Mexico - Foods to Avoid

We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid. We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.
Thanks for any information.

We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid. We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.
Thanks for any information.

Don't eat uncooked produce unless it's something that's peeled.

Don't eat raw shellfish unless you're very sure that it's safe.

Don't get drinks with ice - the ice is usually from the tap water.

There's no problem with street stall food if it's well cooked.

"Iceman" wrote in message
...
We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid. We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.
Thanks for any information.

Don't eat uncooked produce unless it's something that's peeled.

Peeled or soaked in an anti-microbial solution widely available in
produce departments and drugs stores on both sides of the border. What many
people don't realize it that a LOT of our produce in the States comes from
Mexico these days.

Don't eat raw shellfish unless you're very sure that it's safe.

Don't get drinks with ice - the ice is usually from the tap water.

I spend a lot of time in Mexico. I have never had any problem with ice.
It usually comes from the same place as the purified water.

There's no problem with street stall food if it's well cooked.

In Mazatlan I suggest you try out the smoked Marlin available at the
Mercado.

Dennis

From: (fejjman)

We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid.

Avoid any food with mayonaise from street vendors

We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.

Have been to Mexico many times and have yet to get sick, but we usually drink
bottled water and eat at decent restaurants. Relax and enjoy your vacation.

Bill

On 06/17/2004 9:45 AM fejjman seeking osculation, jotted down:

We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid. We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.
Thanks for any information.


If you aren't used to spicy food take it easy. More problems that are
blamed on the water are from overdoing it with spicy food, and drinking
too much when you aren't used to it. I have a Travel Agent friend who
refers to All Inclusive Alcoholics. These are not true alcoholics just
people who "want to get their money's worth" if alcoholic beverages are
included in the All Inclusive contract.

So do as the Greeks. Enjoy everything on your trip, just do it in
moderation and you won't get sick.

--
________
To email me, Edit "xt" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

" We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid. We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.
Thanks for any information.

The best advice I have read about eating in Mexico was distilled to these
few words: "Boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it." In other words,
avoid uncooked foods (including lettuce) unless they are of the variety that
can be peeled (Bananas, oranges, etc.).

Good luck,

RD

(fejjman) wrote in message . com...
We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid. We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.
Thanks for any information.

The only time I've had any serious problems with food in Mexico was
once in Veracruz when I bought "volvanes" (vol-au-vent") from a street
vendor. These were warm pastries filled with spiced crab (jaiba).
Exactly 10 hours later, my wife and I came down with some serious food
poisoning that I'll never forget (I'll spare you the details - except
that it took days to recover). Other than that, we've eaten food all
over Mexico from many street vendors, and apart from some normal
travel queasiness on occasion - take Pepto Bismol pro-actively for
that, or after-effects of too-spicy food, we've been fine. I guess the
moral is not to eat anything cooked that you didn't see prepared,
especially seafood, especially room temperature seafood!!!

Interestingly, jars of mayonaise sold in Mexico do not specify that
refrigeration is required. Perhaps some preservative is used that
stops bacteria growth. I don't know. But I do know that it's
routinely stored at room temperature and I've never been ill from
it...

Damon

fejjman wrote:

We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid. We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.
Thanks for any information.


be sure you have a hep A shot of course

to be really safe order foods that are not handled after they are cooked
-- e.g. tacos in a restaurant have their ingredients handled before
being plated -- whereas something that is cooked and then doesn't
require assembly doesnt. I remember reading about a group dining where
those who ordered some sort of baked dish were all fine -- and those
ordering tacos and salads all got Hep A

Brian K wrote:

On 06/17/2004 9:45 AM fejjman seeking osculation, jotted down:

We're planning a vacation to Mazatlan. Does anybody have any advice
for what foods to avoid. We plan on drinking bottled water, but we
were wondering about produce and other foods that may cause sickness.
Thanks for any information.


If you aren't used to spicy food take it easy. More problems that are
blamed on the water are from overdoing it with spicy food, and drinking
too much when you aren't used to it. I have a Travel Agent friend who
refers to All Inclusive Alcoholics. These are not true alcoholics just
people who "want to get their money's worth" if alcoholic beverages are
included in the All Inclusive contract.

So do as the Greeks. Enjoy everything on your trip, just do it in
moderation and you won't get sick.



this idea that somehow it is just travel and change and spicy foods is
nonsense -- people get diarrhea in Mexico because the food and water is
so often contaminated and because food servers and handlers don't wash
their hands --

jenn extrapolated from data available...


this idea that somehow it is just travel and change and spicy foods is
nonsense -- people get diarrhea in Mexico because the food and water is
so often contaminated and because food servers and handlers don't wash
their hands --

.....and much of the tomatoes, lettuce, fruit and vegetables at your regular
supermarket or grocery come are grown in Mexico and picked by the same
hands, just as a look back at the kitchens of most US restaurants will show
you the brothers and sisters of the food servers in Mexico. Are they more
likely to wash their hands? Quien sabe? But then, you've never worked in
a restaurant kitchen.

I do shy away from some of the "tap" water in Mexico, but even within the
US some folks are "overcome" by encounters with new bugs (or even new
minerals) in the tap water of communities they visit. The old joke about
the bottled water in Mexico was that the waiter had just refilled the
bottle from the tap in the alley (so we all drank Agua Tehuacan, bubbles to
prove uncontaminated source, but almost enough minerals to give you the
Aztec Two Step anyway).

Montezuma's Revenge is a popular tourist disease, and may well result from
encounters with dangerous bugs, but the change in diet, exposure to new and
relative innocuous bacteria, and grossly increased alcohol consumption
contribute to its potential onset. Raw or undercooked seafood, especially
poorly or non-refrigerated isa problem for many, but I don't pass up good
ceviche.

TMO