Food poisoning

Acute illness caused by consuming food contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms or their toxins, or with toxic chemicals. Symptoms — typically nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea — appear hours to days after ingestion. Prevention rests on temperature control, hygienic handling, adequate cooking and avoiding cross-contamination. Intoxications (preformed toxins, e.g. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus emetic type) strike within hours, while infections (Salmonella, Campylobacter) incubate for days — a distinction guiding outbreak investigation. Surveillance systems and whole-genome sequencing now link dispersed cases to common sources faster than ever, and vulnerable groups face disproportionate severity.