Also called: Also called: Foodborne illness
Each year, 76 million people in the U.S. get sick from contaminated food. Common culprits include bacteria, parasites and viruses. Symptoms range from mild to serious. They include
- Upset stomach
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Dehydration
Harmful bacteria are the most common cause of foodborne illness. Foods may have some bacteria on them when you buy them. Raw meat may become contaminated during slaughter. Fruits and vegetables may become contaminated when they are growing or when they are processed. But it can also happen in your kitchen if you leave food out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
The treatment in most cases is increasing your fluid intake. For more serious illness, you may need treatment at a hospital.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Bacteria and Foodborne Illness
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/
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Foodborne Diseases(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/foodborne/default.htm
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Foodborne Illness(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodborneinfections_g.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodborneinfections_g_sp.htm
- Bad Bug Book: Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) - http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/intro.html
- Food Poisoning(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/food-poisoning/DS00981/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Scratched Surfaces May Trap Bacteria during Food Processing(09/10/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69126.html
- Warning on Certain Mussel Products from Bantry Bay Seafood(08/21/2008, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/mussels082108.html
- FDA Extends Consumer Warning on Serrano Peppers from Mexico(07/30/2008, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01869.html
- FDA Advises Against Consumption of American Lobster (Maine Lobster) Tomalley(07/28/2008, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01866.html
- FDA Clears U.S. Hot Peppers in Salmonella Outbreak(07/25/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67399.html
- FDA Says It's Safe to Eat Tomatoes(07/18/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67092.html
- More News on Food Contamination and Poisoning http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_f.html#foodcontaminationandpoisoning
- Stool Culture(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/stool_culture/test.html
- Stool Tests(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/labtest8.html
- Consumer Advice(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) - http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/advice.html
- Hock Locks and Other Accoutrements(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Hock_Locks_and_Other_Accoutrements/index.asp
- Brainerd Diarrhea(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/brainerddiarrhea_g.htm
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Campylobacter(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/campylobacter_gi.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/campylobacter_g_sp.htm
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Campylobacteriosis(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/campylobacteriosis/
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Food Poisoning from Eating Fish(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/firstaid/basics/816.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/firstaid/basics/816.printerview.html
- Furan in Food(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) - http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/furanqa.html
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Gastritis(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastritis/
- Marine Toxins(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/marinetoxins_g.htm
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Norovirus: Questions & Answers(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus_spanish.pdf
- Parasites and Foodborne Illness(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Parasites_and_Foodborne_Illness/index.asp
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Parasitic Roundworm Diseases(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/parasiticRoundworm/default.htm
- Preventing Health Risks Associated with Drinking Unpasteurized or Untreated Juice(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/juice_spotlight.htm
- Raw Milk and Cheeses: Health Risks Are Still Black and White(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/cheesespotlight/cheese_spotlight.htm
- Red Tide(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/hab/redtide/
- Red Tomato Warning Expanded Nationwide(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/tomatoewarning061008.html
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Shigellosis(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/shigellosis/
- Trichinellosis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/trichinosis/factsht_trichinosis.htm
- Vibrio Parahaemolyticus(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/vibriop_gi.html
- Vibrio Vulnificus(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/vibriov_gi.html
- Warnings on Raw Jalapeño and Serrano Peppers from Mexico(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/pepperwarnings073108.html
- Yersinia Enterocolitica(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/yersinia_g.htm
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Foodborne Illness Peaks In Summer -- Why?(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Foodborne_Illness_Peaks_in_Summer/index.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.fsis.usda.gov/en_espanol/Intoxicaciones_alimentarias_en_el_verano/index.asp
- Handling Food Safely on the Road(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Handling_Food_Safely_on_the_Road/
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Keeping Food Safe during an Emergency(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/
Also available in Spanish http://www.fsis.usda.gov/En_Espanol/Como_Mantener_los_Alimentos_Sanos_Durante_una_Emergencia/
- Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html
- Reporting a Foodborne Illness(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneoutbreaks/reporting_general.htm
- Risks from Food and Water (Drinking and Recreational): Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh2-FoodWaterRisks.aspx
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Least Wanted Foodborne Pathogens(Partnership for Food Safety Education) - http://www.fightbac.org/content/view/14/21/
Also available in Spanish http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/bac/s10least.html
- Food Detectives: Fight Bac(Partnership for Food Safety Education) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.fooddetectives.com/
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Food Poisoning(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Food+Poisoning%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Yersinia Infections(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Yersinia+Infections%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Animal health: harmonisation and distribution of pathogen detection and differentiation... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18666960&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Restaurant employees' perceptions of barriers to three food safety practices. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18656574&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Report: Improvements needed to protect food supply from potential threats. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18577722&tool=MedlinePlus
- Food Contamination and Poisoning -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(food+contamination[majr]+OR+food+poisoning[majr]+OR+plant+poisoning[majr])+NOT+(botulism[majr]+OR+salmonella+food+poisoning[majr])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary of Food Safety Terms(Iowa State University, University Extension) - http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/Lesson/glossary.html
- Fish Advisories Directory(Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water) - http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/states.htm
- Problems with Food Products(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/Problems_With_Food_Products/
- USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/USDA_Meat_&_Poultry_Hotline/
- Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
- Food and Drug Administration - http://www.fda.gov/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- www.FoodSafety.gov(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) - http://www.foodsafety.gov/
- Be FoodSafe: The FSIS Magazine(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Be_Foodsafe_Magazine/index.asp
- Annual Listing of Foodborne Disease Outbreaks, United States, 1990-2004(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneoutbreaks/outbreak_data.htm
- Amebiasis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/amebiasis.html
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Campylobacter Infections(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/stomach/campylobacter.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/infecciones/campylobacter_esp.html
- Food Poisoning(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/food_poisoning.html
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Shigella Infections(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/shigella.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/infecciones/shigella_esp.html
- Yersiniosis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/yersinia.html
- Shigellosis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/shigellosis.html
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Food-Borne Risks in Pregnancy(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1152.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/9388_9916.asp
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To Your Health! Food Safety for Seniors(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/sr2.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~acrobat/ssr2.pdf
- Drinking Water - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drinkingwater.html
- E. Coli Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ecoliinfections.html
- Food Safety - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodsafety.html
- Hepatitis A - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hepatitisa.html
- Listeria Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/listeriainfections.html
- Salmonella Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/salmonellainfections.html
- Digestive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivesystem.html
- Food and Nutrition - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodandnutrition.html
- Poisoning, Toxicology, Environmental Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/poisoningtoxicologyenvironmentalhealth.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Food Contamination and Poisoning is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
Food Contamination and Poisoning - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/foodcontaminationandpoisoning.html