What causes food poisoning (i.e. foodborne illness)?
Foodborne illness falls into 3 main categories: biological, chemical and physical. Biological causes include the culprits of bacteria, viruses, yeasts & molds, and parasites. Chemical poisonings can occur from a number of sources – contamination from chemicals found in the home or workplace, as well as naturally occurring toxins which are present in some foods, such as mushrooms and fish. Some types of bacteria produce toxins. Physical hazards are usually things found in food which are not supposed to be there, such as bone, toothpicks, glass, metal, band aids, or other foreign objects which may cause injury. By far the biggest cause of foodborne illness is from bacteria and viruses; there are many kinds of bacteria and viruses that can lead to illness. See our “Foodborne Illness” web page at this site for more information. *If you think that you might have a foodborne illness, please call your doctor and your county health department as soon as possible.
