Food poisoning

Food poisoning

Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, and can be caused by a range of different bacteria (germs). Food poisoning can affect everybody however it is more likely to affect people with lowered resistance to illness such as the elderly, babies, young children and pregnant women.

The common symptoms associated with food borne illness, a viral infection or some other cause include:-

• diarrhoea
• vomiting
• nausea (feeling sick) and
• stomach cramps

These symptoms usually occur within 2-36 hours of consumption of the food, although with some types of food poisoning sysmtoms can take longer to appear. The last thing eaten is not necessarily the cause of the food poisoning. The symptoms usually last between 1 and 7 days, although this may be longer. All the time you have the symptoms, and in some cases for some time after, you can transmit the infection to other people if you are not careful.  

If you, or a member of your family have food poisoning, take care with your hygiene, and in particular, wash your hands thoroughly:

• after using the toilet
• before handling food and
• before eating or feeding others.

If you are a food handler, healthcare worker or work with the elderly or children under five years old, and you think you are suffering from food poisoning it is important to visit your doctor, submit a stool sample and contact the commercial services team, contact details are at the bottom of the page. It is also important that you i nform your employer.

Types of food poisoning

There are many types of food borne illness caused by different bacteria. The most common include:

Campylobacter

Symptoms include stomach cramps and severe diarrhoea but rarely vomiting. They can begin 2-10 days after eating contaminated food but usually within 2-5 days. Main sources are undercooked chicken and other meats, handling pets, cross-contamination to other foods, raw milk and contaminated water. This organism is the most common cause of acute diarrhoea in adults.

Salmonella

Symptoms include stomach pain, fever, diarrhoea and vomiting. It usually takes about 12-48 hours for the illness to develop. Symptoms can be much more severe in the young and elderly. Main sources are undercooked meat and poultry, untreated milk and raw or undercooked eggs. Salmonella is the second most common form of food poisoning.

E.Coli 0157

Symptoms include severe bloody diarrhoea, and the infection can lead to serious kidney damage in children. Main sources are undercooked beef burgers and minced beef, contaminated cooked meats and unpasteurised milk. This organism has also been linked to farms. For further information please use the link at the bottom of the page to access a leaflet 'avoiding infection on farm visits' produced by the Health Protection Agency.

Staphylococcus Aureus

Symptoms include stomach pains and vomiting 1-6 hours after eating and it usually takes 12-24 hours for symptoms to subside. This bacteria is found on humans (particularly in the nose, throat, skin and ears) and is transferred to food through poor hygiene practices.

Listeria

Mild flu-like illness in healthy people, but can cause septicaemia and meningitis in the young and elderly. Listeria can lead to stillbirth and miscarriage or meningitis in the new-born baby. Sources include unpasteurised soft cheeses (such as Brie and Camembert) and meat pates. Prevention of food poisoning from Listeria is more difficult than other organisms as it can multiply slowly at refrigeration temperatures. It is recommended therefore that pregnant women do not eat the above products.

Viruses

Viruses can cause vomiting and diarrhoea and are highly infectious.  They can spread very easily from person to person or through the air.  They are not generally spread in food.  Symptoms tend to start very quickly and usually consist of violent vomiting which may be followed by diarrhoea.  Symptoms tend to resolve within 24-48 hours and people will often refer to these as '24 hour bugs'

Further information on food poisoning is available from the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Their webiste can be accessed by clicking on the following link Health Protection Agency. The HPA have also produced a leaflet called 'Avoiding infection on farm visits', a copy of which is provided below

Avoiding infection on farm visits (pdf 1MB)

Contact details

Commercial Services Team
Public Protection & Safety Division
Environment Services Department
Hammersmith & Fulham Council
6th Floor, Town Hall Extension
King Street, London 
W6 9JU

Telephone: 020 8753 1081
Fax: 020 8753 3922
Email: commercialservices@lbhf.gov.uk

Related forms:

Report food poisoning