Food poisoning is caused by food contamination, usually by bacteria, parasites, or viruses. Symptoms can vary from mild to serious and include upset stomach, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and dehydration. Symptoms usually last a few hours to a few days. Most of the time, increasing your fluid intake is the only treatment needed, but occasionally hospitalization and intravenous fluid replacement become necessary.

Food poisoning occurs for a number of reasons. Some foods already have bacteria on them when you buy them. Meat may be tainted during slaughter. Fruits and vegetables may come in contact with fecal material or other causes of disease when the produce is growing or being processed. However, food can also become contaminated if you leave it out for 2 hours or more at room temperature. Sometimes food contamination occurs during preparation of food. Additionally, dangerous chemicals can cause food poisoning if they come in contact with food during its harvesting or processing.

To prevent food poisoning, food should be kept refrigerated or should be thoroughly cooked. When the temperature of food is between 40° and 140°F, bacteria multiply the most rapidly. The best way to destroy bacteria in contaminated food is with thorough cooking. Meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F, and poultry should reach an internal temperature of 180°F. Additionally, your refrigerator should be set to 40°F or lower, and your freezer should be kept at 0°F.

Young children, people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women and their fetuses, and older adults are at the greatest risk from bacterial infections. Certain microorganisms rarely can cause the spontaneous abortion of a fetus or the death of an adult. Children are at particular risk from the bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7, which can lead to kidney failure and death.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. Seventy-six million people in the United States get sick from contaminated food annually. The majority of these infections are not reported. However, 5,000 people die of food poisoning each year.
  2. It’s estimated that 1 in 10,000 eggs is contaminated with the bacterium Salmonella. Produce such as spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and melons can be contaminated with Salmonella, Shigella, or E. coli O157:H7.