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5 June 2009
SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS
With the holiday season fast approaching, Dr Vinod Tohani, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control with the Public Health Agency is reminding everyone about food safety.
Food poisoning can be dangerous - it can result in mild or even serious illness, but it can be prevented by taking a few simple measures.
Dr Tohani explains: “Getting food poisoning can turn your dream holiday into a very unpleasant time. But taking a few simple precautions with your food while you are abroad can make sure you enjoy your summer in safety.”
“Once you reach your holiday destination there are a number of simple rules which apply whether you are buying food from a street market or eating out in an expensive restaurant:
• Cooked food that has been held at room temperature for several hours is one of the greatest risks of food poisoning so make sure your food has been thoroughly and freshly cooked and is still hot when served;
• Avoid any uncooked food, apart from fruits or vegetables that can be peeled or shelled. Avoid fruits with damaged skin. Remember - cook it, peel it or leave it;
• Ice cream from unreliable sources is frequently contaminated and can cause illness. If in doubt, avoid it;
• Unpasturised milk should be boiled before consumption;
• If you have any doubts about drinking water, boil it or disinfect it with disinfectant tablets available from chemists;
• Avoid ice unless you are sure that it is made from safe water;
• Drinks such as hot tea, coffee or fruit juices in bottles or other packaging are usually safe to drink.”
Dr Tohani is also calling on parents to make sure their children are vaccinated with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine before taking them to foreign countries.
“Parents should remember that measles is a very serious disease which still occurs in other countries. So if you are taking your children with you on holiday make sure they are protected with the MMR jab.”
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For further information contact Shirlie Murtagh, Acting PR Manager, Public Health Agency on (028) 3741 4531. | 
