what's safe to eat?

I apologize in advance for how ignorant this question may sound. I'm going on my first trip to Mexico later this spring, specifically to the Yucatan (Chichen Itza, Merida, Tulum). I have received all kinds of warnings (from my doctor, who insisted on giving me Cipro for the trip; from travel guides, etc) about what not to eat when I'm there. I realize bottled water is a must. I've also been told it's not safe to eat salad due to the fact that it may or may not have been washed in contaminated water. The guide I purchased (the Moon guide to the Yucatan, which I like, it seems very informative) cautioned against buying sliced fruit from vendors in the street for the same reason. One thing I enjoy about travelling is buying food from street vendors and trying local delicacies. I live in Chicago and I buy food from street vendors all the time--elotes, mangoes with chile, that sort of thing. Is it really that bad in Mexico? Should I stick to fried things, assuming that all the bacteria has been burned away? (only half joking there). Is diarrhea inevitable? I'd love to hear from seasoned travellers in Mexico about what to avoid, and what sorts of things are generally safe when it comes to street food. Thanks!

A topic search will turn up lots of opinions on this, but mostly boil down to "don't worry about it". Use common sense, look around for signs of obvious contamination, and then enjoy. I feel safer eating on the street than in many hotel buffets. Watch for a street vendor with a good crowd and where somebody other than the cook handles the money and you will be just fine. After all, they are cooking for their neighbors and word would spread pretty fast if they were making people sick.

Honestly, Mexicans don't really eat salad, so you don't really need to worry about that. If you do see a salad on a menu, you will be in a place like Sanborns or another established, mid- to upper-scale restaurant in which it is safe to eat. The exception is when you eat at cheap places (fondas) and they put lettuce on top of tostadas or sopes or a few other dishes.

I understand your reasoning about fried foods being safer to eat. Everyone says the problem with fried food is that the oil can be rancid, but I don't know if I would recognize bad oil anyway. Also, I avoid eating food that is prepared on a busy street because of the fine particles of pollution that must settle into the oil, etc.

I feel comfortable ordering fruit if it has been cut right there in front of me. I am also comfortable ordering grilled corn on the cob and licuados (milkshakes). Heck, I order quesadillas and sopes all the time on the street, too, but not everyone does. I tend to avoid pre-cut fruit that's already been bagged or corn that's off the cob (in its own juices with spices - I always forget what it's called).

Of course street vendors do not have access to running water to wash hands. If I'm going to a new vendor, I stand back before ordering food to see how they handle money. Many take money and make change, then go right back to slapping tortilla dough. Others are bit more sanitary and have a glove or piece of plastic with which they touch the money. Look for established street vendors - that is, permanent stands that they close up at night, not the guys walking around with little carts.

I eat on the street all the time, though usually from the same set of street vendors. However, I don't tend to get sick when abroad. Know your own limitations.

*** Eat at busy stands where Mexicans are eating.

The food in the Yucatan, especially in Merida, is great and I generally eat about everything- including a lot of street vendor food, raw vegetables, and salads. I rarely have any stomach problems from what I eat. I've noticed that the last couple of times I've gotten "Montezuma's Revenge" I had eaten seafood or fish. However, since seafood is so good and usually fresh, I wouldn't miss the chance to try some. Just make sure it's well prepared- preferably fried! I would generally stay away from ceviche, which is made with raw or partially-cooked seafood. I really don't like it very much anyway, so it isn't hard for me.

I think guidebooks err on the side of caution when they warn you against things like buying sliced fruit from vendors in the street. To me, that's being neurotically sanitary. Don't stress out over it, odds are you won't have any problem. If you do, Pepto Bismol is readily available. In fact, some people starting a "Pepto regimen" a few days before your trip as a preventive measure.

We eat from street vendors.
We like to buy from the busy ones, where the most locals are eating.
We avoid eating late in the day after a stall has been set up all day in the market and the food may have spoiled by now without refrigeration.
I used to avoid ice cubes and lettuce. I don't any more.
We drink bottled water, brush teeth with bottled water, and the hardest is keeping mouth closed in the shower.
Most food will be washed in water treated with disinfectant. That's what people do at home.
Do they disinfect the water they wash your silverware with? Probably not.
Will you enjoy yourself if you are paranoid about all of this? Probably not.

Apart from getting something horrible like an eColi or parasitic infection, which we all fear, what is sensible?
I think it is fair to assume that at some point we are going to get an upset system.
It often happens a week into the trip and sometimes not until after two weeks.
Usually Pepto-bismol takes care of it easily. At this point eating yogurt daily seems to help calm things too.
We carry antibiotic and strong anti-diarrhea meds just in case.
The trick is in not panicking and using it prematurely until I am sure it is serious.
I've overmedicated in the past and want to avoid that.

I think it is just about as likely to have problems in Chicago or Idaho as it is in Mexico.
I've had my share of stomach problems from local Idaho restaurants.

As soon as you get sick, the first tendency is to blame whatever your last meal was.
It could just as easily be an accumulation of new things over the past week or two.
Your system will have some problem adjusting to any new area you travel to.

We travelled for two weeks through the area where you are going.
I got gut problems after coming home.
I blamed it, rightly or wrongly, on the odd tasting guacamole from the upscale cafe in Akumal the day before we left for home.
Pepto for four days fixed it.

Everybody has a story. Everybody has theories how to avoid it.
I know people who take one Cipro a day as a preventative. I wouldn't do that.

Merida and Cancun, Tulum, et al. are so tourist oriented, with so many restaurants, you won't have a problem. Bottled water, sodas, wine, beer, juice - are all available in many, many small stores. If you're driving, buy a couple gallons of water and keep it handy. I like to eat the local, "street" food and I go to ones that are popular and busy. A couple times, in Tulum, I went to a busy corner where some tables were set up and they were selling various foods out of coolers, already prepared. I bought one of each thing to try them out - they were great - and only about 30 cents each. Again, in Mahajual, I bought tamales from a guy who was going down the main street selling them from the back of the truck from coolers. Very good and only 80 cents each. For me, it adds to the travel experience. You could also buy your own fresh fruit from markets and slice it yourself. Avocados are good too.

useful information!

I'm thinking of carrying a couple of bottled water there myself and buy fruits from the market (there should be markets within walking distance in Playa del Carmen and Tulum, right?) for the first few days to adjust my stomach while start buying food from the street vendors. I'd like to try local foods instead of going to formal restaurants. First is to experience real Mexican food, second is to save money. ;p

And I guess some medicine would be handy, too, just in case :)

There's a wonderful produce market in Playa del Carmen called DAC - Ave 30 and about a block north of Constituyentes.

Tamales are probably the safest thing to eat. They are cooked by steam and continue to steam all day in the containers they are sold from. Corn sold on the street should also be safe. Although I've never figured out why the mayonaisse that sits out all day doesn't kill everyone. As to rancid oil...once you taste it you will know. The government has put a lot of effort into educating street vendors on safe food handling the last few years. Pays off in reduced health care costs. You are going to get sick at some point...everyone does. But it won't kill you. Follow the simple rules of treatment and it soon passes. BTW...if you aren' feeling a lot better in 48-72 hrs. then consider seeing a doctor in case it is something worse. The good news is that if you keep traveling and eating you develop immunities just like many locals.

idahoslim has a great summary of the best advice.
I have never had even a moment of even slight discomfort,and this is from various trips from the Yucatan to the central highlands, Pacific states and gulf states like Veracruz. however I am very cautious about eating from street venders and as suggested above, I always observe for at least a day to see if the venders are popular and busy and never eat late in the day when it is possible that the food has been sitting around. If I have the slightest doubt I do not eat the street food. It is probably some of the best food around and safe most of the time, but just not worth taking a chance to ruin my trip.
The best deal, IMO, is to find a restaurant that offers a menu del dia for around 30-70 pesos where lots of happy locals are eating. Hard to beat a 4-5 course meal (appetizer, soup, two main dishes, desert are not uncommon) . I always drink the agua fresca in these restaurtants(love the agua jamacia!) but do not buy agua fresca from street venders.
I do buy fresh fruit from the markets and slice it myself. And in addition to the above and I think that this important: to maintain digestive comfort eat yogurt daily, commercial yogurt and even better if available locally made yogurt (I had some great local made yogurt in Queretaro and Puebla.) Ironically, the only time I ever had any digestive problems was a few days after arriving back in the US after a month in the Yucatan in 2004, was "uncomfortable" for about a week of again eating American food with that "alien" bacteria.
I have also talked to people (Americans and Canadians) who are living in various parts of Mexico and and only got sick after eating at American franchise chain restaurans in Mexico. Perhaps a coincidence, but I think not.

I think eating at least a couple of fresh fruits besides yogurt (I don't know whether Mexican food contains lots of vegetables or not as Chinese food does, to provide enough fibers) can help maintain digestive comfort, especially when you're travelling and might not drink normal amount of water per day. :)

I hope fruits & yogurt in the markets wouldn't be too expensive down there. :)

Most Mexican food doesn't contain a lot of vegetables like Chinese food does and the concept of a balanced meal ( like a meat and three vegetables) doesn't seem to exist. The main source of fiber is tortillas, in addition to lots of fresh fruit. Yogurt is widely available at supermarkets and convenience stores. I agree with previous comments about tamales being a safe alternative, if they're not too spicy. The blandness and bulk of the masa seem to calm the stomach.

Lots of great advice here. Thanks to everyone for posting these comments.

I do not recommend eating seafood cocktails from street vendors, especially raw oysters, just about .anywhere.
We now eat lettuce and tomatoes in restaurants that we are confident in. Last week, I hada delicious ceviche-like salad called "tiritas" at Mariscos La Güera, in Pátzcuaro. Also consuming ice in our drinks sometimes; so far without any ill effects, although I HAVE seen blocks of ice waiting on the sidewalk outside some restaurants. (NOT at La Güera. There, the kitchen help robes up as for surgery, complete with surgical masks.)

Wow, thanks for all the input. This is really informative. It also makes me feel less paranoid! I don't want to spend the trip worrying about what I eat...so it's very useful to have all these tips.

I just got back from Tulum. The great thing in Tulum is, there is very little infrastructure so NO ONE drinks the water there. Therefore, all your produce will be washed in bottled water and you're pretty much safe with everything. I had amazing ceviche for $4 (a HUGE plate) at Don Cafeto.

Being that limes accompany almost every dish I think it is a good idea to use them.I heard once eating them will help prevent illness, and they are delicious.Dont know if they work but they sure are good

I don't think you need to be paranoid---just careful. My only comment is that the busiest stands where locals eat are most likely popular because they have the best food at the best price. I'm not sure you can make a direct correlation between popularity and low incidences of bacterial caused illness.

Like I said, everybody (#16) has a theory of what works.
My wife believes that daily intake of a good quality tequila is beneficial, particularly around 5pm.
Who am I to argue?

We talk about this topic frequently - and few people share similar experiences and/or "problems." Some people seem perpetually immune and others are bothered.

I've been traveling in Mexico for many years now and though I don't often get sick during these trips it does happen from time-to-time; I contracted Hepatitis A when I lived/worked in Mexico and on another occasion I picked up a "bug" of some sort that took about 6 months to eliminate after I returned to the USA.

Given the many factors which may contribute to various forms of travelers illnesses in Mexico, I don't think there's much one can do to avoid the risks - short of checking-into an isolation ward. For most of us, the short-term discomfort we experience in these instances is not serious - it passes quickly. However, for some travelers - the risks can be serious, even life-threatening.

My sense is that a doctor probably does a disservice and offers generally recommended-against advice when suggesting travelers take Ciprofloxacin as a preemptive measure to ward off sickness - when a traveler has no other health concerns that warrant such a regimen. I know of people who down many Pepto-Bismol tablets, too, while in Mexico - believing doing so will somehow immunize them (or otherwise prevent) stomach/intestinal problems; I wonder how these people can taste what they eat and drink, given the quantity of the Pepto-Bismol they ingest.

As has been recommended by others in this discussion, I take what I think are reasonable precautions to prevent illness. However, I don't do so extremely - to the level where such precautions interfere with my enjoyment/trip. If I were that concerned, or had health problems about which I should be especially concerned - I wouldn't travel in the manner I do in Mexico. When I have a "problem" I address it then, and there.

longford reminds me...
I believe everyone should get immunized with Hepatitus A vaccine.
If not from your doctor, your public health clinic can do this for you.
As much risk for this serious fecal borne liver disease in the USA as in going to Mexico.

i ALWAYS used to get sick when i ate food in mexico... i have a sensitive stomach as it is, and i get sick when i eat too much meat even here, so i would be sick for at least two weeks AFTER i returned home. i took ciprol after one trip, but even that didn't help. so i talked to a doc about it, he told me to take a pepto tablet in the morning and one at night. pepto's enzyme's help to coat your stomach to protect it, so essentialy by keeping it "protected", nothing will bug it. so i did that. and it was so nice to not have to worry about what i ate and worrying if it would make me sick or not. i have had nothing but enjoyable trips since then, and welcome homecomings, as well :)

addendum to my last comment:

BUT, taking so much pepto can make you constipated, so it's important to stay well-hydrated. i cut down to 1/2 a tablet if anything of that sort starts up.

Here are all the vaccines that one "should" take before travel to Mexico and other central American countries, as suggested by CDC. But I doubt that if there is one ever take so many at a time... http://www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm#vaccines<BR><BR>My trip will be beginning in about one week, so I guess it won't make much difference even I get vaccinated now.. :( Regarding Hepatitus A, I forgot whether I took that before or not when I was in middle school... I think I did...and hopefully, I won't get sick!!!

We tend not to have the same eating schedules as Mexicans - at least until we've been here awhile. I think the best time to eat street food is when everyone else is eating. I got sick within a few hours from eating at an unfamiliar stand when they first opened. I think they had leftovers from the day before. Better going into a REAL restaurant or buying some junk food in a store - or a few beers are filling.

Raw seafood of questionable origin - like not on the beach. Guadalajara and Patzcuaro both got me with 'fresh' seafood.

Hotels that have the banquet style breakfasts/brunches often leave stuff out for hours. Beach vendors that walk for hours in the sun trying to sell their cut fruit. I avoid salads with MAYO or tortas with mayo if it looks like they use homemade.

I still get sick once or twice a year and mostly eat at home anymore.

*** Eat at busy stands where Mexicans are eating.

That's the key thing.

Apart from that you don't want to order ANYTHING (cooked or raw) that has been sitting out for quit sometimes. As for cooked stuff make sure that it's cooked right there before you. For raw stuff (like Cerviche) or cut fruits I would shy away.

For fruits, go and buy something thickly peeled like citrus or bananas that you can peel yourself. As the pre-sliced stuff (pineapple, watermelon, papayas, etc) may not be clean or sat out for a while. Even if they don't cut it till someone orders the question is that if the knife they used is clean or do they just wipe it off with an apron or dirty tea towel after each use?

try the fresh oranges with salt and chilli..served all over the yucatan..yummy

Lots of great ideas. I done such things as the pepto bismal, acidophilus and even buying grapefruit seed extract and putting it everything liquid I drink. I think the big thing I learned and have never been really sick since then, is using antibacterial liquids and wet wipes before eating. That has cut down on the violent illnesses with vomiting etc. which I had several times while travelling in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico. Now if I have any problem, it is minor. I also squeeze lots of limes on everything.

One should always remember that everywhere in the world has its own particular mix of bugs that infect the food that the locals are resistant to due to constant exposure, this includes the US, Canada, Europe, etc. nobody is excepted. It is common that traveling to a new place and eating the food is going to give most people a little bit of discomfort no matter what they choose to eat and where they eat it. My peruvian relatives always have a day or two when they come here, my Mexican friends joke about "don't drink the water." and I have heard it from others.

If you are willing to accept that you have a good probability of having a little stomach upset at some point and that it is also not going to be the end of the world (just a day of forced inactivity as you stay close to the throne) you will find your trip a lot more pleasant.

That said there is a lot of good advice on the post prior to this one. A few general rules to go by, if the food is cooked to a high temperature (at least boiling point) in front of you or held at a high temperature the microbes will be dead. This does not mean that the food cannot still iritate your digestive system because some microbes produce toxins in the food that survives the cooking process but once your body passes these through they will not bother you further.

Fresh fruits and veggies in an unbroken skin are almost universally safe as long as you remove or safely clean the skin.

This can sound counter to logic but unless you eat a lot of highly processed foods at home, avoid the temptation to eat a lot of processed, packaged foods on the road. In Mexico and throuthout Latin America many of these are very high in salt, preservatives, and cheap, hard to digest oils, as well as chemical flavor agents, etc. that can cause more stomach discomfort than the bacteria you are trying to avoid. They also tend to be low on the nutrition scale and lack fiber which can lead to constipation.

Most importantly, remember that the locals don't like to get sick either, if you follow their lead and eat where a lot of them eat and make similar choices you are more likely to have a good experience. I also agree with the comment about lime juice, it is used all over Latin America and although I have never seen anything scientific I believe that it does help. I have seen many cases where the worst places to eat as far as safety and cleanliness in the kitchen are the more expensive tourist oriented resturaunts. They know that in most cases it takes anywhere from 2 days to a couple of weeks for the infection to really hit you and by then the customer has moved on and is likely to blame the stuff he/she ate the day it hits, never suspecting the real culprit.

if ou get sick Escapar works great. Mexican doctors have lots of experience with gastri ukknesses

I meant gastrintestinal distress it is hard typing with one hand the other is disabled

One important note that people tend to overlook-- make sure your OWN hands are clean. When you've been traveling and touching a lot of things, break out the Purell and clean your fingers well. You have no idea what's hiding there. Good thing is that in Mexico, most places, even the most unlikely ones (except for food stands) have sinks with soap.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>Good thing is that in Mexico, most places, even the most unlikely ones (except for food stands) have sinks with soap. <hr></blockquote>
Surely you jest. I encourage you to visit Mexico, and see first-hand.

I can find a sink with soap even in the Mercado de Antojitos in Pátzcuaro. The water is cold and there are no towels, but it works.