What is Food Poisoning?

Food poisoning is caused by the contamination of food items, which can happen at any stage in the food process from the harvesting of food to preparation, or insufficient cooking of meat products, for example chicken and poor temperature control.

Food poisoning is caused by the consumption of contaminated food which results in illness. The most common signs of food poisoning are stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. The source of the food contamination can be bacteria, viruses, or toxins.

There has been a recent increase in reported cases of food poisoning, which could be due to the increasing trend for people to eat outside of the home. This includes food courts, restaurants, takeaway shops, and pre-prepared food bought from a supermarket.

Interestingly, food poisoning at home rarely occurs because food is usually prepared freshly and consumed shortly afterwards.

Food poisoning usually occurs when food is prepared, stored, and consumed later.