HOW CAREFUL DO YOU HAVE TO BE WITH FOOD AND DRINK IN INDIA? PART 1

 

Diarrhoea is by far the most common ailment for travellers to India. In more than 80 per cent of cases the cause is bacterial, usually arising from contaminated food or drink. By following a few simple guidelines you can reduce the chances of it all turning to custard.

Never drink tap water.

Bottled water is generally also safe but check that the seal is intact. Avoid ice unless you know it has been safely made.

Be careful when drinking fruit juice, especially at food stalls, as they may have been watered down. Opt for juice that is pressed in front of you and steer clear of anything stored in a jug or served in a glass unless you're assured of high washing standards.

Don't be tempted by glistening pre-sliced melon and other fruit, which keeps its luscious veneer with a regular dousing of often-dubious water.

When preparing food yourself, peel all fruit, cook vegetables and soak salads in iodine water for at least 20 minutes.

Iodine is the best chemical purifier, although it should be avoided by pregnant women and those with thyroid complaints. Water filters should sieve out viruses but ensure yours has a chemical barrier such as iodine and a pore size of less than four microns. It is believed that boiling water is usually the most efficient method of sterilisation. Well, boiling in water for fifteen minutes will kill most vegetative bacteria and inactivate viruses, but boiling is ineffective against prions and many bacterial and fungal spores; therefore it is unsuitable for sterilisation.

India's cuisine is one of its joys but ease into it, allowing your tummy to adjust.

Follow the crowd and look out for popular places, particularly those patronised by families as these will probably be your best bet.

Some people love using their hands to eat while in India. This can actually be more hygienic than using utensils because you know where your hands have been and whether or not they’re clean. Plates and utensils at restaurants are often times not clean even though they may appear to be because they are wiped by a dirty dish cloth. For this reason I recommend wiping your eating ware with a paper napkin before use. Also don’t wipe your plate clean at the end of the meal. Instead leave a thin layer of food between you and the plate.

On the street, don't panic if your deep-fried snack is thrown back into the wok before serving. It's common practice to partly cook snacks then finish them off to order. Frying them hot again should kill any germs.

If, or more likely when, you are struck down with a bout of traveller's diarrhoea, stay well hydrated. Rehydration solutions such as Gastrolyte are best for this. Antibiotics such as norfloxacin, cioprofloxacin or azithromycin should kill the bacteria quickly. These are essential first-aid kit items for any trip to India. Loperamide (such as Imodium and Lopex) is just a "stopper" and doesn't get to the cause of the problem. It can, however, be helpful for long bus and train journeys.