Question about food and water

@FindlayMacD In 1995 my then wife, a Filipino-American, her mother and I flew from San Francisco to Philippines to pick up our newly adopted son. Before picking him up we went to Leyte to the small village area  her family is from. On the first morning, I as now was up before 5am and made myself a mug of French press coffee and went for a walk around the area. Mostly nipa huts, a few cement homes. On my first pass by one family's nipa hut I see they're dressing a freshly killed goat hanging from a tree. By the time I made my second pass by, they were cooking it and invited me over for breakfast. Goat and rice. First time I had ever eaten goat. It was good! But most of all, the hospitality was unforgettable.

There's goat grazing on open land right next to us and across the road from us. Haven't seen what they do with them. But I may ask the meat shop we sell fattened pigs to and see if they buy goat also. Maybe get some same day fresh goat in the future.

All you need to know about Jolibee can be seen by reading the menu, all of their burger meals say "contains pork". HAHAHA

-@FindlayMacD

Pardon my ignorance, but why is pork evidence of bad food in the Philippines? Is there something I don't know about PH pork? I don't normally eat in UK MacDonalds, but if they added a bit of pork mince to their burgers, I wouldn't see that as a health risk.
-@JustCallMeJoe

I am considering adding a little pork to the very lean beef that we buy from the wet market next time. We grill nice fat burgers about once every 2 weeks and the taste is OK the way they are but it's hard to flip them in one piece. I'm thinking a little fat would help hold them together and maybe that is the reason Jollibee adds pork to there ground beef?

In my YouTube video link in message #19 above I'm checking out the packaged sliced "ham" products at the wet market. The top 2 ingredients are beef and mechanically separated poultry. I never heard of mechanically separated poultry so I researched it. Needless to say I will neve eat anything with mechanically separated meat products after learning what it consists of and how it is separated.

All you need to know about Jolibee can be seen by reading the menu, all of their burger meals say "contains pork". HAHAHA
-@FindlayMacD
Pardon my ignorance, but why is pork evidence of bad food in the Philippines? Is there something I don't know about PH pork? I don't normally eat in UK MacDonalds, but if they added a bit of pork mince to their burgers, I wouldn't see that as a health risk.
-@JustCallMeJoe
I am considering adding a little pork to the very lean beef that we buy from the wet market next time. We grill nice fat burgers about once every 2 weeks and the taste is OK the way they are but it's hard to flip them in one piece. I'm thinking a little fat would help hold them together and maybe that is the reason Jollibee adds pork to there ground beef?

In my YouTube video link in message #19 above I'm checking out the packaged sliced "ham" products at the wet market. The top 2 ingredients are beef and mechanically separated poultry. I never heard of mechanically separated poultry so I researched it. Needless to say I will neve eat anything with mechanically separated meat products after learning what it consists of and how it is separated.
-@Moon Dog

LOL, that's why I never eat sausages (unless I've made them myself). Yeah, I know I'm in the UK and there are all sorts of laws and regulations around food. But I can bear not knowing what kind of recovered pink slime garbage has been incorporated - legallly - into the lovely looking, hygenically packed, sanitised presentation of sausages in Sainsburys.

But ham made mainly with beef and chicken feet is a new one on me

@Moon Dog

Chuck an egg or two in and a table spoon of plain flour in as well as your seasonings and blend through by hand or else add sausage mince, higher fat content but alas I have never seen it for sale here. hope that could work for you.

Cheers, Steve.

All you need to know about Jolibee can be seen by reading the menu, all of their burger meals say "contains pork". HAHAHA

-@FindlayMacD

Pardon my ignorance, but why is pork evidence of bad food in the Philippines? Is there something I don't know about PH pork? I don't normally eat in UK MacDonalds, but if they added a bit of pork mince to their burgers, I wouldn't see that as a health risk.
-@JustCallMeJoe

Well generally burgers are made with 100% beef.

@bigpearl I will keep that in mind, thanks. She has been mopping them with vegetable oil which probably doesn't help them stick together.

@Moon Dog
Chuck an egg or two in and a table spoon of plain flour in as well as your seasonings and blend through by hand or else add sausage mince, higher fat content but alas I have never seen it for sale here. hope that could work for you.

Cheers, Steve.
-@bigpearl

My Ex wife used to do that with pork, called it beaten meat because she used to beat the pork before. Made a lovely coating around the pork though, not crispy but a bit like schnitzel with pork.

It is a warning to Muslims and traditional Jews.

I fill the 5 gallon jug on our water cooler/heater with two jugs of Nature's Spring distilled water which costs P95 per 10 liter jug. That water is used for drinking and coffee. We use municipal or well water for everything else. The only water I've consumed when eating out was probably the shaved ice in halo halo and I've never had a problem. Most people in these parts drink the deep well water sold by Matsumoto across the street. It is P25 to fill a 5 gallon jug. I've never heard of anyone getting sick drinking it and they sell a lot of water but my wife doesn't trust it, especially for the baby's formula.

I had dysentery 3 times in Mexico. The first time was long ago when a friend and I were partying in Nuevo Laredo, back when it was relatively safe to visit border towns. The other 2 times was more recently when I was working in Mexico. I liked the street food like the cow's head tacos and calf brain tacos are the best of all. I don't know for sure what I ate or drank but it was no fun. Each case required a visit to the doctor and prescription medication to cure. Certain strains of dysentery can be fatal if not treated and it typically enters your body by the fecal–oral route, fecal matter finds its way into drinking water.

I refrain from drinking tap water. During the day I primarily drink V8 Vegetable Juice or Florida's Natural Orange Juice, their label says a mixture of concentrate & non concentrate with some orange juice from Mexico.

Doesn't sound like Florida's Natural that the carton implies.

Drinking water at home I drink the bottled water called Absolute and Wilkins water and occasionally Evian water when its available reminds me of back home.

For eating out I do use their Ice and never had any issues with them causing any stomach problems or such.

I have ate and enjoyed many of the street foods but they probably are not sanitary, regardless of that I haven't had any issues because of it. Although I've only been in the Philippines for a little over a year now.

Here in rural Luzon, those who can afford it use a water delivery service. These small businesses (water purification shops) are regularly checked. Cost is minimal. We spend $6-7 per month, as noted earlier p25 for 5 gallons. We have our own jugs and the young men drop off and pick up regularly by kolong-kolong.
Roadside food is generally unappealing, compared to my wife's cooking. We seldom stop at small, unknown shops when we are out and about. There are PH chains like Andok's, Mang Inasal that we trust, and all the American brands -- McDoo, KFC, Burger King -- and Jollibee too.

Locally, we know the restaurants and the owners too, generally. There is a wide range of choices from a very local ihaw-ihaw (roadside brazier) to almost Western sit-down restaurants.

Only problem I have is asawa ko. She prefers to buy fresh at the palengke and cook every meal! Most days we have three hot meals. She was OFW for twenty years, so "She can cook in five languages." No kidding. The best bolognese I've ever had. The best meatballs I've ever had. She makes ... OK ... don't get me started on this -- I'm off topic!

I shower, brush teeth, wash dishes, etc., with our tap water / well water. It has an iron taste to me, but never been sick from it. We do use the water service as do all who can afford it. YMMV as some are more sensitive than others. I think being cautious is good, fearful is bad. Around here, no one is getting sick from the water.
-@NN3M/DU3

I think you said it perfectly.  BEING CAUTIOUS IS GOOD, FEARFUL IS BAD.  I am careful but if I have to worry too much, perhaps it would be wise to stay where I feel safe.  Curious about the icec ube comments as I hate a warm drink... Must be HOT or Ice COLD.  Perhaps if I get sick I will stop the ice but in the meantime... Ice in all my drinks please.  So far nothing mor serious than my usual travel gut that I get anywhere.

Thanks for all the great comments, everyone.  I go back and forth between tap water and bottled water for brushing my teeth... now I feel better about using the tap for brushing.   

Donald

I fill the 5 gallon jug on our water cooler/heater with two jugs of Nature's Spring distilled water which costs P95 per 10 liter jug. That water is used for drinking and coffee. We use municipal or well water for everything else. The only water I've consumed when eating out was probably the shaved ice in halo halo and I've never had a problem. Most people in these parts drink the deep well water sold by Matsumoto across the street. It is P25 to fill a 5 gallon jug. I've never heard of anyone getting sick drinking it and they sell a lot of water but my wife doesn't trust it, especially for the baby's formula.
I had dysentery 3 times in Mexico. The first time was long ago when a friend and I were partying in Nuevo Laredo, back when it was relatively safe to visit border towns. The other 2 times was more recently when I was working in Mexico. I liked the street food like the cow's head tacos and calf brain tacos are the best of all. I don't know for sure what I ate or drank but it was no fun. Each case required a visit to the doctor and prescription medication to cure. Certain strains of dysentery can be fatal if not treated and it typically enters your body by the fecal–oral route, fecal matter finds its way into drinking water.
-@Moon Dog

I got food poisoning really bad from McDonalds more than30 years ago, have'nt been back since. Been to Mexico dozens of times, drank margaritas and other blended drinks. Only time I got sick, someone slipped me a mickey. 2 drinks and done, thank goodness for friends.

Regards Keith

@Moon Dog OMG! You buy your meat from the wet market. Now that is asking for trouble - no sense of hygiene, no refrigeration

@JustCallMeJoe Many chefs will suggest adding pork when making meatballs. Delicious!

@Cherryann01 Don't forget the bread crumbs

@Gezzar

You should try Swedish meatballs

@AlbertaDonuts We use bottled water for everything except washing the dishes and clothes

the wet market is fine. You just go to the vendors you've used in the past and you will know what to expect. In fact i like their food better than some that you get in the grocery stores.

Who says you need refrigeration?? The western groceries insist on all of that so they can force the customers to buy it. i'm not saying food doesn't have to be refrigerated, but there are some things that don't need it and it's still ok. But people in the USA would never do that, haha.

I've been eating wet market food for over 20 years and have not had any problems. You can't just buy anything, you have to use some common sense there as well. if you go to a place you know you can see the sellers don't want to sell you bad food......they will lose customers.

Water is another thing all together. Drink nothing from the tap. Use bottled water only. Most people getting sick is from water contamination.

@stuleer hello Stuleer

You so right am from canada and the firts time i saw all the meat on the table , i had a cultural stock 🤣 So i took the habit to be the first customer in the morning and i found the meat still cold 😉 I eat there meat since 2 years now never been sick yet 🤩

The tap water where i live its too high in limestone, ill install water filter later one gonna help on plombing.

Skipper

Thanks to everyone for your inputs on my food/water questions.

@Moon Dog OMG! You buy your meat from the wet market. Now that is asking for trouble - no sense of hygiene, no refrigeration
-@Gezzar

Compared to what? The fecal soup the chickens in the US are dredged through before packaging? All the meat you see in the wet market was mooning and oinking earlier that morning.

I know hunters that let deer hang in their garage for a couple weeks until a little green mold develops, it is a controlled rotting process, tenderizes the meat. The flavor of game birds can be enhanced by gut hooking and hanging for about 10 days until they reach a "high gaminess", as long as the temperature is 50-55 degrees F.

Agree Moon Dog, Ben and sometimes me hit the wet market by 8am for the freshest seafoods, poultry, meats and veggies. Like others perish the thought of going there at 2 in the arvo, hot climate etc.

Oysters, prawns, mussels, crab, fish etc. meats, never a problem but as said before I have a cast iron gut and I do shower and clean my teeth with the pumped well water for over 4 years as does Ben and narry an issue.

Ice in drinks commercially never an issue but our ice cubes at home are from the local bottled water and we don't buy the produce that comes door to door by the local vendors, after a couple of years they stopped bothering us.

You can get sick/poisoned in any country, caution wins the day.

Cheers, Steve.

Everyone makes choices

USDA's branch of FSIS (Food Safety & Inspection Service) has 9,0000 employees.

Cleanliness of food preparation is important to me. I feel relatively safe in purchasing food from larger stores in the Philippines.

It is worrisome to me that individuals who process foods or prepare foods from stalls may not live up to the minimal cleanliness standards. (Food handling, washing hands, utensils or cutting surfaces).

I'm sure some merchants may be guilty of taking a Whizz outdoors like the dogs roaming the streets.

Everyone makes choices
USDA's branch of FSIS (Food Safety & Inspection Service) has 9,0000 employees.

Cleanliness of food preparation is important to me. I feel relatively safe in purchasing food from larger stores in the Philippines.

It is worrisome to me that individuals who process foods or prepare foods from stalls may not live up to the minimal cleanliness standards. (Food handling, washing hands, utensils or cutting surfaces).

I'm sure some merchants may be guilty of taking a Whizz outdoors like the dogs roaming the streets.
-@Enzyte Bob

Let us hope that the merchants do not take a dump outdoors.

Livestock are likely butchered a day or two before the weekend. A lot of people are paid on Fridays. Then they head out to the market and after that, to the bars. I believe meats, fish and produce are likely delivered to the wet market on Thursdays. I am guessing shopping at the wet market on Thursdays is your best bet of least risk of food contamination. You'd still have wash them and cook them appropriately. Get your rubber boots ready on Thursday.

If you visit our little wet market here in Cabucgayan you will see the "butcher" arrive each morning with a live hog in back of his beat up blue multicab. He boils water, sticks the pig, helpers and him scald and scrape it and it is on display at his meat counter in short time. It is the very definition of fresh pork.

We were buying beef locally. Some guy would come around taking orders and when they had sufficient orders they would slaughter the cow and deliver the order very quickly. The quality was not that good so we are now buying beef from the larger wet market in Naval.

I grew up on a farm, I helped my Dad do the butchering. I know what fresh beef looks like hanging. You can hang beef to age it but not in these temperatures. I has to be under 60 degrees F.

Jackson4 said . . .Livestock are likely butchered a day or two before the weekend. A lot of people are paid on Fridays. Then they head out to the market and after that, to the bars. I believe meats, fish and produce are likely delivered to the wet market on Thursdays. I am guessing shopping at the wet market on Thursdays is your best bet of least risk of food contamination. You'd still have wash them and cook them appropriately. Get your rubber boots ready on Thursday.

*****************************

Yup . . .Does the unsold stuff gets sold on the following Thursday?

Even prisoners get excited when they see fresh beef or pork at chow time.

Yup . . .Does the unsold stuff gets sold on the following Thursday?
-@Enzyte Bob

That's the sausage on sale every Thursday, yes.