same standards and when visiting we need to think twice about what we consume in order to protect ourselves from food poisoning, or worse. Your travel insurance might compensate you for curtailment due to illness but your holiday will be ruined and the effect on your health could be long-term.

Food poisoning causes symptoms of stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. It is caused by bacteria, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli, or protozoa such as Cryptosporidium, which we ingest with our food and drink. The infectious agents may be present in drinking water due to poor water treatment or they may have been introduced into our food by various means including cross-contamination of raw meat and cooked food during food preparation; contamination by house flies or other pests; or by poor hygiene such as failing to wash hands after going to the toilet or contact with animals.

If contaminated food is kept at the wrong temperature, bacteria can rapidly grow. Listeria infections can cause abortion and stillbirth in pregnant women and in some cases can lead to septicaemia and meningitis. It is associated with the consumption of soft cheeses and processed meat products that have been kept refrigerated for a long time because this particular bacterium can grow at low temperatures. There is also a danger of other serious illnesses such as Typhoid Fever, Cholera and Dysentery. Consequently, it is well worth taking a few simple precautions:

1. Drink bottled or boiled water and use it for brushing your teeth.
2. Avoid ice in drinks.
3. Always wash your hands after going to the toilet and before eating.
4. Check your food has been thoroughly cooked and is hot when served.
5. Avoid uncooked food; it may have been washed in contaminated water or kept for too long at temperatures in which bacteria can grow. Green-leafed vegetables can contain dangerous microorganismd which are difficult to remove.
6. Avoid food that has been exposed to flies.
7. Shellfish should be avoided unless you are completely confident in the restaurant's hygiene standards as it may be contaminated with sewage.

If you do fall ill with food poisoning whilst on holiday, most attacks will last only a few days. It is important to avoid dehydration, particularly for the elderly and the young. Drink plenty of clean water and take oral dehydration salts. Medicines which reduce bowel movements should not be taken, particularly by children as they may cause bowel obstruction. To protect others, don't use the pool or spa bath if you have diarrhoea.

If your symptoms persist on returning home consult your doctor.