By : LINDA SARA ABRAHAM and

SHRADDHA PATIL
GROUP 402
 INTRODUCTION
 The term 'food poisoning' is commonly used to
cover a wide variety of illnesses or clinical
conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
 The very large majority of such illnesses found
in developed countries result from the
consumption of contaminated food or drink, and
because they are caused by infection with or the
presence of bacteria, these organisms will receive
the greatest attention here.
 INCIDENCE OF FOOD POISONING
 In England food poisoning statistics have been published annually since the 1940s.
 These terms have been defined by the Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS) as:
1. Food poisoning’ -any acute illness attributable to the recent consumption of food.
2. 'A case’ - - a person affected with food poisoning.
3. 'Sporadic case’ - - an affected person whose illness is not connected with a similar illness
of any other person.
4. 'Household outbreak'- an outbreak affecting two or more persons in the same private
household, not connected with any other cases or outbreaks.
5. 'General outbreak’ - an outbreak affecting two or more persons which was not confined
to one private household.
TYPES OF FOOD POISOINING
 SALMONELLA FOOD POISIONING
 Agent- Styphimurium , Scholera-suis and Senteritidis
 Source-farm animals & poultry- through contaminated
meat, milk & milk products, sausages. custards eggs.
Rats & Mice faeces.
 Incubation Period-12 to 24 hours generally
 Mechanism of Poisoning- The causative organism on
ingestion multiply their numbers in intestine.
 Affection-Acute enteritis & colitis.
 Symptoms-Sudden chills, fever , nausea, vomiting And
watery diarrhea for 2-3 days.
 Moratality-1%.
SALMONELLA FOOD POISONING CAUSES

 An increase in community feeding .

 Increase in international trade in human
food.
 A higher incidence of salmonellosis in farm
animals.
 Widespread use of household detergents
interfering with sewage treatment.
 Wide distribution of prepared foods.
 STAPHYLOCOCCAL FOOD POISONING

 Agent- enterotoxins of certain strains of coagulase positive staphylococcus aureus.

Toxins can be formed at optimum temperatures of 35°c to 37°c these toxins are heat
stable & resist boiling for 30 minutes.
 Source- it is ubiquitous in nature. Also found on the skin & in the nose and throat of
men and animals. In the milk & milk products of the cow which is suffering from
mastitis
 Incubation period- 1-8 hours. This kind of short incubation period due 'performed'
toxins.
 STAPHYLOCOCCAL FOOD POISONING
Mechanism- Ingestion of toxins with food
in which bacteria have grown. Due its
heat resistant, it can remain in food after
the organism have died. The toxins act
directly on the intestine and CNS.

Affection- The illness starts with vomiting,

abdominal cramps and diarrhea. In severe
cases blood & mucus may appear. Death is
uncommon.
 BOTULISM
 Agent-exotoxin of clostridium botulinum generally type A B or E.
 Source- This organism is found in soil, dust and the intestinal tract of animals and enters food as spores.
Preserved foods such as home canned vegetables, smoked or pickled fish, home made cheese and low
acidic foods. Basically its get its names from the Latin Word ‘ botulus ' which means sausage.
 Incubation Period-18 to 36 hours.
 Mechanism of poisoning- its performed in the food in anaerobic
condition. Its affects on parasympathetic nervous system.
 Affects- affects on para sympathetic nervous system.
Gastrointestinal affection is in very low numbers.
Condition is frequently fatal & Death occurs within 4-8 days
by cardiac or respiratory failure.
 CI. PERFRINGENS FOOD POISONING
 Agent-Clostridium(Cl.) perfringens .
 Source-It has been found in faeces of humans and animals, soil, non purified water and air. Also in meat and
poultry products.
 Incubation Period-6-24 hours with a peak from 10-14 hours.
 Mechanism of food poisoning- The spores are able to survive cooking & if the cooked meat and poultry are
not cooled enough they will germinate. The organism multiply between 30-50°c. and produce a variety of
toxins like-alpha toxin, theta toxin etc.
 Affects- its affects Muscular system, Digestive system. Usually illness stays for 1 day or 2 days. Very rapid
recovery no deaths have been reported.
 Symptoms- Generally diarrhea, abdominal cramps and little or
no fever. Its occur after 8 24 hours of consumption of food.
 CEREUS FOOD POSOINING
 Agent- bacilius cereus. It is an aerobic spore bearing,
motile, gram positive rod.
 Source- it is ubiquitous in soil & in raw, dried processed
foods.
 Incubation period- 1) 1-6 hours, 2)12-24 hours.
 Mechanism- the spores can survive cooking &
germinate and multiply when the food is in perfect
temperature it produces 2 distinct enterotoxins
causing 2 distinct form of food poisoning.
 Symptoms- abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea etc.
 Affects- its affects lower intestinal tract & same like cl.
Perfringes food poisoning.
 Recovery within 24 hours.
 Viruses
 Viruses invade normal cells in your body. Many viruses cause
infections that can be spread from person to person.
 If water comes into contact with stools of infected people, the water
may become contaminated with a virus. The contaminated water can
spread the virus to foods. For example, if contaminated water is
used to water or wash produce, the virus can spread to the produce.
Similarly, shellfish that were living in contaminated water could
contain a virus.
 people who are infected with a virus prepare or handle foods, they
may spread the virus to the foods.
 Common viruses that cause food poisoning include norovirus and
hepatitis A.
 Parasites
 Parasites are tiny organisms that live inside other
organisms. Parasites can enter your body through
food or water and settle in your digestive tract.
Parasites that cause food poisoning include
1. Toxoplasma gondii, which causes an illness called
toxoplasmosis
2. Giardia How do harmful chemicals
3. Cryptosporidium, which causes an illness called
cause food poisoning?
cryptosporidiosis or crypto
Harmful chemicals may be present in certain foods, including
1. fish and shellfish that contain toxins produced by algae or
bacteria
2. certain types of wild mushrooms
3. unwashed produce that contains large amounts of chemical
pesticides
 HOW TO INVESTIGATE A FOOD POISONING OUTBREAK
AS A PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT?
A. Interview all people .
B. Food eaten during previous 2 days .
C. Place of consumption .
D. Time of onset of symptoms .
E. Order of onset of symptoms .
F. Questionnaires given to kitchen workers & dining workers
G. Lab diagnosis - Stool, vomit or remnants of food .
H. Stool samples of kitchen employees & food handlers tested Blood for
antibodies .
I. Environmental studies: Inspection of kitchens
PREVENTION

Food sanitation Refrigeration Surveillance

1. Meat inspection 1. Food should be immediately
1. Food samples obtained
2. Personal hygiene & rapidly refrigerated if not
from food establishments
3. Healthy food handlers eaten after cooking (<40
periodically and checked.
4. Food handling technique Celsius)
2. Record of foodborne
5. Sanitary improvement 2. “Cook and eat the same day”
disease outbreaks
6. Environmental hygiene
7. Health education
 Review Q
 Vomiting occurs in group of children in
 True about staphylococcus food
the night, who had meal at noon. The
poisoning are all except:
causative agent for food poisoning is
a. Due to enterotoxin
most likely to be:
b. IP below 6 hours
a. Salmonella
c. Sudden onset
b. Botulism
d. Fever is common
c. Staphylococcus
d. Viral gastroenteritis

 What is correct temperature for

refrigeration of food?
 Food poisoning is caused by all
a. <5 degree C
except
b. 10-20 degree C
a. Staphylococcus aureus
c. >60 degree C
b. Clostridium difficile
d. 5-10 degree C
c. Vibrio parahaemolyticus
d. Bacillus cereus

What are the 5 keys to safe food?

 REFERENCE
 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-2
0356230
 https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/symptoms.html
 https://www.healthline.com/health/food-poisoning
 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21167-food-poisoning
 https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/food-poisoning
 https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/food-poi
soning
 https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/964048-overview
 https://epi.health.utah.gov/food-related-disease-conditions/
 https://uwaterloo.ca/foodborne-disease-epidemiology-group/