We are planning a trip to Belize and wondered if parasites are a problem on fresh fruits and veggies. I gained a lot of weight last year in Mexico because we couldnt eat salads only beans and tacos, pizza and cooked veggies. Is it the same in Belize or is there something I can soak lettuce and tomatoes in before eating them? What do you folks that live in Belize suggest? Thanks.
I've never heard of any problems here on Ambergris Caye. I buy locally and don't do any special prep on fruits and veggies. And I eat in all the restaurants, fast food places and street vendors and have never had a problem.
Never had a problem here. Do have a problem back in the States -think it is some presevitive they use on Salad.
Know what you mean about Mexico, only place I ever got sick, 4 guys in one room & we all had the same problem.
Never had a problem in S.P. in 20+ trips.
Don't know about the Mainland because I've never been there, having too much fun in San Pedro!
Not too big of a problem here. Just wash all your fruits and veggies before consuming as you do back home.
You should wash them in water with a little clorox mixed in.
Clorox must be a Texas thing. We don't do that here on Ambergris Caye...and no one gets sick!
Clorox is just a preventative thing. I've never had a problem either.
My mother would put a tablespoon of clorox in my bathwater when I was a little girl (had a lot of scrapes) for disinfectant purposes.
Oh, guess what Jesse, I think you are mistaken. Why not ask Charlene, she washes lime, lettuce, celery and even glasses with the clorox mixture. Ive watched them do it.
In Mexico you can buy little bottles of stuff right at the check out counter just to soak your fruit and vegetables in. One capful treats a whole pan full of food. Let sit for 20 minutes then wife off. We used this in Puerto Vallarta and had no problems at all.
Where did you get the wife?
Just about everybody in the Bar & Restarant business uses small amount of bleach (6%chlorine)to clean table tops & disinfect,really helps keep the flys away as well as bees.
A gallon of bleach has about 6% chl. & a gallon of Sodium hypochloride (chlorine) has about 12% chl. in it, being a C.P.O. thought I'd just throw that little nugget out there. chl kills bacteria in a pool in less than 2 seconds if pH & chl are balanced. pH (7.2-7.6) chl (1.0-3.0) for a pool. lower the pH the more effective your chl is.
J.D. the pool guy!!
P.S. works great in the drinking water in S.P. but leaves a bit of a after taste
You can get sick here, as anywhere. The cross contamination issue is not really understood here by some less experienced food preparers. Parasites are not to common in the water here as you can smell and taste the clorine in the tap water. But you never know. I would definitely wash fruits and veggies as anywhere in the world.
Nail biting will get you sick if you have some parasites under the nail! Yuck, how nasty is that, a friend got sick from such and the parasites damaged his intestinal wall and now he is lactose intolerant.
SIN
Got real sick two years ago had to go to to los pinos clinic by air port Dr theresa demar my Angel did blood work,and Bam !!!! She new what the deals was.. Had to go on IV for two hours and heavy antibiotic pills for a week, plus lots of other medicine ..She said comes from unwashed salad or unwashed fruit like the grapes I bought on stand and maybe forgot to wash??? and put in my mouth on the way home !!!!!!!!!!.. But does say she treats a few cases almost all 99 %gringos.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But have been eating salad here at the better places ,No food stands and have been fine.Eat smart you will have a great time ,enjoy the food here your in for a treat .Go live the dream ..