--- description: If you're traveling in developing countries, stick with bottled water and use it to brush your teeth. title: 4 Ways to Prevent Food Poisoning When You’re Traveling image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb51dbb3d5678ec54/69889f2a5f570f7048b21e12/prevent-food-poisoning-travel.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Public Health](/tag/public-health/) ## Public Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 4 Ways to Prevent Food Poisoning When You’re Traveling by [Jacqueline Andriakos / Health.com](/author/health-com/) ## Jacqueline Andriakos / Health.com Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 3, 2016 5:00 PM CUT  Plastic bottle of mineral water with glass, close up Plastic bottle of mineral water with glass, close upGetty Images by [Jacqueline Andriakos / Health.com](/author/health-com/) ## Jacqueline Andriakos / Health.com Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 3, 2016 5:00 PM CUT Tummy-tormenting illnesses, like [E. coli](http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20509598,00.html "undefined") infections, have made news in the past year. To avoid spending a holiday near the toilet and protect yourself from [food poisoning](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20934643,00.html "undefined"), digest this food-safety refresher. **1\. Don’t drink tap water** If you’re traveling in developing countries, stick with bottled H2O and use it to brush your teeth. Also, ask for no ice and be alert for items that may be made with tap water (like an ice pop), since even a small amount can contain bacteria or viruses. **2\. Order vegetables cooked** Seedy and leefy vegetables are among the [top sources of food poisoning](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20310810,00.html "undefined"), per a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report last year. If you’re dining where the water may be iffy, go for the sautéed or baked veggie sides instead of raw options; high heat will kill most harmful bacteria. **_Health.com_**_:_ [_9 Foods to Avoid When Your Tummy Hurts_](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20570225,00.html/?xid=time "undefined") **3\. Skip street food** Food carts may not be held to the same hygiene standards as restaurants, and you don’t know whether the ingredients are fresh or how long the food has been sitting out. If you want to try a local delicacy on the street, order something you can see come hot off the grill. **4\. Be prepared** Take Pepto-Bismol (for up to three weeks) as a preventative measure; studies have shown that ingesting 2 ounces of the liquid or two chewable tablets four times a day before and during travel may cut your risk of traveler’s diarrhea in half. _This_ [_article_](http://www.health.com/digestive-health/prevent-food-poisoning-vacation/?xid=time "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_Health.com_](http://www.health.com "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4422396/food-poisoning-traveling-prevention/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4422396/food-poisoning-traveling-prevention/"},"headline":"4 Ways to Prevent Food Poisoning When You’re Traveling","datePublished":"2016-08-03T17:00:48.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T23:31:43.168Z","description":"Stick to bottled water","url":"https://time.com/4422396/food-poisoning-traveling-prevention/","keywords":["Public Health","Food & Drink"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb51dbb3d5678ec54/69889f2a5f570f7048b21e12/prevent-food-poisoning-travel.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jacqueline Andriakos / Health.com"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb51dbb3d5678ec54/69889f2a5f570f7048b21e12/prevent-food-poisoning-travel.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Plastic bottle of mineral water with glass, close up","caption":"Plastic bottle of mineral water with glass, close up","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/public-health/","name":"Public Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4422396/food-poisoning-traveling-prevention/","name":"4 Ways to Prevent Food Poisoning When You’re Traveling"}}]}] ```