All of the infectious organisms or their toxins are the most common ways someone can acquire food poisoning, which is sometimes referred to as a foodborne illness.
By either name, it is a miserable affliction that can start within hours of eating bad food or manifest itself days or even weeks after the fact. Whether eating in a restaurant, from a street vendor or at home, contamination can occur if the food is improperly handled, undercooked or otherwise tainted. Some cases of food poisoning are so severe that they require hospitalization. Others are merely uncomfortable interludes in an otherwise healthy life, with the illness lasting for several hours or a couple of days.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that the United States sees close to 50 million illnesses, more than 125,000 hospitalizations and more than 3,000 deaths each year related to foodborne illnesses. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service puts the cost of illnesses just from bacterial infections at close to $7 billion annually.
Food contamination is relatively simple and can occur at any point during food production, including growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping and preparing. The usual cause of it is cross-contamination, in which organisms are transferred from one surface to another. That’s why it’s always wise to wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before consuming them, as raw or ready-to-eat foods are particular targets. Because the foods aren’t cooked, the harmful agents in them are not destroyed before the food is consumed.