The leftovers in the fridge smelled a little weird, but you went ahead and ate them. You were so hungry, you didn’t even heat them up. A couple of hours later though, you started to feel sick. Powerful waves of pain rumbled through your stomach. They went away, but not for long. Then you even threw up!

That sounds like a case of food poisoning. No one put poison in your food, but bacteria probably grew in the food in the fridge and those bacteria made you sick. Food poisoning can be mild and last just a short time or can be more serious.

Definition

Food poisoning is a general term for health problems arising from eating contaminated food. Food may be contaminated by bacteria, viruses, environmental toxins or toxins present within the food itself, such as the poisons in some mushrooms or certain seafood.

Causes

It is estimated that 97% of all cases of food poisoning result from improper food handling; 79% of cases result from food prepared in commercial or institutional establishments and 21% of cases result from food prepared at home.

The most common causes are as follows:

    • Leaving prepared food at temperatures that allow bacterial growth
    • Inadequate cooking or reheating
    • Cross-contamination
    • Infection in food handlers.

Cross-contamination may occur when raw contaminated food comes in contact with other foods, especially cooked foods, through direct contact or indirect contact on food preparation surfaces.

Bacteria are responsible for approximately 75% of the outbreaks of food poisoning and for 80% of the cases with a known cause. As many as 1 in 10 people around the world have diarrhoea due to food-borne infection each year.

Symptoms

The symptoms and signs of food poisoning vary with the source and extent of contamination. The symptoms range from upset stomach, diarrhoea, nausea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and dehydration to more severe illness such as paralysis and meningitis. These symptoms occur within hours after eating contaminated food. The diagnosis of food poisoning is done by testing the stool.

The following are the most common symptoms of food poisoning:

    • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
    • Bloody diarrhoea in the stool
    • Upset stomach, some abdominal pain, cramps
    • Fever that lasts longer than 24 hours
    • Dizziness, fainting, rapid heart rate
    • Weakness, numbness or tingling in the arms, legs or mouth.

Treatment

The most common treatment for simple food poisoning is supportive care at home with clear liquids to stay hydrated. After vomiting or diarrhoea subside, the gradual return to eating beginning with a bland diet (such as rice, bread, potatoes and milk).

The doctor should be consulted if the person has nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea that lasts more than two days, a fever, dizziness or unconsciousness, or if the symptoms are occurring after recent travel to foreign countries or if people who ate the same thing are also ill. A visit to the hospital should be made if the person experiences vomiting blood, a swollen abdomen, problems breathing, swollen joints, yellow eyes or skin, or sharp abdominal pain that lasts more than 15 minutes.

Our Employee Wellbeing Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day if you want to know more about food poisoning.