If You Want To Avoid Getting Sick Before Your Flight, Experts Say You Should Stay Away From These 5 Airport Foods

Buzz Feed

26-04-2025

Many hungry travelers turn to airport grab-and-go food before flights, but if you want to avoid getting sick before hopping on a plane, you may want to think twice about your choices.
For example, food and beverage items can become contaminated with harmful bacteria if they're not kept at appropriate temperatures or handled in clean conditions — and you may not know how well-regulated airport food is. Even if these items don't necessarily taste or smell bad, you can still get sick from them, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. And that's the last thing you want happening before you board a flight.
'Once consumables arrive at [airport] service areas, they must be properly stored, thawed, and prepared, with strict adherence to food safety protocols,' explained Francine Shaw, founder of Savvy Food Safety Inc. and a food safety consultant who spent years inspecting airport facilities. 'Otherwise, the risk of foodborne illness increases with every step.'
We talked to food safety experts about which food and drink items they tend to skip when at the airport — and safer options they opt for instead.
Because fountain drink machines and iced tea dispensers are particularly difficult to clean, they can be 'breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria,' said Darin Detwiler, a food safety expert and professor at Northeastern University.
'In high-traffic areas like airports, where machines dispense drinks constantly, the risk is even greater,' he explained. 'While stainless steel urns and soda dispensers may appear spotless … a sticky layer of bacteria and mold often accumulates inside, especially in spigots, nozzles and syrup lines.'
Tea dispensers have a sugary, damp environment that can feed the growth of E. coli, salmonella and even Legionella, which can lead to a severe pneumonia called Legionnaires' disease, he said. Also due to the 'enclosed, damp interiors' of fountain machines, it can be hard to get rid of bacteria like listeria and pseudomonas. These can be particularly dangerous for people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, and older adults.
What's a safer alternative? He recommends bottled, sealed drinks. Hot coffee or tea is also generally a good option because boiling water minimizes the risk of bacteria.
'[But] be careful with the milk [or] cream if it is open and sitting at room temperature,' Shaw added. Perishable items, like milk, should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours, according to the FDA.
'These often sit at unsafe temperatures for extended periods, increasing the risk of bacterial growth,' Detwiler said. 'I have seen this too many times at the convenience stores inside airports.'
Especially be aware if these grab-and-go items are kept in a refrigeration unit without a door because the temperatures may not be cold enough, Shaw added.
Ellen Shumaker, director of outreach for the Safe Plates program at North Carolina State University, doesn't buy a prepared salad if she's not going to eat it right away.
'Cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes, and cut melons can have potentially harmful bacteria grow and cause illness if kept at room temperature for longer than four hours,' she said.
She also avoids salads and sandwiches if they contain any raw sprouts. Because they are grown in warm, humid conditions, they are likely to contain bacteria, like E. coli, salmonella and listeria, according to the FDA.
So what prepackaged foods travel well? Shaw recommends snacks that are sealed and have a longer shelf life, like nuts, granola bars, and dried fruit. If you want to have more control over your snack options and spend less money, you can always bring your own, Detwiler suggested.
Fruit Cups
Pre-cut fruit from a grab-and-go counter or in the airport lounge may seem like a healthy option, but it can be risky if not handled properly.
'Once fruit is sliced, its protective skin is removed, exposing it to bacteria from handling, processing, and storage,' Detwiler explained. 'If not kept at proper refrigeration temperatures, cut fruit can become a breeding ground for listeria … as well as E. coli and salmonella from improper handling.'
As a substitute, try fresh fruit that still has the peel on it.
'Wrapped uncut apples, unpeeled oranges, or bananas are naturally sealed and less likely to be contaminated,' Shaw said.
Similar to fruit cups, bacteria from produce can end up in fresh-squeezed juices if they're not pasteurized, according to the FDA. (Pasteurized means they've gone through a heating process that kills harmful bacteria.)
'Juices labeled as 'unpasteurized' or 'cold-pressed' may seem appealing for their freshness, but they pose a higher risk of contamination with E. coli, salmonella, and listeria, especially if they've been sitting at improper temperatures,' Detwiler said.
The same goes for unpasteurized dairy products, like raw milk or cheese, and yogurt made from raw milk.
'I also avoid fresh smoothies … since I can never be sure about the cleanliness of the vendor or of the ingredients, so I prefer to play it safe while traveling,' added Bryan Quoc Le, a food scientist and food science consultant.
Alternatively, look for juices and milk products that are sealed, refrigerated and labeled as 'pasteurized,' Detwiler advised.
'Maintaining safe temperatures for raw fish in an airport setting can be challenging,' Detwiler said. 'Unlike dedicated sushi restaurants that maintain strict handling procedures, airport sushi may have been sitting for hours, increasing the risk of parasites, vibrio, and listeria.'
If you're looking for a protein option, he recommends fully cooked seafood dishes (like grilled shrimp or salmon), cooked meats (like grilled chicken), or a plant-based protein.
Le also prefers hot, cooked options at the airport, like pizza and hot sandwiches, or anything that can be kept at room temperature, like breads or pastries.
'When in doubt, opt for hot, cooked foods rather than cold or raw options,' Detwiler said. 'Higher temperatures help reduce the presence of harmful bacteria.'
'I would recommend avoiding any places that don't appear to be kept clean because this could be an indicator of other issues,' Shumaker said.
Red flags that Shaw watches out for include poor personal hygiene (like when workers don't wash their hands or wear gloves), sticky floors and tables, low-quality ingredients, pests (like insects or rodents), and negative reviews on social media.
Detwiler also avoids eating food from the airport food court that are not usually a part of the restaurant's menu, such as breakfast.
'This is their opportunity to increase revenue and most likely comes with foods or procedures that are not a part of their normal operating procedures [or] standards,' he said.
'One factor that many people likely overlook when eating while traveling is the cleanliness of their own hands,' Le said.
Thousands of people touch the same airport surfaces each day, from handles to elevator buttons to doorknobs, Shumaker added. When traveling, she washes her hands as frequently as possible, especially before she eats. It's also important to know that hand sanitizer doesn't work against norovirus, so hand-washing is really most effective.
'[Hand-washing] can greatly reduce the chances of ingesting any microorganisms that can make you sick, and is just as important as the type of food that you eat at the airport,' Le said.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
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