Do you eat the fresh produce from downtown? Anybody know what the local pesticide usage is? Any other issues I haven't thought about?

I'm not so concerned for myself, more for my kids (5, 2, and 11 months).

Thanks!

Kara

Kara,
From my experience at Osan (97-98), as long as you wash your produce in a light bleach/water solution, you should be o.k. I'm not sure of pesticides, but the local farmers used manure on their crops.

Brian

The old days of using human nightsoil for fertilizer are gone, for the most part. There are GREAT greens and spinach and other delicacies available
in the Shijangs. Onions are presently cheaper downtown than the commissary. Banannas are often tastier, too. Wash veggies with a teaspoon or so of clorox in the wash water to make sure. Check with the medics or the library for books on the subject. Depending on where you live, your sink water may not be fit to drink. Recently mercury was found to be high in military housing areas of Seoul. I hear the govt. will not test individuals water. Maybe if the entire apartment complex asked, you could get a check once a year? Consumer's Guide says don't waste your money on the "Vegetable Wash" solution for sale in the Commissary. I would be careful with the fish, even if it is on ice-you don't really know how old it is inless you are experienced.

During my tours there, i ate most produce and fish from downtown.I enjoyed the apples and asian pears and melons most of all...Dont be scared to try them, also most are fresh.....Cannot say that about the commisary in my opinion.

Like others said, wash, wash, wash...but i woud do the same here in the states..ENJOY your tour...

Some advice for picking out fish is look at their eyes. The eyes should be clear and look like they were just brought out of the water. Once the eyes get cloudy looking or dry, they aren't fresh.

We buy fruit and veggies offbase all the time, we do a quick rinse before we eat them. As far as the fish I only trust my mother in law or my parents to pick them out and cook them for us. Unless I'm at a restraunt but even then you need to be careful. Some places of base aren't so clean.