Most foodborne illness is caused by pathogenic bacteria or viruses in food. Other less common foodborne illness occurs from accidental chemical poisoning and natural contaminants. The most common types of foodborne illness are: Symptoms and the most frequent food vehicle will vary depending on the type of pathogen. (Wide table: scroll/swipe sideways if not all columns are displayed.)
Pathogen Microscopic Typical incubation period (time between eating and onset of symptoms) Typical symptoms Typical food vehicles * Bacillus cereus toxin (vomiting and diarrhoea) 1 - 6 hours 6 - 24 hours Sudden onset of severe nausea and vomiting Abdominal cramps, nausea and watery diarrhoea Improperly refrigerated cooked rice and pasta, and fresh noodles Meats, stews, gravy Campylobacter 2 - 5 days Fever, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea (sometimes bloody) Raw and undercooked poultry, unpasteurised milk and contaminated water Clostridium perfringens toxin 6 - 24 hours Abdominal cramps, watery diarrhoea and nausea Meats, poultry, gravy, dried or precooked foods Escherichia coli including (STEC) 2 - 10 days more commonly 3 - 4 days Diarrhoea (often bloody), abdominal cramps Improperly cooked beef, unpasteurised milk and juice, sprouts and contaminated water Hepatitis A 2 - 7 weeks Jaundice, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea Raw or poorly cooked seafood harvested from contaminated waters, ready-to-eat foods handled by an infected food handler Listeria monocytogenes 3 days - Meningitis, sepsis, fever Soft cheeses, unpasteurised milk, ready-to-eat deli meats Norovirus 24 - 48 hours Fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and headache Poorly cooked shellfish, ready-to-eat foods touched by an infected worker Salmonella 6 – 72 hours, Headache, fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea Undercooked poultry, raw egg desserts and mayonnaise, sprouts, tahini Staphylococcus aureus toxin 0.5 – 8 hours Sudden onset of vomiting and abdominal cramps Cream desserts and pastries, potato salad Vibrio parahaemolyticus 4–30 hours, usually 12-24 hours Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and watery diarrhoea Undercooked or raw seafood.
image of pathogen **
10 weeks
usually 12-36 hours
*The foods shown in the table have previously been found to be the source of the pathogens listed. This does not mean that these foods are always unsafe to eat that such pathogens are always present, or that only these foods can carry the pathogen.
**Image credits: Partnership for Food Safety Education (USA); Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium); HealthNJ, Univesity of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (USA).