FOOD & BEVERAGE
PRECAUTIONS If you drink water, buy it bottled or bring it to a rolling boil for 1
minute before you drink it. At high altitudes, boil water for longer. Adding a pinch of salt or pouring water from one clean container to another will
improve the taste. Chemical disinfection can be achieved by using tincture of iodine or
tetraglycine hydroperiodide tablets such as Globaline*, Potable-Aqua*, and
others. Bottled carbonated water is safer than uncarbonated water. Drink only from bottles or containers that have not been tampered with. Ask for drinks without ice unless the ice is made from bottled or boiled water. Avoid popsicles and flavored ices that may have been made with contaminated
water. Teeth should be brushed with purified water. If it is not available, use hot tap
water. Make sure utensils are clean. CONSUME WELL-COOKED FOODS. WASH YOUR HANDS CAREFULLY BEFORE EATING OR PREPARING FOOD. Eat foods that have been thoroughly cooked and that are still hot and steaming. Do not eat left-overs. Avoid cold cuts. Avoid raw vegetables and fruits that cannot be peeled. Vegetables like lettuce
are easily contaminated and are very hard to wash well. When you eat raw fruit or vegetables that can be peeled, peel them yourself. Do
not eat the peelings. Do not eat canned food if the tin appears ‘blown’ or “swollen”. Avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. It is difficult for food to be
kept clean on the street, and many travelers get sick from food bought from
street vendors. Other foods of concern are unpasteurized milk and milk products, raw meat, and
shellfish. Some fish are not guaranteed to be safe even when cooked because of the presence
of toxins in their flesh.
"BE KIND TO YOUR STOMACH!" and " Boil it, cook it, peel
it, or forget it”