US YouTuber gets stomach infection in India despite eating at only 5-star hotels: 'It is NOT racist'

Tyler Oliveira also shared a video in which he showcased a chicken and egg market near a landfill in Delhi. He claimed that his hotel had sourced the food he ate from that market. It also featured a shot of his cameraman throwing up at the sight and smell of the marketplace. (Image credit: Tyler Oliveira/X)

A viral social media exchange has reignited debate over hygiene standards in India after American digital creator Tyler Oliveira claimed he contracted a stomach infection during a week-long trip to the country—despite exclusively dining at five-star hotels.

In a widely circulated post, Oliveira said he developed four types of Salmonella, blaming contaminated eggs sourced from a “filthy chicken farm next to a literal mountain of trash.” He argued that his experience reflects broader systemic hygiene issues in India, adding, “It is NOT racist to address the poor quality of life most Indians are subjected to while the upper caste insulates themselves from reality.”

Oliveira’s remarks came in response to a viral video of an Indian woman criticising Western tourists for traveling on ultra-low budgets and portraying India in a negative light. The YouTuber insisted his travel was not a low-budget one. "The 5-star hotels were about $100 (about Rs 8,600) a night. It was budget travel relative to American standards," he said.

During my trip to India, I ONLY ate in 5 star hotels and still contracted 4 types of Salmonella. The hotel apparently sourced their eggs from a filthy chicken farm right next to a literal mountain of trash. There are serious hygiene issues that must be addressed in India.

It is… https://t.co/iuZ42zsIyO

— Tyler Oliveira (@tyleraloevera) July 27, 2025

To further stress the availability of "unhygienic" eggs in the country, Oliviera also followed up with a video of a chicken and egg market near his hotel. The market was located next to a landfill in Delhi. In the video, Oliviera claimed that his hotel had sourced the chicken and eggs he ate from that market. It also featured a shot of his cameraman throwing up at the sight and smell.

Delhi, India's Largest Chicken & Egg Market Next to Trash-Infested Landfill... https://t.co/elj1jC9AdZ pic.twitter.com/pxucdNHC8h

— Tyler Oliveira (@tyleraloevera) July 27, 2025

His claims drew mixed reactions online. While some users echoed his concerns about sanitation and civic sense in India, others pushed back, accusing him of generalising based on anecdotal evidence.

“Bad eggs can come from anywhere—happens in the US, Europe, you name it,” wrote X user Neeraj Tyagi. “You’ve got no data, just a grudge.”

Another user, @WillHarrisAOAF, shared a contrasting experience: “I was in India shooting a documentary for two weeks… ate street food and drank juices made on the side roads in mountain villages. Came back to LA normal.”

Indian-American users also weighed in. “I fully despise the civic sense of many in India… Littering is like rooted in culture now, somehow,” wrote @imnotharsh, while acknowledging the country’s cultural richness and hospitality.

Despite the trolling and the pushback, the incident has sparked broader conversations about India’s public health infrastructure, tourism image, and the fine line between criticism and cultural insensitivity.