Preventing Food Poisoning and Food Infection

Short Description
Factsheet from the University of Georgia.

Website: www.fcs.uga.edu | Filesize: 511kb

Content
What is Foodborne Illness?
We may know it by many names - upset stomach,
flu or even “some kind of bug.” What ever name we
use, those symptoms of diarrhea and perhaps nausea,
vomiting, fever, chills, aches and flu-like symptoms
may be caused by something we ate. There are two
main types of foodborne illnesses: (1) intoxication
or “poisoning” and (2) infection. The symptoms
we suffer depend on the type of illness and the
particular organism that causes the problem.
Who is at Risk for Foodborne Illness?
Anyone can get foodborne illness. Certain groups,
however, are more at risk than others. For example,
infants and young children are more at risk than
healthy adults because their immune systems that
help them fight disease are not as fully developed as
those of adults. The elderly are more at risk because
their immune systems have weakened with age.
People whose immune systems are not functioning
properly, such as those suffering from cancer,
AIDS or other diseases, are also more likely to get
a foodborne illness than healthy adults. Pregnant
women and their fetuses are more at risk
for certain foodborne illnesses.
Is Foodborne Illness Serious?
Most foodborne…