Ice in drinks: which is safe
Ice is a common cause of food poisoning for newcomers. Telling safe ice from risky ice is easy.
Usually safe
- Cylinders with a hole in the middle — that's factory ice.
- Even cubes in cafés and hotels.
- At home — ice made from bottled water only.
Risk of food poisoning
- Crushed ice chipped off a big block.
- A block sitting on the ground or in a sack — often meant for cooling, not for drinks.
- Ice made from tap water.
Be extra careful
- Street sugarcane juice and smoothies.
- Iced coffee from a street cart.
- Kids and pregnant women — no street ice.
If you got sick
- Sip Oresol often, little by little.
- Blood in stool, fever, can't keep fluids down — see a doctor.
- A child is floppy, no pee for 8 hours — see a doctor urgently.
This is information, not medical advice. Emergency — 115.