When travelling, take steps to avoid food poisoning …

[7 June 2010 - 18h03]

Diarrhoea and vomiting are all too often the unpleasant outcome for many tourists who travel to distant lands with exotic dietary habits… or where hygiene leaves something to be desired.

There are many bacteria out there that can cause food borne illnesses, including listeria, salmonella and Legionella … not forgetting that the fearsome botulism has not yet been eradicated. Four Dutch tourists paid the price in June 2008 during a short cruise in Turkey. Infected with botulism, three of them had to be repatriated to the Netherlands as emergency cases. It is thought that the infection originated in some black olives consumed on board ship.

If it’s only a matter of traveller’s diarrhoea, it can soon be forgotten. But to prevent more serious problems, try to follow a few simple rules.

Wash your hands as often as possible – before eating and after going to the toilet, but also each time you come back from a walk, for example. Use soap and water if possible, or failing this use a hydroalcoholic solution. Another essential precaution is never to drink tap water or any water that has not been bottled. You should also avoid ice cubes and ice creams. It’s important to check that the bottle you are going to drink from is properly sealed. If in doubt, choose a fizzy drink that comes in a sealed bottle or can. And when it comes to food, avoid raw fruit and vegetables and never eat their skin or rind.

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