Food poisoning occurs when foods containing poisons of chemical or biological origin are eaten.
The characteristic symptoms are abdominal pain and diarrhoea, usually accompanied by vomitting, which follow 2-36 hours after eating such food. By far the most common cause of food poisoning is the presence in food of harmful bacteria or toxins produced by them.
Most food poisoning incidents occur due to unhygienic practices and therefore these are preventable.
Pathogens (disease producing bacteria) find their way into food through use of infected animal foods, infected food handlers, unclean equipment, household pest and water. The storage of prepared food at room temperature may accelerate multiplication of pathogens present.
Food poisoning can be prevented by strict adherence to cleanliness in purchase, storage, preparation, handling and service of foods as also use of appropriate temperature during processing and storage of leftovers.
