Food hygiene in Thailand

[Old git]

' Old Git, claims that " the Thais are not reliable when it comes to maintaining food hygiene with western food" I'm not arguing but I would love to see your source for that remark. Hygiene is not specific to cooking styles. '

My source is me - who has spent nearly four years in the LoS if you tot up all my trips over the past quarter century.

' The bacteria that cause illness thrive in the same conditions regardless of the culture. '

But look at the difference between Thai cooking methods and western ones. The Thai way involves virtually no pre-processing of meat (other than the drying of fish) and as most restaurants make a daily trip to market, the bugs don't get a chance to fester. Moreover they cut their meat items up fine enough to be fully cooked when fried or roasted.

My last trip was for eleven weeks and I didn't get sick once - same last year. I don't touch burgers, pies or sausages, but I do eat stir fried Thai (usually in the evening) I eat kebabs off the soi BBQ stalls, and also fresh fruit from the street vendors. For my morning brunch I often have a chilli and rice, or a thinly cut pork or chicken steak if I'm hungry.

Another no-no are Indian restaurants BTW - they often don't take the trouble to keep things clean enough..

[paborn]

Old Git: "My source is me - who has spent nearly four years in the LoS if you tot up all my trips over the past quarter century."

I buy a steak and grill it or pan fry it. What pre-processing do you think there is? You know, it's a little tiresome to constantly read about claims of special knowldege based on nothing more than amount of time being there. That is not proof of anything. As to cutting things up fine for "roasting" God, do you know anything about cooking?

incidentily, I think your showing some Indian prejudice.

Well, I know I won't convince you but, really this is quite silly.

[frequent]

When I read your reply, I could tell your tongue was firmly planted in your cheek.

His own cheek?

[Old git]

Paborn wrote: 'You know, it's a little tiresome to constantly read about claims of special knowldege based on nothing more than amount of time being there'

To which I will reply - 'You know it's more than a little tiresome when people jump to conclusions and make barbed comments after failing to correctly read what was posted previously..'

Manners, dear boy, - please!

[paborn]

Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F - a kitchen that can deliver Thai food that does not make one sick is perfectly capable of handling western food. Cooking style, despite what you think, has utterly nothing to do with hygeine.

Facts, deay Git, facts.

[scottish-guy]

..Dear Git...*

Excellent salutation - which I shall employ if ever I'm called upon to write to Arsenal.



*corrected your spelling for you

[arsenal]

My own experience is that the Thais employ similar standards of hygiene to the UK and in some cases quite a bit more. Good is good whether the cuisine is western, Thai or anywhere else.

[Oliver2]

Mine too. Observe the vendors selling cheap (to us, anyway) food on the pavements; they always wear plastic gloves, unlike many of the shop assistants ( in bakeries for example) here in the UK.

[Nirish guy]

Ha yeah but the fact that they've probably been wearing those same gloves for 3 days straight, whilst preparing their stalls, cooking the food, handling the cash, servicing their motorbike and the washing the dishes they've just served you your food in in the already dirty dish water and with a cloth that was probably used to clean the oil out of their wok AND clean their motorbike sump when you weren't looking probably doesn't come in to it eh :-)

I am jesting a "bit" as generally I don't think the average stall is that bad, but hey it is what it is, a roadside stall, with traffic whizzing past, usually pushed for god knows how far to get there and with utensils etc that will be lucky if they see proper hot soapy water once in a while each day even - saying that, won't stop me eating there and so far I haven't died or come down with anything much ......which is more than I can say when cooking here at home sometimes !

[paborn]

You have hit on the one area of sanitation that is iffy with street vendors. Not the cooking, but the dishes that they are not able to wash in hot water. I never eat at a stall except for grilled chicken or the like that comes right off the fire. It my be my loss but many years ago I did get very sick which continued at home. Since then not a single problem.

My notes, however, were about restaurants. If you can cook any food with modern standards oc cleanliness then you can cook any type of food. The Thai are clean - Lord they shower more than I do. I want to cuddle, but no, I have to wait till they get back from the shower.