{"id":3144,"date":"2023-12-12T06:09:54","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T11:09:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/?p=3144"},"modified":"2023-11-20T08:05:48","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T13:05:48","slug":"why-is-food-poisoning-a-foodborne-illness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/why-is-food-poisoning-a-foodborne-illness\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is Food Poisoning a Foodborne Illness?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Food poisoning, also called foodborne illness, is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Infectious organisms \u2014 including bacteria, viruses, and parasites \u2014 or their toxins are the most common causes of food poisoning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food at any point of processing or production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Contamination can also occur at home if food is incorrectly handled or cooked.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Food poisoning symptoms, which can start within hours of eating contaminated food, often include nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Most often, food poisoning is mild and resolves without treatment. But some people need to go to the hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Symptoms<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Food poisoning symptoms vary with the source of contamination. Most types of food poisoning cause one or more of the following signs and symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nausea<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vomiting<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Watery or bloody diarrhea<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Abdominal pain and cramps<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fever<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Signs and symptoms may start within hours after eating the contaminated food, or they may begin days or even weeks later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Sickness caused by food poisoning generally lasts from a few hours to several days.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">When to see a doctor<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you experience any of the following signs or symptoms, seek medical attention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Frequent episodes of vomiting and inability to keep liquids down<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bloody vomit or stools<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Diarrhea for more than three days<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Extreme pain or severe abdominal cramping<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An oral temperature higher than 100.4 F (38 C)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Signs or symptoms of dehydration \u2014 excessive thirst, dry mouth, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, or lightheadedness<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Neurological symptoms such as blurry vision, muscle weakness, and tingling in the arms<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Causes<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Contamination of food can happen at any point of production: growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping or preparing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Cross-contamination \u2014 the transfer of harmful organisms from one surface to another \u2014 is often the cause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">This is especially troublesome for raw, ready-to-eat foods, such as salads or other produce.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Because these foods aren&#8217;t cooked, harmful organisms aren&#8217;t destroyed before eating and can cause food poisoning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Many bacterial, viral, or parasitic agents cause food poisoning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The following table shows some of the possible contaminants when you might start to feel symptoms and common ways the organism is spread.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0 <strong>C<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>ampylobacter <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">2 to 5 days\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Meat and poultry. Contamination occurs during processing if animal feces contact meat surfaces. Other sources include unpasteurized milk and contaminated water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Clostridium botulinum<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">12 to 72 hours \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Home-canned foods with low acidity, improperly canned commercial foods, smoked or salted fish, potatoes baked in aluminum foil, and other foods kept at warm temperatures for too long.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Clostridium perfringens\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">8\u00a0 to 16 hours<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Portions of meat, stews, and gravies. Commonly spread when serving dishes doesn&#8217;t keep food hot enough or food is chilled too slowly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Escherichia coli (E. coli)\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">1 to 8 days \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Beef contaminated with feces during slaughter. Spread mainly by undercooked ground beef. Other sources include unpasteurized milk and apple cider, alfalfa sprouts, and contaminated water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Giardia lamblia \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">1 to 2 weeks \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Raw, ready-to-eat produce, and contaminated water. Can be spread by an infected food handler.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Hepatitis A <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">28 days \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Raw, ready-to-eat produce, and shellfish from contaminated water. Can be spread by an infected food handler.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Listeria <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">9 to 48 hours \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Hot dogs, luncheon meats, unpasteurized milk and cheeses, and unwashed raw produce. Can be spread through contaminated soil and water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Noroviruses\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">12 to 48 hours \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Raw, ready-to-eat produce and shellfish from contaminated water. Can be spread by an infected food handler.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Rotavirus \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">1 to 3 days \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Raw, ready-to-eat produce. Can be spread by an infected food handler.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Salmonella \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">1 to 3 days \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Raw or contaminated meat, poultry, milk, or egg yolks. Survives inadequate cooking. Can be spread by knives, cutting surfaces, or an infected food handler.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Shigella \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">24 to 48 hours \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Seafood and raw, ready-to-eat produce. Can be spread by an infected food handler.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Staphylococcus aureus <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">1 to 6 hours \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0Meats and prepared salads, cream sauces, and cream-filled pastries. Can be spread by hand contact, coughing, and sneezing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Vibrio vulnificus \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">1 to 7 days \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Raw oysters and raw or undercooked mussels, clams, and whole scallops. Can be spread through contaminated seawater.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Risk factors<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Whether you become ill after eating contaminated food depends on the organism, the amount of exposure, your age, and your health.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">High-risk groups include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Older adults. As you get older, your immune system may not respond as quickly and as effectively to infectious organisms as when you were younger.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Pregnant women. During pregnancy, changes in metabolism and circulation may increase the risk of food poisoning. Your reaction may be more severe during pregnancy. Rarely, your baby may get sick, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Infants and young children. Their immune systems haven&#8217;t fully developed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">People with chronic disease. Having a chronic condition \u2014 such as diabetes, liver disease, or AIDS \u2014 or receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer reduces your immune response.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Complications<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The most common serious complication of food poisoning is dehydration \u2014 a severe loss of water and essential salts and minerals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you&#8217;re a healthy adult and drink enough to replace fluids you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration shouldn&#8217;t be a problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Infants, older adults, and people with suppressed immune systems or chronic illnesses may become severely dehydrated when they lose more fluids than they can replace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">In that case, they may need to be hospitalized and receive intravenous fluids. In extreme cases, dehydration can be fatal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Some types of food poisoning have potentially serious complications for certain people. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Listeria infection. Complications of listeria food poisoning may be most severe for an unborn baby.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Early in pregnancy, a listeria infection may lead to miscarriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Later in pregnancy, a listeria infection may lead to stillbirth, premature birth, or potentially fatal infection in the baby after birth \u2014 even if the mother was only mildly ill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Infants who survive a listeria infection may experience long-term neurological damage and delayed development.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Escherichia coli (E. coli). Certain E. coli strains can cause a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">This syndrome damages the lining of the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys, sometimes leading to kidney failure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Older adults, children younger than 5, and people with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of developing this complication.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you&#8217;re in one of these risk categories, see your doctor at the first sign of profuse or bloody diarrhea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Prevention<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">To prevent food poisoning at home:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Wash your hands, utensils, and food surfaces often. Wash your hands well with warm, soapy water before and after handling or preparing food. Use hot, soapy water to wash utensils, cutting boards, and other surfaces you use.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"> Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods. When shopping, preparing food, or storing food, keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish away from other foods. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">This prevents cross-contamination.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Cook foods to a safe temperature. The best way to tell if foods are cooked to a safe temperature is to use a food thermometer. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">You can kill harmful organisms in most foods by cooking them to the right temperature.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Cook ground beef to 160 F; steaks, roasts, and chops, such as lamb, pork, and veal, to at least 145 F\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Cook chicken and turkey to 165 F (73.9 C). Make sure fish and shellfish are cooked thoroughly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly \u2014 within two hours of purchasing or preparing them. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If the room temperature is above 90 F, refrigerate perishable foods within one hour.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Defrost food safely. Don&#8217;t thaw food at room temperature. The safest way to thaw food is to defrost it in the refrigerator. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you microwave frozen food using the &#8220;defrost&#8221; or &#8220;50% power&#8221; setting, be sure to cook it immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Throw it out when in doubt. If you aren&#8217;t sure if a food has been prepared, served, or stored safely, discard it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Food left at room temperature too long may contain bacteria or toxins that can&#8217;t be destroyed by cooking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Don&#8217;t taste food that you&#8217;re unsure about \u2014 just throw it out. Even if it looks and smells fine, it may not be safe to eat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Food poisoning is especially serious and potentially life-threatening for young children, pregnant women and their fetuses, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">These individuals should take extra precautions by avoiding the following foods:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Raw or rare meat and poultry<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, including oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Raw or undercooked eggs or foods that may contain them, such as cookie dough and homemade ice cream<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Raw sprouts, such as alfalfa, bean, clover, and radish sprouts<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Unpasteurized juices and ciders<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Unpasteurized milk and milk products<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Soft cheeses, such as feta, Brie, and Camembert; blue-veined cheese; and unpasteurized cheese<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Refrigerated pates and meat spreads<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Uncooked hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Food poisoning, also called foodborne illness, is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. Infectious organisms \u2014 including bacteria, viruses, and parasites \u2014 or their toxins are the most common causes of food poisoning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food at any point of processing or production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Contamination can also occur at home if food is incorrectly handled or cooked.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Food poisoning symptoms, which can start within hours of eating contaminated food, often include nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Most often, food poisoning is mild and resolves without treatment. But some people need to go to the hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Symptoms<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Food poisoning symptoms vary with the source of contamination. Most types of food poisoning cause one or more of the following signs and symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nausea<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vomiting<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Watery or bloody diarrhea<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Abdominal pain and cramps<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fever<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Signs and symptoms may start within hours after eating the contaminated food, or they may begin days or even weeks later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Sickness caused by food poisoning generally lasts from a few hours to several days.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">When to see a doctor<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">If you experience any of the following signs or symptoms, seek medical attention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Frequent episodes of vomiting and inability to keep liquids down<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bloody vomit or stools<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Diarrhea for more than three days<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Extreme pain or severe abdominal cramping<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An oral temperature higher than 100.4 F (38 C)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Signs or symptoms of dehydration \u2014 excessive thirst, dry mouth, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, or lightheadedness<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Neurological symptoms such as blurry vision, muscle weakness, and tingling in the arms<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Causes<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Contamination of food can happen at any point of production: growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping or preparing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Cross-contamination \u2014 the transfer of harmful organisms from one surface to another \u2014 is often the cause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">This is especially troublesome for raw, ready-to-eat foods, such as salads or other produce.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Because these foods aren&#8217;t cooked, harmful organisms aren&#8217;t destroyed before eating and can cause food poisoning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Many bacterial, viral, or parasitic agents cause food poisoning.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Food poisoning, also called foodborne illness, is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. Infectious organisms \u2014 including bacteria, viruses, and parasites \u2014 or their&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Why is Food Poisoning a Foodborne Illness? - Food Poisoning","description":"Food poisoning, also called foodborne illness, is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. Infectious organisms \u2014 including bacteria, viruses, and parasit"},"_slim_seo_primary_term_category":0,"_slim_seo_primary_term_post_tag":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-food-poisoning","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3144"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3144\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/foodpoisoning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}