When traveling overseas, food safety should be a major concern to those who will have only limited and questionable choices of food to eat, especially in those countries where food safety laws are lax or missing altogether. Regulations regarding food safety in poorer countries are not as well-coordinated as they are in the industrialized world, resulting in food quality issues that put both the people and tourists at risk. Lacking resources to initiate a methodical approach to food safety problems, underdeveloped countries are rife with food-borne illnesses that lead to a high level of mortality rates and infectious diseases. Before traveling to countries that have a reputation for having food safety issues, there are some things the tourist should know before embarking on their journey.

If you are going to eat fruits or vegetables while visiting an underdeveloped country, make sure you peel and throw away the skin of the food, since washing doesn't always rid the outside of the food of pathogens that cause food poisoning. Bacteria can secrete themselves into the outer layer of the food, in the folds, crevices, and tiny holes of vegetable and fruit skins. In addition, since the use of pesticides remains unregulated in certain countries, washing and removing the skins will lend extra protection from becoming ill after eating food contaminated with pesticides. Eggs should only be eaten if they have been well-cooked, since outbreaks of trans-ovarian salmonella from the chicken to the egg have been widely reported. Further, regard any dairy product with suspicion, as they tend to spoil quicker than other foods.

When buying meat, opt for freshly sliced slabs or hunks instead of meat that has been ground through machines that may not have been sanitized. Make sure you thoroughly cook the meat in order to kill any bacteria that may be present in the meat, since food-borne pathogens are highly susceptible to extreme temperatures. Improperly cooked food is one of the leading reasons people get infected with a food-borne illness. Also, avoid eating food that has flies buzzing around it, since flies are known to be carriers of over 65 human and animal diseases, such as cholera, E. coli, and dysentery.

Visitors to underdeveloped countries are frequently instructed by travel agencies to take extra precautions regarding the water they drink, and especially recommend boiling all drinking water before consuming it. However bottled water, soft drinks in bottles or cans, hot drinks like coffee or tea, and beer are usually considered the safest beverages to drink. However, if it is impossible to boil drinking water, adding chlorine bleach or iodine will make the water safe enough to drink. Be aware that while heat destroys harmful bacteria, ice does not, and will in fact keep the germs alive until they can be transmitted to another host. So if ice cubes are offered, it would be best to refuse them because you do not if the water frozen in the ice cubes has been de-contaminated.

Being vigilant to the lack of food safety practiced in certain countries does not mean a traveler will remain free of food-borne bacteria, but preventive measures will certainly help avert the risk of an illness which may require hospitalization.