| Foodborne illness, or "food poisoning," occurs when food contaminated with bacteria or other pathogens, such as parasites or viruses, is consumed. Poisonous chemicals, pesticides, and other harmful substances can also cause foodborne illness. |
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| Food Poisoning Symptoms may include upset stomach, diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, weakness, and dehydration. The symptoms may appear several hours to several days after ingesting contaminated food. |
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| Typically, food becomes contaminated with a microbial pathogen as a result of improper food processing, handling, preparation and/or storage. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most commonly recognized foodborne infections are those caused by the bacteria Campylobacter, Salmonella, Escherichia coli (specifically, E. coli O157:H7), and Listeria, as well as a group of viruses called noroviruses (also known as Norwalk-like virus or calcivirus). Common diseases that are occasionally foodborne, although usually transmitted by other routes, include infections caused by Shigella and Hepatitis A and by the parasites, Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidia. Still other foodborne diseases are caused by the presence of a toxin produced by a microbe found in food. For example, a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum causes the rare but deadly disease botulism. |
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| The CDC estimates that there are 76 million cases of foodborne illness in the United States each year. Of these cases, about 300,000 people are hospitalized, and 5,000 people die. Everyone is at risk for the disease, however, pregnant women (and their fetuses), infants and children, the elderly, and the severely ill are at greatest risk for severe complications, permanent disability, and death. |
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| You can find out more about foodborne illness on the pages of this website. In addition, our links will take you to the most important resources on the subject, as well as to a list of the most recent food poisoning outbreaks and food recalls. You can also learn about our food poisoning law firm and the successful outcomes we have attained on behalf of clients. |
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Ten cases of Salmonella food poisoning were reported in Norwalk, Ohio, last week writes Jennifer Grathwol for the Sandusky Register Online. ...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Gourmet Boutique, L.L.C., of Jamaica, N.Y., is recalling approximately 286,320 pounds of fresh and frozen meat and poultry products that may be contaminated with the foodborne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes. ...
Public health officials inspected Princeton University’s main dining hall after eight cases of Salmonella food poisoning were confirmed. There are reports of an additional 80 cases of “stomach problems” at the university.
Michael Herzenberg of News 13 KRQE.com, reports that New Mexico State Department of Health officials are investigating two International House of Pancakes restaurants (IHOP) after two of the restaurants’ food servers were diagnosed with hepatitis A. ...
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