Foodborne illness

Foodborne illness or food poisoning is caused by consuming food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, toxins, viruses, prions or parasites. Such contamination usually arises from improper handling, preparation or storage of food. Foodborne illness can also be caused by adding pesticides or medicines to food, or by accidentally consuming naturally poisonous substances like poisonous mushrooms or reef fish. Contact between food and pests, especially flies, rodents and cockroaches, is a further cause of contamination of food.

Related Topics:
Consuming - Food - Pathogen - Bacteria - Toxin - Virus - Prion - Parasite - Pesticide - Medicine - Mushroom - Pest - Flies - Rodent - Cockroach

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Some common diseases are occasionally foodborne mainly through the water vector, even though they are usually transmitted by other routes. These include infections caused by Shigella, Hepatitis A, and the parasites Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum.

Related Topics:
Vector - Shigella - Hepatitis A - Giardia lamblia - Cryptosporidium parvum

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The World Health Organization defines it as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the ingestion of food. Every person is at risk of foodborne illnesshttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs237/en/.

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Good hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting an illness.

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