Hygiene And Source Of Thai Food

[Crypt36]

The first 2 months I spend in Thailand I lived of 30thb restaurant meals and fruit and fish I bought at the open thai markets. I had diarea for 2 months. The day I started cooking my own food from the western supermarkets it went away. you'll never find me eating outside again though I do go to an expensive sushi restaurant frequently but never had problems here.

The only thing I buy at thai markets are quail for my cat and this week's treat made him sick.

So I wonder if thai people do anything about hygiene and expireration dates at all? Where do they catch their fish and quail? Isn't their a big chance of high pollution in it? Just like in Holland where you shouldn't eat certain locally caught fish anymore because of pollution but I doubt thais care or even know about it because of lack of education at low cost places...

I ended up in the hospital after eating Jack Fruit from a market once... I also had something weird in my Durian once...

[j0hnga1t]

Hey Crypt36,

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with Thai food. When I come to Thailand, I stay in the Sathorn area of Bangkok and up in Pak Chong (2.5 hrs by bus, North of Bangkok)

I always eat food from street vendors (fruit and those 30-40 baht meals). I have never gotten sick. I've seen people on this forum say to make sure the vendor you are going to is busy (more turn around for the meats and stuff). I also eat kilos and kilos of fruit from the open market and food donated to the monks at the local tempe in Pak Chong....

Don't know what to say other than to share my experience.

[londonthai]

probably it was chilli in your meals than anything else or you are very sensitive.

we cook home for the whole family, because it's cheaper than buying ready food - but never had a problem eating out on the street.

[catzonly]

we cook home for the whole family, because it's cheaper than buying ready food -

Sorry - this is off the original topic.... if you cook your own food from Thai ingredients - not Western food, i assume its also a whole lot healthier than buying say ready meals??? (heard a lot of the food in Thailand is FULL of MSG)

[j0hnga1t]

My fiancee does a lot of cooking at home when I visit her and will do a lot of home cooking when she moves to the US in early Jan I noted that she does uses MSG in home cooking. I guess it's the norm. I'm Chinese and my parents used MSG.

I saw a show called food detectives on the Food Network here in the US and they selected people at random in one city and offered them a free Chinese meal. half the room was served dishes with MSG and the other half w/o. After all was said and done and they were told there was MSG in half the food served, they rec'd the same amount of complaints from those who ate food with MSG and those who ate it w/o.

[kikoman]

I have eaten at the Thai 30 baht vendors foods for most of my 9 years in Thailand. I buy only food that is heated/ or cooked as I wait.

Many Thai's eat food that has been left out (not refrigerated) my own family does that, as for many years Thai's had no refrigeration and kept their leftover food in a screened off area in the Kitchen, they have become immune to sickness because they have done this most of their lives and their body has adjusted to it.

I have no problem with that, we have an agreement that I never be served any such food ( non refrigerated leftovers )and it works well in my family.

I have no problems eating food in Thailand, I eat a healthier diet here then I did in the old country.

Cheers:

Edited December 7, 2009 by kikoman

[londonthai]

when you cook home you chose ingredients by yourself, do them in any way you want and according to your hygiene standards.

you don't die instantly from sugar, salt and msg, but at some stage end up with diabetes, high blood pressure or cancer of stomach or liver.

cook by yourself - at least you would blame yourself, if you have problems with digestion.

also do remember about a daily small ammount of drinking youghurt, even in 7/11 it's 40 baht for 1 liter

[rfukata]

My fiancee does a lot of cooking at home when I visit her and will do a lot of home cooking when she moves to the US in early Jan I noted that she does uses MSG in home cooking. I guess it's the norm. I'm Chinese and my parents used MSG.

I saw a show called food detectives on the Food Network here in the US and they selected people at random in one city and offered them a free Chinese meal. half the room was served dishes with MSG and the other half w/o. After all was said and done and they were told there was MSG in half the food served, they rec'd the same amount of complaints from those who ate food with MSG and those who ate it w/o.

true and correct about the MSG in Thai Food.

a lot of vendors & cooks use msg to enhance their taste - however, this may not bode well with most of us.

also the mentioning of leaving/keeping food out' for a period of time will certainly risk the chance of contamination.

Overall cleanliness and sanitation of outside vendors are far below western standards (be mindful)

I wouldn't recommend the fish caught locally as well. (first look at river), is the fish caught in the Buffalo pond?, a sewer canal, and or a run off ditch? I see many locals fishing in contaminated waters..(steer clear of this).

even buying fish at an open market should be carefully examined.

Buying fruits shouldn't pose any threat, however, be mindful of any insect infestation (inclusive of fruit flies, ants, etc)

[j0hnga1t]

once I opened an mangosteen and it was infested with ANTS!!!!! Luckily I was in a place where I could dump it quickly. I generally bring a kilo on the plane with me when I come back home to the US.

Re: MSG yes rfukata, your right, it's all what you are use to. For me it's fine (here in the US, I don't use MSG), but others should understand their tolerance levels....It's like any other food related reaction. If it affects you badly.....don't eat it!