Bacteria and viruses are the most common cause of food poisoning. The symptoms and severity of food poisoning vary, depending on which bacteria or virus has contaminated the food.
To prevent illness, always follow the food safety steps: clean, separate, cook, and chill. Other prevention tips for specific bacteria and viruses are included below.
The bacteria and viruses that cause the most illnesses, hospitalizations, or deaths are described below and include:
Causes of Food Poisoning
- Bacteria and Viruses: Bacteria and viruses are the most common cause of food poisoning. The symptoms and severity of food poisoning vary, depending on which bacteria or virus has contaminated the food.
- Parasites: Parasites are organisms that derive nourishment and protection from other living organisms known as hosts. In the United States, the most common foodborne parasites are protozoa, roundworms, and tapeworms.
- Molds, Toxins, and Contaminants: Most food poisoning is caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites rather than toxic substances in the food. But some cases of food poisoning can be linked to either natural toxins or added chemical toxins.
- Allergens: Food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by your body’s immune system. Some foods, such as nuts, milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat or soybeans, can cause allergic reactions in people with food allergies.
Symptoms of Food Poisoning
Symptoms may range from mild to severe and differ depending on the germ you swallowed. The most common symptoms of food poisoning include:
- Upset stomach
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Dehydration
Serious long-term effects associated with several common types of food poisoning include:
- Kidney failure
- Chronic arthritis
- Brain and nerve damage
- Death
Certain groups of people are more susceptible to foodborne illness. This means that they are more likely to get sick from contaminated food and, if they do get sick, the effects are much more serious. These groups include:
- Pregnant women
- Children younger than 5 years
- Adults age 65 and older
- People whose immune systems are weakened due to illness or medical treatment
Food safety challenges affect Africa’s food security, and consumer health negatively making the continent one of the most vulnerable to trade restrictions, illnesses and death, and loss of economic and social potential. The national food safety summit will bring together everyone who operates in the food/hospitality industry. Attendees will learn the roles of monitoring in the food business by the regulatory agency; NISCN, NAFDAC, SON, Ministry of Health and the importance of such monitoring, the use of technology in training food vendors and those in the hospitality business, reasons for compliance to statutory regulations in the food industry and simple remedies for food poisoning in public spaces.
Benefits to attendees
- Learn and understand FG safety manuals on food-borne disease prevention.
- Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system, principles, and techniques with a requirement for good hygiene and manufacturing practices along the food supply chains.
- Workplace hygiene, food safety in public and private places, upholding industry standards in food safety technology, and place of technology in food safety training.
- Build awareness among decision-makers about current food safety challenges in Nigeria, their magnitude, and the need for integrated food-borne diseases surveillance and preparedness.
- Foster and strengthen coordination and collaboration among public health, veterinary, and food-related disciplines in the area of food-borne disease surveillance and prevention.
- Foster the integration of food-borne disease and pathogen data to influence public health policy.
- Promote communication between food safety authorities.