Food poisoning, or foodborne illness, occurs when you eat contaminated food. Contaminated means it’s infected with a toxic organism, such as a bacteria, fungus, parasite or virus. Sometimes the toxic byproducts of these organisms cause food poisoning.
When you eat something toxic, your body reacts to purge the toxins. You may purge through vomiting, diarrhea, fever or all of these. The uncomfortable symptoms of food poisoning are your body’s way of working to return to health. It usually works in a day or two.
How do you get food poisoning?
You get it by eating or drinking contaminated food, water or other beverages. Food can become contaminated at any stage of production, from harvesting to storage to cooking or preparation. Contamination occurs when food is not:
Fresh.
Washed well.
Handled in a sanitary way.
Cooked to a safe internal temperature.
Held at proper temperatures.
Refrigerated or frozen promptly.
Food poisoning occurs everywhere, but it’s especially easy to get it when traveling abroad, where you might encounter infectious pathogens that you wouldn’t at home. When you get it this way, it’s sometimes called traveler’s diarrhea.
What types of contaminants cause food poisoning?
Food and water may be contaminated by:
Bacteria.
Viruses.
Parasites.
Funguses.
Toxins.
Chemicals.
There are more than 250 specific types of food poisoning. Some of the most common causes include:
Salmonella: Raw eggs and undercooked poultry are common sources of salmonella poisoning. It can also occur from beef, pork, vegetables and processed foods containing these items. Salmonella is the most common bacterial cause of food poisoning in the U.S. and is responsible for the highest number of hospitalizations and deaths from food poisoning.
E. coli: Usually found in undercooked meat and raw vegetables, E. coli bacteria produces a toxin that irritates your small intestine. The Shiga toxin is what causes foodborne illness.
Listeria: Bacteria in soft cheeses, deli meats, hot dogs and raw sprouts can cause an infection called listeriosis, which is especially dangerous for pregnant women.
Norovirus: You can get norovirus by eating undercooked shellfish, leafy greens, fresh fruits or by consuming food that a sick person prepared. This is the virus most commonly associated with stomach flu.
Hepatitis A: Viral hepatitis A can be spread through shellfish, fresh produce or water and ice contaminated by stool. It’s not a chronic infection like other hepatitis viruses, but it can affect your liver.
Staphylococcus aureus(staph): A staph infection occurs when people transfer the staph bacteria from their hands to food. Foods that are often implicated are meats, poultry, milk and dairy products, salads, cream-filled baked goods, and sandwich fillings. The bacteria can affect many parts of your body.
Campylobacter: This common bacterial infection producing severe GI upset can linger for weeks. Usually, culprits are undercooked poultry, meat or eggs, poorly processed meats, contaminated vegetables and raw (unprocessed) milk or water sources. It’s also spread by cross-contamination. The condition is generally self-limited, causes bloody diarrhea and is rarely fatal.
Shigella(shigellosis): Shigella bacteria is most typically found in uncooked vegetables, shellfish and cream or mayonnaise-based salads (tuna, potato, macaroni, chicken). It can cause blood or mucus in your diarrhea, which is why the infection is sometimes called bacillary dysentery.
Is food poisoning contagious?
The infection can spread from you to another person if they come into contact with your germs. Germs can spread through tiny particles of vomit or poop that linger on surfaces or on fingers and then transfer to another person’s food or mouth.
What are the 6 signs of food poisoning?
The most common symptoms of food poisoning include:
It depends on the type of infection. Some of the most common bacterial infections take hold within a few hours. Others need time to incubate in your system before they become toxic. Some infections may take a few days, and some can take a few weeks.
How long does food poisoning last?
Most of the time, food poisoning passes within 12 to 48 hours. That’s how long it takes for a healthy body to purge the infection. It may last longer if you have a weakened immune system, or if you have a parasite that needs to be treated with antiparasitic drugs.
How is food poisoning treated?
In most cases, you can manage food poisoning at home by simply staying hydrated. You lose a lot of fluids through diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Staying hydrated is the most important thing you can do to support your body while it does its work.
Hydration formulas such as Pedialyte™ can be helpful when you’re sick. These formulas help fluids stay in your body longer. If you or your child are having trouble keeping fluids down or showing signs of dehydration, you might need to go to the hospital for IV fluids.
Should I take medication for food poisoning?
Certain types of infections may require antibiotics. Your healthcare provider will work to determine if you have one of these types. Most of the time, antibiotics aren’t necessary, and often they won’t help. Some types of infections may even worsen with antibiotics.
Healthcare providers don’t typically prescribe antidiarrheal medications for food poisoning because they can prolong the illness. However, you may be able to relieve some of your symptoms with over-the-counter bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol®).
What should I eat and drink while I’m sick with food poisoning?
You may want to let your stomach settle for a while before introducing food or drinks. Try sucking on ice chips to stay hydrated without overwhelming your stomach. Fruit juice popsicles or gelatin are other options that can offer you a little sugar for energy.
When you feel prepared to begin eating again, start with small bites of bland foods. Some broth and crackers or toast would be a great choice. The sodium and water content in the broth can help you rehydrate, while the crackers add bulk to your stools.
How is food poisoning diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will ask you about your symptoms and what you’ve had to eat and drink recently. If you have particular symptoms, they may want to take a stool sample or give you a blood test to check for particular parasites or bacteria.
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