KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA,

KV DRDO Bangalore-
560093

BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT

FOOD
POISONING
DONE BY:
ISHIKA SINGH
CLASS – 12B
 Certificate
This is certify that “Biology Investigatory
Project” on the topic “Food Poisoning”
has been successfully completed by Ishika
Singh of class 12th B under the guidance of
Mrs Sridevi V.shinde in the particular
fulfilment of the curriculum of Central
board of secondary education (CBSE)
leading award of annual examination of
the year 2023-24 .

Teacher-In-charge External Examiner

 Acknowledgement

I have taken efforts in the project, however, it would

not have been possible without the kind support and
help of many individuals.
I would like to thank my principal, Mr. Venkateshwer
Rao, and my school for providing me with facilities
required to do my project.
I am highly indebted to my biology teachers, Mrs.
Sridevi Vijay Shinde, for her invaluable guidance which
has sustained my efforts in all the stages of this project
work.
I would like to thank my parents for their continuous
support and encouragement.
I would also like to thank my fellow classmates in
developing the project and to the people who have
willingly helped me out with their abilities.
 INDEX
Topic: Food poisoning

 Introduction
 How food becomes contaminated?
 Causes
 Symptoms
 When to see a doctor?
 Common causes and sources
 Risk factors
 Complications
 Rare complications
 Treatment of Food Poisoning
 Prevention of Food from Contamination
Introduction
Food is an integral part of existence for living organisms. It
provides us with energy to carry out every day activities. It
helps build our immunity system to be fit to fight against
diseases. This is the reason why it becomes all the more
necessary to eat the right food at the right time. Sometimes,
microorganisms grow on the food which we consume. Food
gets contaminated when these microorganisms multiply and
release toxic substances, resulting in food poisoning.

Food poisoning, also called food-borne illness, caused

by eating contaminated food. Infectious organisms
including various bacteria, viruses and parasites and
their toxins are the most common causes of food
poisoning. Infectious organisms or their toxins can
contaminate food at any point during its processing or
production.
Contamination can also occur at home if food is
incorrectly handled or cooked. Food poisoning
symptoms often include nausea, vomiting or diarrhea,
which can start just hours after eating contaminated
food. Most often, food poisoning is mild and resolves
without treatment. But some cases are severe, requiring
hospitalization.
How food becomes contaminated?
Food can be contaminated at any point from the farm or
fishery to the table. The problem can begin during
growing, harvesting or catching, processing, storing,
shipping, or preparing.
Food can be contaminated any place it's handled,
including the home, because of:

 Poor handwashing: Faeces that remains on the

hands after using the toilet can contaminate food.
Other contaminants can be transferred from hands
during food preparation or food serving.
  Not disinfecting cooking or eating areas:
Unwashed knives, cutting boards or other kitchen
tools can spread contaminants.
 Improper storage: Food left out for too long at
room temperature can become contaminated. Food
stored in the refrigerator for too long can spoil.
Also, food stored in a refrigerator or freezer that is
too warm can spoil.

Causes
Many germs or harmful things, called contaminants, can cause
foodborne illnesses. Food or drink that carries a contaminant
is called "contaminated." Food can be contaminated with any
of the following:

 Bacteria.
 Viruses.
 Parasites that can live in the intestines.
 Poisons, also called toxins.
 Bacteria that carry or make toxins.
 Molds that make toxins.
Bacteria
Bacteria is the major cause of food poisoning.
Salmonella is the major cause of food poisoning in the
US. Campylobacter and Clostridium botulinum are the
other two lethal causes of food poisoning.

Viruses
The viruses responsible for food poisoning include
norovirus, sapovirus, rotavirus, and astrovirus. Food
poisoning through viruses is less common, but proves to
be fatal. Hepatitis A virus is a serious condition
transmitted through food.

Parasites
Food poisoning through parasites is very rare.
Toxoplasma, a common cause of food poisoning, can be
found in cat litter boxes.
Food can also be contaminated during the growing,
harvesting and storage steps. The harmful organisms
transfer from one surface to the other and result in food
contamination. The raw, ready-to-cook food products
are more at risk. Since these food items are not cooked,
therefore the pathogens are not destroyed resulting in
food poisoning.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary depending on what is causing the illness.
They may begin within a few hours or a few weeks depending
on the cause.
Common symptoms are:
 Upset stomach.
 Vomiting.
 Diarrhea.
 Diarrhea with bloody stools.
 Stomach pain and cramps.
 Fever.
 Headache.

Less often food poisoning affects the nervous system and can
cause severe disease. Symptoms may include:

 Blurred or double vision.

  Headache.
 Loss of movement in limbs.
 Problems with swallowing.
 Tingling or numbness of skin.
 Weakness.
 Changes in sound of the voice.

When to see a doctor

Adults should see a health care provider or get emergency
care if the following occur:
 Nervous system symptoms, such as blurry vision, muscle
weakness and tingling of skin.
 Changes in thinking or behaviour.
 Fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius).
 Vomiting often.
 Diarrhea that lasts more than three days.
 Symptoms of dehydration — excessive thirst, dry mouth,
little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, or light
headedness.
 Common causes and sources
The following table shows common causes of foodborne
illnesses, the time from exposure to the beginning of
symptoms and common sources of contamination.

Disease cause Timing of Common sources

symptoms

Bacillus cereus 30 minutes to 15 hours. Foods such as rice,

(bacterium) leftovers, sauces, soups,
meats and others that have
sat out at room temperature
too long.
Campylobacter 2 to 5 days. Raw or undercooked
 (bacterium) poultry, shellfish,
unpasteurized milk, and
contaminated water.
Clostridium 18 to 36 hours. Infants: For infants, honey or
botulinum 3 to 30 days. pacifiers dipped in honey.
Home-preserved foods
(bacterium)
including canned foods,
fermented fish, fermented
beans and alcohol.
Commercial canned foods
and oils infused with herbs.
Clostridium 6 to 24 hours. Meats, poultry, stews and
perfringens gravies. Commonly, food
(bacterium) that is not kept hot enough
when served to a large
group. Food left out at room
temperature too long.
Giardia lamblia 1 to 2 weeks. Food and water
(parasite) contaminated with faeces
that carry the parasite.
Food handlers who are
carriers of the parasite.
Hepatitis A (virus) 15 to 50 days. Raw and undercooked
shellfish, fresh fruits and
vegetables, and other
uncooked food. Food and
water contaminated with
human feces. Food
handlers who have
hepatitis A.
Norovirus (virus) 12 to 48 hours. Shellfish and fresh fruits
and vegetables. Ready-to-
eat foods, such as salads
and sandwiches, touched
by food handlers with the
virus. Food or water
contaminated with vomit
or faeces of a person with
 the virus.
Shellfish poisoning Usually 30 to 60 Shellfish, including cooked
(toxin) minutes, up to 24 shellfish, from coastal
hours. seawater contaminated
with toxins.
Vibrio (bacterium) 2 to 48 hours. Raw or undercooked fish or
shellfish, especially oysters.
Water contaminated with
sewage. Rice, millet, fresh
fruits and vegetables.
Salmonella 6 hours to 6 days. Most often poultry, eggs
(bacterium) and dairy products. Other
foods such as fresh fruits .

Risk factors
Anyone can get food poisoning. Some people are more likely
to get sick or have more-serious disease or complications.
These people include:

 Infants and children.

 Pregnant people.
 Older adults.
 People with weakened immune systems due to another
disease or treatments.
Complications
In most healthy adults, complications are uncommon. They
can include the following.

Dehydration
The most common complication is dehydration. This a severe
loss of water and salts and minerals. Both vomiting and
diarrhea can cause dehydration.
Most healthy adults can drink enough fluids to prevent
dehydration. Children, older adults, and people with
weakened immune systems or other illnesses may not be
able to replace the fluids they've lost. They are more likely to
become dehydrated.
People who become dehydrated may need to get fluids
directly into the bloodstream at the hospital. Severe
dehydration can cause organ damage, other severe disease
and death if not treated.

Complications of systemic disease

Some contaminants can cause more widespread disease in
the body, also called systemic disease or infection. This is
more common in people who are older, have weakened
immune systems or other medical conditions. Systemic
infections from foodborne bacteria may cause:
Blood clots in the kidneys: E. coli can result in blood clots
that block the kidneys' filtering system. This condition, called
hemolytic uremic syndrome, results in the sudden failure of
the kidneys to filter waste from the blood. Less often, other
bacteria or viruses may cause this condition.
Bacteria in the bloodstream: Bacteria in the blood can cause
disease in the blood itself or spread disease to other parts of
the body.
Meningitis: Meningitis is inflammation that may damage the
membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Sepsis: Sepsis is an overreaction of the immune system to
systemic disease that damages the body's own tissues.

Rare complications
Rare complications include conditions that may develop after
food poisoning, including:

Arthritis: Arthritis is swelling, tenderness or pain in joints.

Irritable bowel syndrome: Irritable bowel syndrome in a
lifelong condition of the intestines that causes pain, cramping
and irregular bowel movements.
Guillain-Barre syndrome: Guillain-Barre syndrome is an
immune system attack on nerves that can result in tingling,
numbness and loss of muscle control.
Breathing difficulties: Rarely, botulism can damage nerves
that control the muscles involved in breathing.
Treatment of Food Poisoning
The following treatment should be given to a person suffering
from food poisoning:
 Drink plenty of liquids to replace the lost electrolytes
 Allow ice cubes to melt in the mouth or sip small
amounts of water even if vomiting persists.
 Gradually start eating blander food items such as
cereals, toast, rice, banana, etc.

Prevention of Food from Contamination

To prevent food from contamination, it is very important to
adopt proper methods for food preservation. We can
preserve food by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms
on food and slowing oxidation of fats.
Storage and preservation of whole food grains and cooked
food are different. Microbes act on cooked food since it
needs moisture to breed and whole food is usually devoid
of moisture. This is the reason why bread left unused
under moist conditions sees the action of microbes on it.
One of the characteristics of contaminated food apart from
visible changes is that it emits a foul smell and tastes
different than usual.
To prevent food poisoning at home:
Handwashing: Wash your hands with soap and water for at
least 20 seconds. Do this after using the toilet, before
eating, and before and after handling food.
Wash fruits and vegetables: Rinse fruits and vegetables
under running water before eating, peeling or preparing.
Wash kitchen utensils thoroughly: Wash cutting boards,
knives and other utensils with soapy water after contact
with raw meats or unwashed fruits and vegetables.

Don't eat raw or undercooked meat: Use a meat

thermometer to make sure meat is cooked enough. Cook
whole meats and fish to at least 145 F (63 C) and let rest
for at least three minutes. Cook ground meat to at least
160 F (71 C). Cook whole and ground poultry to at least
165 F (74 C).
Refrigerate or freeze leftovers: Put leftovers in covered
containers in the refrigerator right after your meal.
Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. If
you don't think you'll eat them within four days, freeze
them right away.
Cook leftovers safely: You can safely thaw frozen food
three ways. You can microwave it. You can move it to the
refrigerator to thaw overnight. Or you can put the frozen
food in a leakproof container and put it in cold water on
the counter. Reheat leftovers until the internal
 temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees
Celsius).
Throw it out when in doubt: If you aren't sure if a food has
been prepared, served or stored safely, discard it. Even if it
looks and smells fine, it may not be safe to eat.
Clean your refrigerator: Clean the inside of the refrigerator
every few months. Make a cleaning solution of 1
tablespoon (15 millilitres) of baking soda and 1 quart (0.9
litres) of water. Clean visible Mold in the refrigerator or on
the door seals. Use a solution of 1 tablespoon (15
millilitres) of bleach in 1 quart (0.9 litres) of water.
Chemical Method
Preservatives are used to check microbial activity in this
method of preservation of food. Acid preservatives are also
added to prevent food from spoilage in pickles, squashes,
jams, canned food, etc. Some common preservatives:
 Salt
 Edible Oils
 Sodium benzoate
 Sodium metabisulphite
Preservation by sugar
Sugar, salt, absorbs moisture from food, making it too dry for
microbes to exist. In food items like jams and jellies, sugar is
added as a preservative. The process of desiccating food by
dehydrating it first and then packing it with pure sugar is
known as sugaring. Sugaring is used to preserve food, some
fruits are preserved this way. In some cases, meat and fish
are also preserved using the sugaring process.

Preservation by Oil and Vinegar

One of the most commonly used methods to preserve food is
the use of edible oil. Oil and vinegar checks on spoilage in
pickles. Fruits and vegetables are also oiled to preserve them
from getting rotten. Vinegar has properties to stop and slow
down the spoilage of food over a long period of time, it does
so because acidity level or pH of vinegar does not allow any
microbial activity to occur.
Heat and Cold Treatments
Boiling milk and food before storing them is one of the
methods of food preservation. Pasteurization is the process
of heating packaged and unpackaged foods to about 70
degrees Celsius for 15-30 seconds and stored after suddenly
chilling. This way, milk can be consumed without boiling as it
is free from microbes. We preserve meat and other food
items under cold temperatures in the freezer to prevent
attack by microbes.

Storage and Packing

Fruits, vegetables, and cooked food are stored in airtight
containers, aluminium foils, cans, paper bags, and Ziploc bags
to prevent them from getting contaminated.
HEALTHY FOOD , HEALTHY FAMILY
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 https://byjus.com/biology/food-poisoning-
introduction-symptoms-food-preservation/

 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/food-poisoning/symptoms-
causes/syc-20356230

 https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/
healthy-family.html
 https://blog.foodsafety.ca/what-are-bacterial-
toxins

THANK YOU!!