Foodborne illnesses continue to take a staggering toll on public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year roughly 1 out of 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases.
Symptoms of Foodborne Illness
If you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms, you may have a foodborne illness.
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhea (sometimes bloody or watery)
- Fever
- Headache
Causes of Foodborne Illness
Food & Drug Administration (FDA) 5 Foodborne Illness Risk Factors
- Improper hot and cold holding temperatures
- Improper cooking temperatures
- Dirty and/or contaminated utensils and equipment
- Poor health and personal hygiene
- Food from unsafe sources
Pathogens
- Bacteria and viruses are the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States. Symptoms, severity, onset time, and duration vary depending on the specific type of virus or bacteria that is present.
- Causes of Food Poisoning from FoodSafety.gov
- People at Higher Risk for Foodborne Illness
- Foodborne Illnesses Index from Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
