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Nutrition's Hope Barkoukis warns travelers against drinking tap water on a plane

Media | October 27, 2025 | Story by: Editorial Staff
Media Expert: Hope Barkoukis

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Travel+Leisure: Hope Barkoukis, chair of the nutrition department at the School of Medicine, warned travelers to avoid airplane tap water or ice, noting that plane water tanks “aren’t exactly germ-free.” She advised asking for sealed bottled water instead to reduce exposure to bacteria during flights.