How to Stay Safe and Avoid Food Poisoning During the Summer Travel Season

Summer travel brings increased exposure to unfamiliar foods, disrupted routines, and the unique food safety challenges of air travel and tourism. Foodborne illness remains a significant risk for travelers, with contaminated food and water serving as common vehicles for gastrointestinal pathogens. Air travel introduces specific vulnerabilities, including the handling of in-flight meals and the consumption of pre-boarding food. Recent incidents have highlighted the real-world consequences of foodborne illness during travel, from flight diversions to multi-passenger outbreaks. Raw and undercooked foods, particularly meat, fish, shellfish, and unpasteurized dairy, are primary sources of infection. Travelers can reduce their risk by selecting fully cooked foods served hot, avoiding street vendors, and maintaining strict hand hygiene. The key to a safe journey is staying on constant alert by treating airline and airport food with the same caution as restaurant meals in unfamiliar destinations. By adhering to established food safety practices, travelers can protect themselves from preventable illness and ensure that their summer travel remains memorable for the right reasons.

Summer is the peak season for travel. Across the United States and around the world, millions of people board planes, trains, and cruise ships, eager to reach their destinations. Yet the excitement of a vacation can be abruptly derailed by a common and preventable traveler’s companion: food poisoning. The combination of unfamiliar foods disrupted routines, and the unique environment of an airplane creates a perfect storm for gastrointestinal illness. A single undercooked meal, a poorly handled salad, or contaminated water can turn a dream vacation into a miserable ordeal. Understanding the risks and taking proactive steps is essential for any traveler.

The Reality of Foodborne Illness During Travel

Food and water contaminated with pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites pose a significant infectious disease risk to travelers, notes the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Numerous pathogens and toxins can be transmitted through food and water, leading to illnesses that range from mild discomfort to severe, life-threatening conditions. This risk is not confined to developing nations with inadequate sanitation; it can occur anywhere, including on airplanes and in airport restaurants.

Travelers often let their guard down while on vacation, trying new foods and dining at unfamiliar establishments. The consumption of food and beverages obtained from street vendors increases the risk of illness. In general, fully cooked foods that are served hot and foods that travelers carefully prepare themselves are the safest options.

Air Travel: A Specific and Serious Concern

While many assume that in-flight meals are subject to rigorous safety standards, the reality is more complex. Meals served onboard are sourced from highly regulated catering facilities that must adhere to FDA, USDA, and international food safety standards. These facilities are required to undergo inspections every three to five years. However, the sheer scale and complexity of airline catering, combined with the potential for mishandling at various points in the supply chain, create vulnerabilities.

Historical and recent incidents demonstrate that foodborne illness linked to air travel is not a theoretical risk. A review of aviation food safety documented that cabin crew mishandling of food has been responsible for eight out of twelve reported food poisoning outbreaks due to malpractices and unhygienic behaviors. In 1975, one of the most significant aviation-related food poisoning incidents occurred when contaminated airline meals caused illness in 142 passengers aboard a Japan Airlines flight.

The consequences of foodborne illness on a flight can be severe, not only for the affected individual but also for fellow passengers and the airline itself. In 2024, a United Airlines passenger who consumed an undercooked burger at a hotel before her flight developed severe food poisoning. The resulting “biohazard diarrhea” caused her United Airlines flight to divert and be canceled. While the food was not served on the plane, the incident highlights the real-world consequences of foodborne illness during travel and its ability to disrupt travel plans for hundreds of people.

Recent Outbreaks: A Case Study from Cathay Pacific

A series of food poisoning incidents on Cathay Pacific flights in early 2025 provide a clear illustration of how outbreaks can occur in the air travel context. On January 8 and 9, 2025, multiple passengers on flights from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Hong Kong developed symptoms of food poisoning. The affected passengers experienced vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and fever approximately 10 to 30 minutes after consuming in-flight meals.

The investigation by Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) revealed a complex picture. In the first cluster, nine of the affected individuals had eaten the same takeaway chicken, cucumber, and tomato sandwiches with salad dressing and French fries about two hours before boarding. Based on the epidemiological information, it was likely that these sandwiches were the source of the outbreak. However, the CHP also investigated the in-flight meals as a potential source. The food served on the flights included bread, fruits, salad, lamb rice, chicken rice, and ice cream. The investigation found that the food was stored at an appropriate temperature and in an appropriate manner. However, because the beetroot salad required more manual preparation and did not need to be reheated before consumption, the CHP instructed the catering facility to suspend its supply as a precaution. This case highlights that multiple factors, including food consumed before boarding and the in-flight meal itself, can contribute to an outbreak.

The Danger of Raw and Undercooked Foods

Raw and undercooked foods are a primary source of foodborne illness for travelers. The CDC explicitly warns that raw food, including unpasteurized dairy products, is especially likely to be contaminated. Raw or undercooked meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, and produce can be contaminated with various pathogens.

The United passenger who ate an undercooked hamburger before her flight is a cautionary tale. Health professionals advise that in areas with inadequate or unknown hygiene and sanitation, travelers should avoid salads, uncooked vegetables, raw and unpeeled fruits, and unpasteurized fruit juices. The safest options are fruits that can be peeled, which are safest when rinsed with safe water and peeled by the person who eats them, and vegetables that are rinsed with safe water before cooking. Fully cooked meat and eggs are also safe.

Practical Steps for a Safe Journey

Preventing foodborne illness during travel requires keen awareness and adherence to established food safety practices.  

Choose Food with Care: Travelers should select food with care and follow food safety practices recommended in the United States. This means avoiding high-risk items like raw or undercooked meats, fish, and shellfish, as well as raw produce that cannot be peeled.

Be Cautious with Airline and Airport Food: Travelers should exercise the same caution about food and water served on flights as they do for restaurants. This is particularly important for items like salads and cold dishes that are not reheated before consumption.

Maintain Personal Hygiene: Handwashing before eating and after using the restroom is critically important. When soap and water are not available, using hand sanitizer can be a temporary alternative.

Drink Safe Water: Travelers should drink boiled water or commercially bottled water when in areas with uncertain water quality. It is also wise to avoid ice made from tap water.

Stay Hydrated but Avoid Overindulgence: Airplane cabins are notoriously dry, and dehydration can exacerbate symptoms of foodborne illness. However, travelers should be mindful of what they drink and avoid beverages that may contain contaminated ice or water.

Pack Smart: Travelers can use insulated packaging and materials, such as frozen gel packs, to keep perishable food cold in transit. Perishable food should arrive at least as cold as it would be in a refrigerator (40°F or below) and should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Travelers should also be aware that they are prohibited from bringing some food items into the United States from abroad.

Analysis & Next Steps

What is new about the summer 2026 travel season is the heightened visibility of foodborne illness risks in the aviation sector, underscored by high-profile incidents such as the Cathay Pacific outbreaks and the United Airlines biohazard diarrhea incident. These events, amplified by social media and news coverage, have increased public awareness, though not necessarily public knowledge of prevention. The specific risks of pre-boarding meals and in-flight catering have come under greater scrutiny. The Cathay Pacific investigation, which identified takeaway sandwiches consumed before boarding as a likely source, demonstrates that contamination can occur at multiple points in the travel journey, not just on the aircraft. The ongoing FDA inspections of airline catering facilities, conducted every three to five years, highlight the regulatory framework that exists but also reveal the limitations of resources and the potential for gaps.

Why this matters is because the consequences of foodborne illness during travel extend beyond personal discomfort. Severe cases can lead to hospitalization, missed flights, disrupted vacations, and significant financial costs. For vulnerable populations, including young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals, the risks are even greater. Contaminated food and water pose an infectious disease risk to travelers due to the numerous pathogens and toxins that can be transmitted. The potential for severe illness, including from marine toxins and other less common pathogens, makes this a serious public health concern.

Who is affected is anyone who travels, but particularly those who are less experienced or who let their guard down while on vacation. Travelers who consume food and beverages obtained from street vendors are at increased risk. Those who eat raw or undercooked foods, including seafood and meat, are also at higher risk. The elderly, young children, and those with compromised immune systems face the highest risk of severe complications.

What to do now is to adopt a proactive and vigilant approach to food safety during travel. Travelers should prioritize fully cooked foods that are served hot. They should avoid raw or undercooked meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, and unpasteurized dairy products. When eating at restaurants, travelers should be aware that inadequate refrigeration and lack of food safety training among staff can result in transmission of pathogens or their toxins. Street vendors should generally be avoided. Travelers should also exercise the same caution about food and water served on flights as they do for restaurants. Finally, maintaining good hand hygiene and staying hydrated are essential. As the CDC advises, travelers should select food with care. By following these principles, travelers can significantly reduce their risk of foodborne illness and ensure that their summer journey is memorable for the right reasons.