Food Safety when You're Taking a Road Trip
Mary Mennes - University of Wisconsin
Food is an important part of traveling whether the trip is for work or fun. Because of the high quality of the U.S. food supply and the excellent sanitation in most restaurants, the risks of foodborne illness are not as great in the U.S. as in some other countries. However, "food poisoning" can and does occur. Common symptoms are diarrhea, an upset stomach, and stomach cramps. . These can spoil anyone's trip and can be serious for the very young, elderly or persons who are not in good health for other reasons. The following are a few simple principles that can help you avoid food borne illness when you travel:
- Keep cold food cold by using a cooler with ice or refreezable ice packs. Freezing foods such as sandwiches, juices and milk before you leave home will keep them cold longer. If you are traveling for several days, plan to buy meats or other perishables every day if you don't have adequate coolers.
- Transport foods cold rather than hot if they must be carried for more than 2 hours before eating. Where possible, cook foods just before eating by using portable grills or those at park or camping areas.
- If you don't have a cooler stick with safe foods like canned meats or fish, natural or processed cheeses, crackers, peanut butter and very dry sausage products. Throw leftover meats away after the meal unless you can cool them down within 2 hours.
- If you buy fresh fruit or vegetables from roadside markets, wash them thoroughly before eating.
When you are eating out - check the overall appearance of the restaurant and personnel. Most major fast food franchise restaurants enforce sanitation rules strictly. If the restaurant's general appearance raises any doubts about the attention to cleanliness, order very carefully or choose another restaurant. When in doubt, order foods that are cooked just before serving. For example, a hamburger or a grilled steak is likely to be safer than barbecued beef, swiss steak, beef stew, or roast beef. Those items may easily have been held at the wrong temperatures or for too long a time, or improperly cooked or reheated. Order a grilled cheese sandwich rather than ham or tuna salad, broiled or fried fish instead of casseroles. And for dessert, choose fruit or fruit pies rather than cream, custard or pumpkin pies.
Links: Handling Food Safely on the Road
