However, eating food in a foreign country can lead to a very unenjoyable experience if the food contains unwanted organisms or chemicals that can make you sick. Becoming sick from contaminated food at home is uncomfortable enough, but getting sick in a foreign country can make for a disastrous experience. There are many precautions a traveler can take to reduce the risk of foodborne illness during travel. This publication focuses on some of the best means for preventing foodborne illness while traveling abroad. There are many types of illnesses that can be attributed to eating contaminated foods during international travel.
Most illnesses come from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals that contaminate food or water.
Some of the more common illnesses include traveler's diarrhea, Montezuma's revenge, infectious hepatitis, Typhoid fever, cholera, and illness from the Giardia parasite. While anyone can become sick from eating contaminated food, there are certain hosts that are more vulnerable. These individuals should pay close attention to the food that they eat while traveling abroad. There are certain foods that are more likely to contain biological or chemical contaminants. Therefore, they are more risky to consume.