Discuss the various steps that can be taken to reduce foodborne illness while traveling


If you experience traveler's diarrhea while abroad, it is important that you replace lost fluids and electrolytes as soon as symptoms begin to develop. Clear liquids are routinely recommended for adults, and those who develop three or more loose stools in an eight-hour period may benefit from antibiotic therapy.When traveling outside of the United States or camping in remote regions of the country, it is advisable to drink bottled water and avoid using ice. Before you drink water from a bottle, be sure that it has a fully sealed cap. If the seal is not intact, the container may have been refilled from an unknown source. If bottled water is not available, all water should be boiled for one minute before use. If at a high altitude (more than 2,000 meters above sea level), boil water for three minutes. If boiled or bottled water is not available, fresh water can be chemically treated to kill pathogens that may be present. Portable water filters can also be used to remove some pathogens.Although fresh produce that is contaminated with bacteria may not cause illness for local residents, it can cause serious illness for visitors. Thus, when traveling to a foreign country, avoid or carefully wash fresh fruit and vegetables that are eaten without peeling (such as grapes and peppers).The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that when traveling in Europe or another area that has reported cases of bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) in cows, concerned travelers should consider either avoiding beef and beef products or selecting only beef products composed of solid pieces of muscle meat. These considerations, however, should be balanced with the knowledge that the risk of disease transmission is very low. Milk and milk products are not believed to pose any risk for transmission of BSE to consumers-even in areas of the world with emerging incidence of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Nutritional Science

You might also like to view...

Which is part of the FDA's rules to ensure safe use of additives?

a) Food processors must submit proof that any new additive is safe after extensive testing. b) Only use additives that are on the permanent GRAS list. c) If an additive is toxic at high levels, it cannot be used in foods. d) Only use additives that disappear and cannot be detected in the final product.

Nutritional Science

Which of the following health care professionals evaluates gastrointestinal function?

a. Radiologist b. Registered dietitian c. Gastroenterologist d. Physical therapist

Nutritional Science

Women taking oral contraceptive pills are cautioned against:

a. large amounts of animal products. b. too many carbohydrates. c. more than 1/2 cup peanut butter weekly. d. smoking. e. All of the above

Nutritional Science

A scientist conducts a study to determine the effects of the mineral cadmium on the weight of mice. She adds 5 mcg of the mineral to the daily diet of 100 4-week-old laboratory mice. Every week, the researcher records the weight of each mouse. At the end of the study, the scientist notes that 3 mice died, 40 mice lost weight, 40 mice gained weight, and the remaining 17 mice didn't gain or lose weight during the 12-week period. Based on this information, what would you tell the researcher about her findings?

A. The findings are newsworthy and important enough to be published in a peer-reviewed nutrition journal. B. The findings are very interesting and provide scientific proof that cadmium causes weight loss. C. The findings are biased because the scientist used mice instead of humans in her study. D. The findings are not meaningful because of the way the scientist designed her study.

Nutritional Science